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Opinion

Is this the best way to fix the NRL's free-agency model?

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Roar Rookie
19th October, 2022
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Traditionalists, sharpen your pitchforks! Karens, get ready to demand the manager!

But let’s first take a moment to discuss the National Rugby League, player contracts and the current free-agency model players and their agents adhere to.

Let me say at the outset that this is not a magic fix-all solution. It’s certainly not perfect. And who knows if it’s been proposed before, considering we don’t know what propositions have been made behind the scenes in relation to replacing the free-agency model.

Let’s get the discussion started.

The current free-agency model is one of the key factors of discussion in the current Collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the NRL, which represents itself and the clubs, and the players, represented by the Rugby League Players Association.

The 1 November deadline is quickly approaching, and it is usually this time of year that talk around the free-agency model rises to the surface. The program overall seems clunky and messy and always raises bits of anger as star players sign contracts with opposing clubs despite having a whole year left on their current deals.

Following that comes the pressure of whether they’ll seek to get that player a year earlier.

We saw during the 2021 post-season photos of Penrith Panthers grand final hero Viliame Kikau pictured alongside Gus Gould and then Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett, albeit leaked, but an announcement was due.

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Brandon Smith toured Australia via any and every club willing to put their hand up in the interest of adding him to their squad from 2023. The speculation was relentless, and it meant immense disregard for fans, who were being asked to renew memberships while one of the main players for the squad was very publicly heading to the exit doors.

But as rugby league fans know and understand, this is the system. It is the way that it has always happened, and there is no perfect solution to replace it. We understand these players have families. Their careers may be short due to the toughness of the game, and they need to put themselves first.

We understand that this way players have their futures sorted, but there is no harm in at least discussing other possible ways to enhance the entire contract process.

(Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

The 1 November contract date

A quick recap for those who may not know about the 1 November date and the importance of it: from November 1 2022 any player whose current playing contract with their respective clubs ends at the end of the 2023 season can openly negotiate and sign a playing contract with another club starting in 2024.

Unfortunately, as happens often, once one of these players commits to a different club for the following season, media speculation and public pressure mounts on whether that player is going to see out their current playing contract.

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To make this whole plan work, we would move the 1 November date to early-mid August on the year the player’s contract expires.

For example, Cameron Munster’s contract expires with the Melbourne Storm in 2023 – and yes, I know he now has a new contract, but just follow for now. Instead of being able to negotiate with clubs from November 2022, he would have to wait until August 2023.

This would give time for any amendments to the salary cap to be finalised by the NRL. It would provide current clubs the opportunity to negotiate or see how the player performs in the early part of the new season before deciding whether to make a new offer. Plus it would also provide an opportunity for a player to hit a purple patch and potentially drive up the asking price on their next offer.

Player draft

Rugby league fans, let me introduce you to the long-discussed NRL player draft. This is the new 1 November event that we all keep our eyes on.

Between August and 1 November all the players who have not been offered a new contract with their current club can negotiate with other clubs who may be interested in their services for the following season.

PENRITH, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 11: Cameron Munster of the Storm warms up before the round 22 NRL match between the Penrith Panthers and the Melbourne Storm at BlueBet Stadium on August 11, 2022, in Penrith, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

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If a deal can be made, the new club, the agent and the player all sign on the dotted line, take the promotional handshake photo, do the jersey presentation and everyone goes their merry way.

Alternatively, if no deal can be reached, then the off-contract player may nominate for the NRL player draft.

Other inclusions in the NRL player draft could be Queensland Cup and New South Wales Cup players who are uncontracted to an NRL club directly who believe they could perform at the elite level of the game if given the opportunity.

South Sydney Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell recently expressed his disappointment that not many NRL scouts were at the Koori Rugby League knockout carnival. Imagine if some of the players who were on display throughout that tournament over the years were able to nominate.

Or think about the players deemed late bloomers to the game, after spending years plying their trade in state-based competitions. How many could’ve had even bigger careers if they had had the ability to nominate for something like a draft and were at least be looked at and considered by every club in the competition?

Trade requests

This isn’t to be confused with the current loan system. We have seen a rise in the importance of mental health in everyday life, and rightfully so. Sometimes we understand there are compassionate or emotional reasons someone may want out of a club.

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With the introduction of the player draft clubs have a new element to use as a negotiation tool when considering a trade request. Transfer fee or draft picks offer clubs more at the table, especially when the mental health of a player is at stake.

Clubs, at their discretion, could discuss or include a transfer fee or draft picks in any talks surrounding a player’s trade request.

Draft picks not only being allocated but potentially being traded throughout the year would keep a fresh eye on the player draft.

Conclusion

Is this perfect? No.

Will any of it happen? Probably not.

But in all honesty, it’s a discussion, and it showcases why both parties – the NRL and the players association – remain content with the status quo with the way contracts are handled despite the ongoing CBA discussions.

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Any changes will no doubt stir the hornets nest, but with Peter V’landys looking to add more entertainment to the game, including floating the idea of the grand final being more in the style of the Super Bowl, and the real possibility of an 18th franchise on the horizon when it comes to broadcast negotiations, he just may back himself to float this as an idea while he’s at it.

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