ROCHDALE – Kangaroos hooker Harry Grant has accused the game’s powerbrokers of lowballing its athletes as the Rugby League Players’ Association’s standoff with the NRL over the collective bargaining agreement heats up.
Despite the previous CBA expiring on November 1, the players are yet to agree on a new deal despite months of negotiations and clubs remain in limbo over the size of their squads and salary cap for the 2023 season.
RLPA CEO Clint Newton is also annoyed the players have no clarity around minimum wage and revenue-sharing aspects of the agreement.
Grant, who is an almost certain selection for this weekend’s World Cup semi against New Zealand, is bemused about the negotiations.
“I’ve got strong thoughts (and) for us as players it’s our livelihood,” he said. “We just need to get something sorted for everyone’s sake.
(Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
“We’ve put enough into this game, for what we get out of it they are lowballing us at the moment the NRL. The RLPA do a great job and have negotiated pretty fairly.”
Grant was particularly concerned for players at the lower end of the pay scale.
“Everyone thinks you’re playing NRL and you’re on good coin, but the reality is that you’re not,” he said. “You have a lot of expenses along the way (especially) if you have to move away from home to chase your dream.
“I think a development contract is $60,000. Some blokes would be better off going to work on the tools.”
RCG in doubt for semi
Reagan Campbell-Gillard remains under a major injury cloud ahead of Australia’s semi-final with New Zealand after he trained alone on Monday morning (UK time).
The Parramatta prop came off in the final pool game against Italy with a bad cork in his leg, and missed last week’s win over Lebanon as a result.
With the Kiwis boasting perhaps the most fearsome pack in the tournament, Mal Meninga will need his biggest man on deck to bolster a forward group that has favoured agility over size.
New Zealand are ranked first in the world, but Kangaroos captain James Tedesco has declared that his side will have no respect for the rankings when they meet in Leeds on Friday evening (Saturday morning AEDT)
“I don’t think that really means much at this time,” said the fullback. “We see ourselves as the best so we are going out to play like that. We have that expectation that when we put that Australian jersey on, that we are going to win. I don’t think the rankings mean much to us.”
Samoa slapped with media ban as Paulo cops a week
Samoa were on top of the world yesterday, but came back with a bump after a day of chaos in the camp.
It began with Junior Paulo, their inspirational captain, who was given a one-match ban by the Match Review Panel after being found guilty of striking Tonga back-rower David Fifita. He may yet appeal the charge.
Then, coach Matt Parish slapped a media ban on his entire squad, refusing interviews in the lead up to the biggest game in their international history against hosts England on Saturday at the Emirates Stadium in London.
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Parish has bristled at the media throughout, challenging journalists after their win over France, asking: “Are you going to write the truth tonight?”
In yesterday’s media conference following their win over perennial rivals Tonga, Parish said that he hadn’t watched any England games apart from his own side’s crushing defeat to Shaun Wane’s men on the opening day.
“England were unreal that day, we were pretty ordinary, we’ve moved on,” he said. “I’ve only watched one game to be fair. But they’ve been pretty good. They’re the home nation and they’re down to last four, they’ve won convincingly in all four games.”
(Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Bateman plays wait and see with Tigers
The chat linking England backrower John Bateman with a return to the NRL refuses to go away, with the Wigan man continually rumoured to be joining the Wests Tigers.
Bateman bristled at talk of a transfer when it was brought up in a England presser last week ahead of their win over PNG, and was asked again by Fox Sports after the game.
“I’ll sort out what I need to sort out after the World Cup and the decision will come then,” he said.
“I’ve got a contract at Wigan and rumours are rumours, but it’s always good to be liked – I don’t care what you say. I’ve got a World Cup to focus on and that’s what I am going to be focusing on, I’ll answer the questions after the World Cup.”
baha
Guest
When you make it to the NRL, you're in the top 400 of your field in the world. When an apprentice becomes a sparky, he's probably close to the bottom of 40,000+ sparkies in the country, let alone the world. Can't compare being an elite level athlete with a run-of-the-mill job. Not to mention the amount of money generated by the players for the industry is worth a lot more than what an average sparky brings to his employer.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I’m not saying anything of the sort, I’m saying the players are wanting low end players to get a better deal. I don’t think that’s unreasonable, but for some reason some people like yourself think it is unreasonable, and based on what ?
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
And the players association is only asking for a raise in the minimum salary, I fail to see what the problem is. This is all negotiation.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Who says they are only worth 120k ? They’re worth what they get paid, and Harry Grant is arguing that the minimum salary should be higher. So if the minimum was raised to 200k, that is what they would be worth. So they are worth that which they can negotiate for themselves. The elite players have maximum leverage because they are irreplaceable in the present, so they can negotiate $1m salaries, but the low end guys rely on collective negotiation because they don’t have the leverage that superstars have. In this case, a superstar is advocating on their behalf.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I don’t know what his qualifications are for the job. You would never see a former player as a union CEO in US pro sports. They get the best & meanest sports attorney that money can buy.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
I've been thinking for a while that maybe Clint Newton isn't the man for the job? He's been in it for a while but is the RLPA a respected voice in this stuff?
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Problem with the salary cap is that all teams will use it up. In a general sense, the lower teams have used up their cap on worse performing players, and their best players are on an equivalent amount as the better players in some of the higher ranked teams. What I'm getting at is teams like, for example, the Tigers, if had based their salary spend on player worth, then should have 1/3 of the cap left unspent, but they don't. Clubs spend their cap as if it's there to be used, when they really should be only paying what a player is worth. I would probably pay Brooks 500k max, and work my way down from there. By seasons end, it becomes clear that the team was not worth spending the whole cap on. There's also nothing left in the kitty, and the the players on the big dollar extended contracts are intent on staying. I'd say there's a general rule that says if your highest paid couple are performing, then so is your team, and vice-versa, if your highest paid are losing you more games than anything else, then you're stuck until they're out the door.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I’ve made my case many times over, I have no interest in repeating myself
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I did nothing of the sort.
Rob
Guest
There is a fair amount of contradiction in your opinion IMO. Firstly you admire the greats they inspire you. Hate people tearing down tall poppies. But you want the lower end reward for achieving zip? Everyone’s entitled to fair pay and opportunities. Securing a spot 27-30 is an opportunity and if you want it bad enough and the cards fall in your favour you might crack it for the top 25. Get paid to much for doing not much isn’t going to inspire anyone. Like most have said $85k to play sport chasing your dream at a b grade level isn’t doing it tough.
HR
Guest
It’s ok, one day you will grow up and realise it is ok for people to have differing opinions. Right, so you resort to ageism...ok. Says someone "who won't go around throwing out meaningless derogatory comments..." 100 nurses don't go on strike though do they? 10000 nurses go on strike, and it cripples hospitals. Sydney transport workers go on strike and it causes chaos. But they go on strike. They are vastly more important to any society than a football player, and earn far less. But that is what the market has determined. You can think I'm talking out of my bot bot, and I respect that. But evidently I'm also in the position of being right. Bottom end players are still being paid 85, or 120k...and if any pay bump is coming, it's going to be incremental. It is not the clubs fault, or indeed our fault, that an average NRL footballer doesn't think about a safety net. They can go to university, or TAFE. That Samoan rep football player (sorry, I forgot his name) who got cut by the Dragons and ended up being a labourer. Are we meant to say "well, if he got paid more he would be in a better place?" No, we are meant to say, "well, he should have realised that he should have tried harder at school and given himself a fall back position incase he didn't cut it as a footballer." Some people are just not good at their job. So they don't get paid well for it.
HR
Guest
If you equate salary to success, then you sir, are the miserable one. It's so weird that you - a man of faith - are this judgy.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
"You need a massive dose of a reality check, mate." It's ok, one day you will grow up and realise it is ok for people to have differing opinions. It doesn't mean that others need a reality check, it just means that others have a different perspective from you. I don't believe you can compare a nurse or teacher or bank teller with an NRL player. Different industries, and each of them with completely different bargaining positions. If 100 NRL players went out on strike it would cause much more of a headache for head office than if 100 nurses (or 100 bank tellers) went on strike. But it's ok, i see what you are trying to say. To some degree I agree with you, but on another level I think you are talking out your arse..however, I don't really care and won't go around throwing out meaningless derogatory comments. Also suggest not wagering too much on me being the first to whinge if they didn't play on Friday night...
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I’m not apologising for anything. I’ve got no time for people who tear down other successful people because they dare to seek a better deal for themselves. It’s the worst of the tall poppy syndrome, and it is a miserable person who operates that way. Successful people should he celebrated not denigrated.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Yeah, agree with most of this The only other consideration when talking about distributing the lions share is ensuring junior and regional footy gets enough No players, no game. For sure. But no juniors, no players
HR
Guest
You have issues grasping with basic capitalism I'm afraid. An ANZ teller gets paid about 75k a year + bonus/commission. They contribute to a multi billion dollar business. Nurses earn peanuts in a multi-billion dollar industry. No nurses = no care. They get paid less than $120k. You need a massive dose of a reality check, mate. Of course everyone wants more. But the market has spoken. If they feel that aggrieved by the poor minimum wage, then they can go on strike. But, I'd wager if they went on strike you'd be amongst the first that would be whinging that you didn't get to watch them play on Friday night and they need to snap out of it.
HR
Guest
But the market has spoken. The market has said that Ben Hunt will get $1m a year from the Dragons while Poasa Faamausili will get $120k from the same club. Because that is what he is worth. If he was worth more, he'd be paid more. It really is that simple. The Dragons are not responsible, nor need to take into account his age/family factors/living standard. If he is unhappy with his salary, he can test himself on the open market, or he can retire and look for other employment opportunities elsewhere. But HE signed the contract freely. You don't get more money because you want more money.
Adam
Roar Guru
Closer to 40. I'm still young! But the fact of the matter is, I'm well paid compared to a lot of people I know and they wreck their bodies just as badly as any NRL player would
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
It's not the market, its the minimum wage they ahve agreed. That is what they are asking for, for the minimum wage to be increased. As I said, these players contribute massively to a $500m business. Without players 20-30 in each squad, there wouldn't be a game. If the ones that are there now left, the quality of the game would go down. As to how I conduct a pay review with my boss...I have the best boss in the world :happy: . At the end of every year we look at company profits, need to retain capital to grow...if profits have increased on the previous year I get my fair percentage out of it.
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
It isn't about the teenage footballer. It is about 25-30 yr olds trying to raise a family, buy a house, no job security, potential to get a career ending injury every weekend, earning $120k a year. Sure, it might be they can't earn more because they don't have the talent, but their effort contributes to the $500m turnover of the NRL. I have no skin in the game, but I would have thought it reasonable considering what they put themselves through that they are paid more than that. Again, not talking about the rookies out of school or increasing the pay for the top players, I'm talking about the minimum wage for those in the top 25.