Burns
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"WOULD you like to see your NRL club’s 2018 season ruined by a proposed mid-year exhibition Test match between England and New Zealand in the United States to promote the 2025 World Cup?
That is the question that will surely anger many fans after the NRL this week flagged the idea for a game to be played in Denver, Colorado, smack bang in the middle of next year’s State of Origin series.
Understandably, NRL clubs were left gobsmacked when it was put to them in an email this week.
And it has again sparked debate about whether it’s time to give NRL clubs salary cap relief if players are injured in representative games.
While this match is still in its planning stages, it has been pencilled in on the same June weekend as Origin II and the Pacific Tests.
No one is arguing the merits of further promoting the international game in the wake of the success of this year’s World Cup.
But clubs do have genuine concerns about player welfare, and the timing of this match couldn’t be worse.
The Daily Telegraph yesterday contacted St George Illawarra, Melbourne and Canberra after hearing of an email that was sent to clubs this week.
“We certainly have some concerns about the safety and welfare of our players and how this is likely to impact our club,” Dragons chief executive Peter Doust said.
If the game goes ahead, it would impact most clubs during the busiest time on the NRL calendar for what is essentially a “look at us” match to promote the 2025 World Cup in the USA.
The schedule for round 16 opens with the Dragons v Eels on Thursday night.
If Dragons skipper Gareth Widdop and star signing James Graham travel to the States, they would then have to endure a 20-hour return flight and back up for their club within days.
“Our coach and club have always been supportive of players playing representative football,” Doust added.
“But we need to find the balance between the impact on the players and club and the desires of the players once all the facts and details are known.
“We are seeking more detail and this is not something that we have discussed with Gareth and James as yet as they are on leave and won’t be at training until the New Year.”
Melbourne football manager Frank Ponissi added: “We support the concept but definitely not the date.
“It should be played in October, not mid-season.”
Ponissi also said Melbourne “would welcome the NRL looking into how clubs can be compensated for losing players long term through injury in rep games” given what happened to Canberra’s Josh Hodgson at the World Cup.
The NRL denied the Raiders cap relief because other clubs had also suffered in the past, like North Queensland who lost Johnathan Thurston to injury through Origin.
“I don’t know what the solution is but we need something,’ Ponissi said.
Canberra boss Don Furner added: “We are probably the worst club to ask because we are just on the back of a really bad injury for Josh and it does make you look at those things harder.
“There is insurance in place for injuries but it is not salary cap relief.”
Furner wants the issue to be discussed further at the first NRL chief executives meeting next year.
“If more and more of these type of games are going to be looked at, you have to re-examine some type of salary cap relief because it is definitely not fair on the club who are the major employer,” Furner said.
“That is the balance that coaches and clubs have between supporting the international game, which we all want to do, and your first interest which is your club.
“It is a very fine line that we have to balance and for us at the moment we are not happy about it.”
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...y/news-story/999cb19d4fe6bb837d292c8f0b448262
~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing. Will. Ever. Ever. Change.
That is the question that will surely anger many fans after the NRL this week flagged the idea for a game to be played in Denver, Colorado, smack bang in the middle of next year’s State of Origin series.
Understandably, NRL clubs were left gobsmacked when it was put to them in an email this week.
And it has again sparked debate about whether it’s time to give NRL clubs salary cap relief if players are injured in representative games.
While this match is still in its planning stages, it has been pencilled in on the same June weekend as Origin II and the Pacific Tests.
No one is arguing the merits of further promoting the international game in the wake of the success of this year’s World Cup.
But clubs do have genuine concerns about player welfare, and the timing of this match couldn’t be worse.
The Daily Telegraph yesterday contacted St George Illawarra, Melbourne and Canberra after hearing of an email that was sent to clubs this week.
“We certainly have some concerns about the safety and welfare of our players and how this is likely to impact our club,” Dragons chief executive Peter Doust said.
If the game goes ahead, it would impact most clubs during the busiest time on the NRL calendar for what is essentially a “look at us” match to promote the 2025 World Cup in the USA.
The schedule for round 16 opens with the Dragons v Eels on Thursday night.
If Dragons skipper Gareth Widdop and star signing James Graham travel to the States, they would then have to endure a 20-hour return flight and back up for their club within days.
“Our coach and club have always been supportive of players playing representative football,” Doust added.
“But we need to find the balance between the impact on the players and club and the desires of the players once all the facts and details are known.
“We are seeking more detail and this is not something that we have discussed with Gareth and James as yet as they are on leave and won’t be at training until the New Year.”
Melbourne football manager Frank Ponissi added: “We support the concept but definitely not the date.
“It should be played in October, not mid-season.”
Ponissi also said Melbourne “would welcome the NRL looking into how clubs can be compensated for losing players long term through injury in rep games” given what happened to Canberra’s Josh Hodgson at the World Cup.
The NRL denied the Raiders cap relief because other clubs had also suffered in the past, like North Queensland who lost Johnathan Thurston to injury through Origin.
“I don’t know what the solution is but we need something,’ Ponissi said.
Canberra boss Don Furner added: “We are probably the worst club to ask because we are just on the back of a really bad injury for Josh and it does make you look at those things harder.
“There is insurance in place for injuries but it is not salary cap relief.”
Furner wants the issue to be discussed further at the first NRL chief executives meeting next year.
“If more and more of these type of games are going to be looked at, you have to re-examine some type of salary cap relief because it is definitely not fair on the club who are the major employer,” Furner said.
“That is the balance that coaches and clubs have between supporting the international game, which we all want to do, and your first interest which is your club.
“It is a very fine line that we have to balance and for us at the moment we are not happy about it.”
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...y/news-story/999cb19d4fe6bb837d292c8f0b448262
~~~~~~~~~~
Nothing. Will. Ever. Ever. Change.
