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2023 Rabbitohs Rumors, Signings and News

callmack1

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Hey guys,

Time to fully switch focus to 2023. This is part of a forum update where I'll be updating all threads for 2023. Same threads, same purpose, it's just a freshen up.

Please stop using the old threads if you can and start using these ones.

Please use this thread to discuss all rumorrs, signings and news relating to our great club and the great game of Rugby League.

Cheers.
 

callmack1

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11,611
Rabbitohs extend contract of Shaquai Mitchell until at least the end of Season 2024: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2...tchell-until-at-least-the-end-of-season-2024/

Very pleased to see this! It's not only great news for Shaq and his family, but great news for our club too. Shaq deserves this contract, and he deserves his promotion into the top 30 next year. His story is truly incredible, and I don't know if you'll find a harder working bloke in the game. I have no doubt that hard work will pay off (if it hasn't already) and we'll be seeing him in first grade a lot more over the next two years. Who knows where he'll be at the end of 2024, but I can't wait to support his journey!
 

callmack1

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Tom Burgess doubles down on Leeds Rhinos interest after outlining contract plans: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/foo...st-after-outlining-contract-plans/ar-AA13MMW0

While it's great to hear Tom say his first preference is to re-sign with us, it does concern me hearing him talk about going to Leeds. Tom is in career-best form at the moment I believe, and unless he slows down dramatically in one year, I really want to see him stay and finish his career as a one-club player and a Souths legend. Would be a bit gutted if he left while still playing like this.

I guess this is what concerns me about us potentially making a play for Fifita too (which apparently, according to a poster on another forum, does have legs). Of course, none of us really know the state of the salary cap but I'm imagining we'd have to shed a player or two to fit him in and I'd hate to see Tom be one of those players, that's my concern because I don't believe Fifita, in his current form and state of consistency, is worth losing someone like Tom over.

In other news, surely this would never actually happen,

Bennett labels NRL rival's deflection threats 'rubbish' as CBA negotiations take ugly turn: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/ad5a8c811adc2698e8e087bd48d8be64
 

callmack1

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Kangaroos stars accuse NRL of 'lowballing' players as ugly pay war drags on: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/wo...n/news-story/90710ee14c37b18542fcd127e78c0151

'It's all rubbish' - V'landys slams financial secrecy claims as CBA negotiations heat up: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...s/news-story/e4fe88fce4179f73eb8d015b34e73d94

Also, from Sporting News,

The NRL's proposed Pre-Season tournament will not be supported by the RLPA

Rugby League Players’ Association chief executive Clint Newton has shot down suggestions of a pre-season tournament being established from next year onwards, claiming the players in the NRL are already at breaking point.

“To be absolutely blunt, the players cannot play anymore football than what they’re doing at the moment,” he told SEN.

Reports emerged last week in The Sydney Morning Herald that league powerbrokers were in the preliminary stages of creating a proposal for a pre-season competition which would involve all the teams vying for points and prizemoney.

The aim was to draw extra revenue through sponsorship deals as well as increased viewership numbers on television, to rival the AFL’s NAB Cup during the trial period.

“We wouldn’t support a pre-season tournament, but I haven’t seen anything and nothing has been proposed,” Newton revealed.

The Australian Rugby League Commission, RLPA and NRL are all currently locked in negotiations over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement which has caused plenty of fractures within the game.

Along with negotiations over revenue rights and post-playing career incentives, the RLPA are also adamant the players can’t be engaging with an expanded program of fixtures as they are already suffering burnout.

“It’s about maximising the schedule that we’ve got, but increasing the workload of players, in our view, is not the answer,” Newton said.

He cited concerning figures in relation to career longevity within the game, as a vital factor in opposing the tournament.

“Players have short careers- the average is about four years,” he said.

“By loading more and more on our players, we will continue to see the trend that is constantly occurring of players not playing for as long as they should be.

“It’s been trending downwards over the last half a dozen years, and we need them playing for as long as they can.”

Under the reported initiative, Super League champions St Helens would be invited to compete alongside the 17 NRL clubs.

The trial period has previously often been left in the hands of clubs to arrange as they see fit, but the venture could be pitched as an opportunity to heavily commercialise the trial period for them.

Although Newton believed the season was already long enough and a pre-season tournament couldn’t be justified within the current landscape.

He also noted how players would have to be consulted during the process and it was likely they’d have no appetite for it.

“We play the hardest and most demanding code in the world,” he declared.

“We have the longest season of any contact sport in the world. The players start playing in February, let alone the training that they have to endure to get ready for the season.

“So, the contact that happens from the beginning of November, through to the beginning of February when they’re playing All-Stars and trials, then 27 rounds and some of them are playing the three Origins plus finals and then potentially Test matches at the end of the year- this is a brutal game.

“Now, to whack in more matches at the beginning of the year is absolutely back to agreement rights. If you are increasing the obligations of players, then it needs to be agreed.”
 

Steenson123

Juniors
Messages
486
Shick
Rabbitohs extend contract of Shaquai Mitchell until at least the end of Season 2024: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2...tchell-until-at-least-the-end-of-season-2024/

Very pleased to see this! It's not only great news for Shaq and his family, but great news for our club too. Shaq deserves this contract, and he deserves his promotion into the top 30 next year. His story is truly incredible, and I don't know if you'll find a harder working bloke in the game. I have no doubt that hard work will pay off (if it hasn't already) and we'll be seeing him in first grade a lot more over the next two years. Who knows where he'll be at the end of 2024, but I can't wait to support his journey!
Shick is not a major component of what is required. The squad badly needs a strong flanker - one NOT named Paulo, Milne or Mansour - opposite Alex. One who can confidently defuse IronMan's high punts consistently. That is essential. And someone who gives Too'oo second thoughts. They should have chased Tupo or someone like him. Big, experienced and unfazed by their intimidation. If we look closely at the losses to Penrith it usually starts with ERRORS and TURNOVERS. Hence the off-season should focus on that. Cut the idiotic and chaotic errors and apple turnovers against them and its very close. They CAN be done in IF we do NOT do ourselves in first. It has to be robotic to defeat them and let's face it they are really our only true problem. The rest we have covered.
 

callmack1

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11,611
From Zero Tackle,

Funding galore - NRL clubs set to receive record windfall

All 17 NRL clubs are set to benefit from a mega NRL funding windfall after League Central posted enormous profits.

The news of record funding in the direction of clubs - who all suffered losses prior to Peter V'Landys taking over as Australian Rugby League Commission chairman and Andrew Abdo taking over as NRL CEO - comes as the stalemate continues over the state of the collective bargaining agreement.

Despite the old agreement expiring on October 31, the Rugby League Players Association and NRL are still yet to agree on a new deal.

Reports last week emerged of the potential of a super league-style breakaway competition, however, record funding will likely ensure that is put on the backburner as the NRL aim to keep all parties at peace.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the funding will rise from approximately $1.62 million above the salary cap per club to around $5 million per club.

All up, the increased funding will see each club receive around $17 or $18 million in funding from league central, taking the total deal to around $306 million.

Funding increases originally began during the coronavirus pandemic as the NRL significantly wound down its overstrung administration efforts, which were costing the game hundreds of thousands of dollars more than required per day.

It's understood that under the expiring funding model, all clubs are now turning a profit, which will only grow further with the increase in funding to around $5 million above the salary cap.

It's understood the NRL are currently offering $4.87 million per club above the cap, although the clubs want to ensure it reaches the magic $5 million mark.

CEO Abdo told the publication that he wants to ensure funding and player salaries increase as a result of the NRL's record profits, which have come despite reduced TV deals.

“Player payments are going up,” Abdo said.

“Our current proposal is for a significant increase in salary cap for both male and female athletes.

“A couple of years ago, the situation was very different for clubs financially. Clubs were making significant losses in aggregate, so it was important to provide a strong financial base for clubs.

“The funds available for distribution have gone up significantly.

“The clubs have never been stronger or more profitable.”

Yessss!!! Love hearing this sort of stuff from Sir Tell Mitt!

Bit of a clickbait headline, means nothing at this stage.
 

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