They are however getting bashed every weekend, and have risks and responsibilities that very few people do due to their profile.
Park footy players also get bashed every weekend. I know what you're gonna say "they aren't getting tackled by monsters like Tamoulolo" but they are getting tackled on uneven, hard fields with trainers that are unlikely going to be able to recognise an injury, let alone treat it. The treatment professionals get after a game is outstanding.
NRL: "Trainer, my calf hurts"
"We'll get the physio to rub it down and tomorrow we'll do excerise tests to see if it's a strain, tear ect to give you the proper treatment"
Park Footy: "Trainer, my calf hurts"
"Yeah mate just whack some deep heat on her and walk it off mate. If it still hurts tomorrow you probably just didn't use enough deep heat"
Aaaaaaaaaand don't even get me bloody started on the whole "due to their profile there's so many responsibilities and risks for them". If you're going to be a professional you have to act like a bloody professional. Oh whoa is me, I'm on $500,000 a year and I got caught getting pissed and acting like an idiot and someone recorded it and now my careers in jeopardy. For $500,000 a year I'd happily go stone cold sober and attend press conferences every goddamn day.
Whether they like it or not, NRL players are role models and a damn large percentage of their fanbase are young kids. If you want to be a celebrity and earn big bucks guess what, you don't get to be treated like the average bloke. You want to be just like everyone else, fine, give up your massive contract and hit the workforce.
But most of all, the few that make it are at the absolute pinnacle of what they do and they have a paying audience of millions. They have a short shelf life and aside from the few that get jobs in the game afterwards, most have to settle back into the real world at 30 or so with no useful work experience or education.
I'm not going to deny that the guys that make it are talented and it's hard to crack that playing field. What I'm not going to stand for are guys that are on ridiculous amounts of money say that they think they deserve more.
You say most have to enter the workforce at 30 with no experience or useful education and I assume you mean that'll be a struggle for them. Say you're a regular/fringe first grader and made on average $200,000 from the day your were 20 until you retired at 30. In your rugby league career you've earnt 2 million dollars. The average Australian would have earnt $820,000 in that same timeframe. The retiered footy player is literally 12 years ahead financially than the average bloke. Not to mention that the majority of players actually go to uni or get a trade towards the backend of their career to set them up for life after footy.
In comparison, teachers and nurses are a dime a dozen, despite the importance of their work. Again don't take this the wrong way, but it's not difficult for the average person to become a teacher or nurse. If there were at most 400 teachers, picked out of the thousands that attempt to become one every year, at any one time responsible for educating the entire nation then they'd probably be paid millions too.
Comparisons between NRL player and normal work are ultimately pointless, the playing field is completely different.
And I complete understand this. Availability and quantity of a position are always going to play major factors in the financial situation of a job. What I can't stand is when players or fans think that these guys have it tough. The vast majority of these blokes don't know what tough is and I reckon the main we here about guys struggles after their careers end is because for the first time in there life they've had to see the real world of working long shifts, making social sacrifices, bodies running on empty for a fraction of the price they're used to.
I don't blame them for trying to get as much as they can.
I'm going to sort of contradict myself here a bit. I have absolutely no problem with a player chasing the money in regards to signing contracts with clubs. If you're with Club A and Club B offers you a contract that you feels better for you, by all means go take that contract. What I don't support are the players telling the NRL that they deserve more money. I think a lot of these guys need to realise that the game doesn't need them, they need the game.
