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Former Warriors player Feleti Mateo says shy Polynesian players playing rugby league are at risk of being manipulated and underpaid.
Mateo, 31, who is on a two-year contract with Manly after being offloaded by the Warriors mid-season last year, said the shyness of many Pacific Islanders could lead to them being taken advantage of at the negotiating table.
Mateo said player managers could help young stars but many were not being represented well.
"If they have the right management who are looking out for their best needs [yes], but from what I've seen there's a lot of kids that don't," he said.
"Especially over in New Zealand. A lot seem scared to leave the comfort of their family, which is understandable, and they're probably taking less money to stay at home. That's probably also happening in Sydney and Brisbane.
"I think a lot of kids are believing what they're told ... but I also think kids knowing what they're worth has come a long way, there's some big egos coming through."
Warriors chief executive Jim Doyle, however, said the claims by Mateo were "a load of nonsense".
"We spend a lot of time looking after our kids," he said.
"Certainly from an under-paying point of view that's a load of crap. There is no doubt that when we have got players who do well, there's six or seven players in the NRL who would like to sign them, so if we were under-paying them I'm sure they would go elsewhere.
"If you look at the NRL we benchmark with every one of the 16 clubs, we are not under-paying our players. If we did we wouldn't be able to retain them."
Doyle said Mateo would have to "know a lot of our young players and know exactly what they get paid if he is making those statements".
"I would be very surprised if he does."
Doyle, who took over the reins at the Warriors this year, said the club had just upgraded a number of player's contracts.
"If we were doing what he is suggesting why would we have upgraded players, we would have just kept them on the contract they were on.
"He's obviously just trying to make some sort of statement that is completely false."
But Mateo also gathered from talking to young players during his time at the Warriors they didn't feel as though there was help available.
"I'm not sure if Jerry Seuseu [former Kiwi prop] is still the welfare officer over there but [while I was in Auckland] he was doing a great job, doing his best, but I don't think it's looked at enough.
"When I left [the Warriors] it was very results-based, if you weren't getting the job done it was all that mattered. From being around for as long as I have I feel there's a lot more to getting the best out of a player and that's something I want to help guys get through."
The Tongan international, who has played for Parramatta, London Broncos, the Warriors as well as for the NRL All Stars and City Origin, expressed his views because he believed the next generation of stars shouldn't be penalised because of shyness.
"I think it's important young guys speak out, especially the Polynesian kids because they're usually shy and when they want things done, it's hard for them to communicate," Mateo said.
"When I got older, got more confidence and learned things, I spoke out about things but I found things out the hard way. Now I'm older I think I can offer these kids advice not to do the things I did."
Mateo said Polynesian players often had pressure to become the bread-winner for an extended family, who could take advantage of them.
"Hundred per cent [they can be taken advantage of], mate, I saw that first-hand in New Zealand," he said.
"It's dominated by Polynesian's over there and ... living with families ... there's a high expectation on them to make it. If they get the sniff of any hope all the eggs go into one basket for that one kid and when things don't work out so well as they could it's pretty hard for the kids.
"I saw a lot of that over there."
His advice to young players was to get all they could from the game, including an education from courses available through the NRL.
Mateo scuttled rumours he was headed to French Super League Club the Catalans at the end of the season, saying he would honour the year remaining on his deal with Manly.
"I was in a place where I wasn't wanted in New Zealand so it was best for both parties that I moved on," he said. "Coming here I have coaches who believe in me. I know I definitely have more in me, I've been plagued by injuries this year, more so than any time in my career.
"I've heard a few rumours about my future but as far as I'm concerned I have one more year here and I'm going to honour that. I've loved my time so far and with this squad we've got and I feel like we can do good things."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league...s-at-risk-of-being-manipulated-former-warrior
Mateo, 31, who is on a two-year contract with Manly after being offloaded by the Warriors mid-season last year, said the shyness of many Pacific Islanders could lead to them being taken advantage of at the negotiating table.
Mateo said player managers could help young stars but many were not being represented well.
"If they have the right management who are looking out for their best needs [yes], but from what I've seen there's a lot of kids that don't," he said.
"Especially over in New Zealand. A lot seem scared to leave the comfort of their family, which is understandable, and they're probably taking less money to stay at home. That's probably also happening in Sydney and Brisbane.
"I think a lot of kids are believing what they're told ... but I also think kids knowing what they're worth has come a long way, there's some big egos coming through."
Warriors chief executive Jim Doyle, however, said the claims by Mateo were "a load of nonsense".
"We spend a lot of time looking after our kids," he said.
"Certainly from an under-paying point of view that's a load of crap. There is no doubt that when we have got players who do well, there's six or seven players in the NRL who would like to sign them, so if we were under-paying them I'm sure they would go elsewhere.
"If you look at the NRL we benchmark with every one of the 16 clubs, we are not under-paying our players. If we did we wouldn't be able to retain them."
Doyle said Mateo would have to "know a lot of our young players and know exactly what they get paid if he is making those statements".
"I would be very surprised if he does."
Doyle, who took over the reins at the Warriors this year, said the club had just upgraded a number of player's contracts.
"If we were doing what he is suggesting why would we have upgraded players, we would have just kept them on the contract they were on.
"He's obviously just trying to make some sort of statement that is completely false."
But Mateo also gathered from talking to young players during his time at the Warriors they didn't feel as though there was help available.
"I'm not sure if Jerry Seuseu [former Kiwi prop] is still the welfare officer over there but [while I was in Auckland] he was doing a great job, doing his best, but I don't think it's looked at enough.
"When I left [the Warriors] it was very results-based, if you weren't getting the job done it was all that mattered. From being around for as long as I have I feel there's a lot more to getting the best out of a player and that's something I want to help guys get through."
The Tongan international, who has played for Parramatta, London Broncos, the Warriors as well as for the NRL All Stars and City Origin, expressed his views because he believed the next generation of stars shouldn't be penalised because of shyness.
"I think it's important young guys speak out, especially the Polynesian kids because they're usually shy and when they want things done, it's hard for them to communicate," Mateo said.
"When I got older, got more confidence and learned things, I spoke out about things but I found things out the hard way. Now I'm older I think I can offer these kids advice not to do the things I did."
Mateo said Polynesian players often had pressure to become the bread-winner for an extended family, who could take advantage of them.
"Hundred per cent [they can be taken advantage of], mate, I saw that first-hand in New Zealand," he said.
"It's dominated by Polynesian's over there and ... living with families ... there's a high expectation on them to make it. If they get the sniff of any hope all the eggs go into one basket for that one kid and when things don't work out so well as they could it's pretty hard for the kids.
"I saw a lot of that over there."
His advice to young players was to get all they could from the game, including an education from courses available through the NRL.
Mateo scuttled rumours he was headed to French Super League Club the Catalans at the end of the season, saying he would honour the year remaining on his deal with Manly.
"I was in a place where I wasn't wanted in New Zealand so it was best for both parties that I moved on," he said. "Coming here I have coaches who believe in me. I know I definitely have more in me, I've been plagued by injuries this year, more so than any time in my career.
"I've heard a few rumours about my future but as far as I'm concerned I have one more year here and I'm going to honour that. I've loved my time so far and with this squad we've got and I feel like we can do good things."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league...s-at-risk-of-being-manipulated-former-warrior
