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http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...g-----as-jt-commits-to-nrl-20100510-uot5.html
Onya J.T!
Players call crisis meeting . . . as JT commits to NRL
BRAD WALTER AND CHRIS BARRETT
May 11, 2010
Staying in league . . . Johnathan Thurston at the SFS last night before his Cowboys side defeated the Roosters. Photo: Steve Christo
NRL stars are planning an extraordinary meeting as early as today to discuss their concerns over the game's direction in the wake of the Storm salary cap scandal, including talk of possible strike action.
The meeting comes as Test halfback Johnathan Thurston prepares to announce at a press conference in Sydney today a $2 million deal to remain with the Cowboys for the next three seasons. (Report- Page 20).
Players were last night reluctant to give details of the meeting but it is understood the idea grew out of last week's Test camp in Melbourne, where the likes of Benji Marshall, Jarryd Hayne, Darren Lockyer, Petero Civoniceva and Cameron Smith all spoke out about the salary cap and the need to keep stars in the game.
Among the issues expected to be discussed by the players are:
❏ The potential loss of leading players such as Israel Folau to rival codes;
❏ Competitive wages for players compared with their counterparts in AFL and rugby union;
❏ A lifting of restrictions on third-party deals for players and the lack of exemptions for local juniors and long-serving players; and
❏ The severity of Melbourne's salary cap penalty, particularly the decision to make the Storm play for no points.
The Herald was told the meeting could take place today and would involve the game's biggest names - some of whom are expected to take part via phone hook-up.
It is also understood Rugby League Players' Association chief executive David Garnsey has been working with players behind the scenes in an attempt to formulate a united front in response to the code's most pressing issues. ''There is a lot of momentum at the moment and we are trying to organise the meeting as soon as possible,'' one player told the Herald. ''Hopefully we'll be in a position to make a statement tomorrow.''
Cowboys forward Willie Mason told the Herald after last night's 32-14 win against the Roosters that the game's senior players needed to get together to discuss their concerns.
''We've just got to solve it,'' he said. ''We don't want blokes like Jarryd Hayne walking away from the game. The senior players are starting to come out now. We've got to put our hands up for the future [but] we can't just keep saying, 'Let's strike'. That's a load of crap.''
Mason had earlier refused to rule out such a drastic move. ''If it comes to that, if the players are all in it together, then that would have to be the case because that's the only way to get a message through,'' Mason told Channel Nine.
Despite being on the verge of announcing one of the most lucrative playing deals in NRL history, Thurston said he would back strike action.
''If senior blokes like Lockyer, Petero and Cam [Smith] decided that is what's best for us, to go down that path, I'd certainly jump behind them,'' Thurston said.
Garnsey said the players could not legally strike under the present collective-bargaining agreement with the NRL, which expires on October 31. The union has begun negotiations with the NRL on a new agreement.
''There's an agreement by the players in place and it says they will not take industrial action for its duration,'' Garnsey said. ''If they were to strike before that date, they'll put themselves in breach of those documents.''
Meanwhile, Thurston and his manager, Sam Ayoub, met Cowboys officials in Sydney yesterday to finalise a deal to keep the 27-year-old in Townsville and the NRL. French rugby club Biarritz has also lodged an offer. There were provisional plans in place for a Cowboys media conference to be held in Sydney today to announce Thurston's retention.
Onya J.T!
Players call crisis meeting . . . as JT commits to NRL
BRAD WALTER AND CHRIS BARRETT
May 11, 2010
NRL stars are planning an extraordinary meeting as early as today to discuss their concerns over the game's direction in the wake of the Storm salary cap scandal, including talk of possible strike action.
The meeting comes as Test halfback Johnathan Thurston prepares to announce at a press conference in Sydney today a $2 million deal to remain with the Cowboys for the next three seasons. (Report- Page 20).
Players were last night reluctant to give details of the meeting but it is understood the idea grew out of last week's Test camp in Melbourne, where the likes of Benji Marshall, Jarryd Hayne, Darren Lockyer, Petero Civoniceva and Cameron Smith all spoke out about the salary cap and the need to keep stars in the game.
Among the issues expected to be discussed by the players are:
❏ The potential loss of leading players such as Israel Folau to rival codes;
❏ Competitive wages for players compared with their counterparts in AFL and rugby union;
❏ A lifting of restrictions on third-party deals for players and the lack of exemptions for local juniors and long-serving players; and
❏ The severity of Melbourne's salary cap penalty, particularly the decision to make the Storm play for no points.
The Herald was told the meeting could take place today and would involve the game's biggest names - some of whom are expected to take part via phone hook-up.
It is also understood Rugby League Players' Association chief executive David Garnsey has been working with players behind the scenes in an attempt to formulate a united front in response to the code's most pressing issues. ''There is a lot of momentum at the moment and we are trying to organise the meeting as soon as possible,'' one player told the Herald. ''Hopefully we'll be in a position to make a statement tomorrow.''
Cowboys forward Willie Mason told the Herald after last night's 32-14 win against the Roosters that the game's senior players needed to get together to discuss their concerns.
''We've just got to solve it,'' he said. ''We don't want blokes like Jarryd Hayne walking away from the game. The senior players are starting to come out now. We've got to put our hands up for the future [but] we can't just keep saying, 'Let's strike'. That's a load of crap.''
Mason had earlier refused to rule out such a drastic move. ''If it comes to that, if the players are all in it together, then that would have to be the case because that's the only way to get a message through,'' Mason told Channel Nine.
Despite being on the verge of announcing one of the most lucrative playing deals in NRL history, Thurston said he would back strike action.
''If senior blokes like Lockyer, Petero and Cam [Smith] decided that is what's best for us, to go down that path, I'd certainly jump behind them,'' Thurston said.
Garnsey said the players could not legally strike under the present collective-bargaining agreement with the NRL, which expires on October 31. The union has begun negotiations with the NRL on a new agreement.
''There's an agreement by the players in place and it says they will not take industrial action for its duration,'' Garnsey said. ''If they were to strike before that date, they'll put themselves in breach of those documents.''
Meanwhile, Thurston and his manager, Sam Ayoub, met Cowboys officials in Sydney yesterday to finalise a deal to keep the 27-year-old in Townsville and the NRL. French rugby club Biarritz has also lodged an offer. There were provisional plans in place for a Cowboys media conference to be held in Sydney today to announce Thurston's retention.
