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NZ v Poms in US

Pommy

Coach
Messages
14,657
NZRL just shared on their social media profiles about the NZ Herald article on their team doctor saying there is no health risks.

An official endorsement from NZ then?

I hope so. We need to hear from the players though.
I have a suspicion that it’s warriors who are causing the problems, I haven’t checked the numbers but they must have the most players to be called up and there seems to be silence from the NZ big names in their ranks.
I have doubts that Souths would try and prevent the brothers going with Sam and Rusty having close ties.
Which other clubs have big contingents? Saint George, who is brave enough to tell Jamma he can’t play?
 

deluded pom?

Coach
Messages
10,897
Is it time that the national bodies of Australia, England and New Zealand (and any other nation that can afford it) sign their top players on central contracts so that they also have a say on their availability to avoid situations like this in the future?

Cancel match payments for all internationals and origin matches and sign up the rep players up to head office on a contract (this can also help top up salaries to prevent union poaching). Then on designated rep weekends, the international bodies can say - we employ the players for rep duties. They are under contract and must be released to us.

I know NZ don't have any cash but surely if they can make match payments from TV rights and ticket sales to internationals, they can find a way to pay their top 25 stars a contracted rate to play half-a-dozen internationals a year.
Not a fan of central contracts. Opens a can of worms for me. How do you decide who’s worthy of a CC? Will the coach feel obliged to select CC players over non CC players who may be in better form?
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
6,645
Not a fan of central contracts. Opens a can of worms for me. How do you decide who’s worthy of a CC? Will the coach feel obliged to select CC players over non CC players who may be in better form?

I don't know the ins-and-outs but I guess you would do it like cricket australia do. Pick a core squad of rep players - In Australia's case it might be 25 Queenslanders, 25 NSWelshmen (because of Origin considerations also) and any stand-out Kangaroo potentials that aren't eligible for Origin can be signed as an extra (there aren't many at present).

In New Zealand & England's case, pick a squad of 25. Of course, players can be selected from outside of this group if there are injuries or someone's form deserves it but they will just receive a match payment.

It is not perfect but it just gives the national governing bodies some contractual rights to call the player up on rep duty without the club having all of the pull.
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
I'm not a fan of central contracts either, at least not if it's only 25 players or so. Wouldn't it also open up more eligibility squabbling? Say if Jason Taumalolo was signed for 2017 with NZ?

I'd rather every single registration from junior footy to NRL be registered with the RLIF with the stipulation that representative football take priority over club football (within reason). I know out here if we get picked for the Group 20 rep side we are suspended from club football if we don't turn up to rep training. I don't know how we got to that rule but I assume it is the same across the CRL and I don't see why we couldn't implement that at the highest level?
 

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,137
The meeting on Tuesday will be interesting between the NZRL/RFL v NRL/RLPA.
 

latingringo101

Juniors
Messages
585
I'm glad it's still going ahead despite concerns for players welfare. Just goes to show how far our game has come where International footy is treated with some respect
 

Springs09

Juniors
Messages
1,903
Who exactly in the RLPA is protesting though if all the English and NZ representatives are for it? Has Cameron Smith told James Graham he shouldn't be playing?
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,971
The RLPA seems to represent Jonathan Thurston and Cam Smith's interests specifically. Definitely not anyone who isn't Australian.

For example... if they represent NRL players, how is it that only the Kangaroos have a mandatory stand-down year but the Kiwis who play in the NRL can fit in 6 test matches?
And how is it that the stand-down year seems to evaporate the moment Meninga or Smith has a brain fart about playing in Hawaii or something?
 

roughyedspud

Coach
Messages
12,181
It is understood the players will travel in business class and potentially even sleep on skybeds to give them the most comfortable experience while in transit. It is unlikely to be enough to placate the clubs, concerned their stars are being exposed to a greater risk of injury, particularly if they back up just days later.

I follow most of the big three test players on instagram and I can't recall any of them flying long distance in anything other than 1st or business class in recent memory...I've even seen players upgrade to that ridiculously expensive "etihad apartment" which is 15grand a trip..

So to be concerned about travel arrangements is nonsense
 

Coastbloke

Bench
Messages
4,171
This meeting between the RFL and NZRL with the NRL and RLPA, The RFL and NZRL should go hard regarding the blase attitude the NRL and Clubs have with players backing up after a Origin or playing in the high 30s as they did a few weeks ago. The excuses by the Clubs are pathetic and desperate. NZ should be having their own Origin etc when Origin is on, but it's the clubs that block these things..Again, the RFL and NZRL really should go for the jugular over this and sendout a press release after the meeting...
 

Pommy

Coach
Messages
14,657
If they are powerless to stop it then the RFL NZRL should just give the summons a damn good ignoring. Don’t even entertain the NRL as it’s f**k all to do with them.
 

Coastbloke

Bench
Messages
4,171
Can't open the paywall, but at 2120 Sydney time the Daily Terror is reporting the Denver Test is locked in for 3 years..Hopefully a victory for International football..
 

DlEHARD

Juniors
Messages
823
Can't open the paywall, but at 2120 Sydney time the Daily Terror is reporting the Denver Test is locked in for 3 years..Hopefully a victory for International football..

New Zealand and England agree to play Test matches in US for the next three years
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/

THE controversial mid-year Test in Denver appears here to stay with New Zealand and England committing to playing matches in the US for the next three years.

Despite serious reservations from clubs, the NRL and the Rugby League Players Association — who described the Test as “deeply flawed” — this year’s match in June is all but certain to go ahead with players committing to appear in the fixture.

And those within club-land hoping the match would just be a passing nightmare will be tormented for the next couple of years at least with plans locked in for the match to be an annual event.

While each year will be judged on its merit, the two nations have an agreement to play the yearly mid-season fixture in the lead-up to the 2021 World Cup in England. It is understood that promoter Jason Moore, the president and chief executive of Moore Sports International, has an option in his favour to keep the game in Denver each year

The 2025 Rugby League World Cup will be played in the US with the NRL also exploring the possibility of taking a competition match to the US as early as next year.

Officials from the New Zealand Rugby League will fly into the Gold Coast on Tuesday and meet with clubs and the RLPA. The RLPA, the NRL and clubs sent a joint letter last week calling on the NZRL and their English counterparts to provide more information — centring largely around insurance policies — ahead of the 16 club chief executives coming together on Tuesday.
 

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