Rise For Alex

[Fat Krion]

This weeks fundraising efforts for Alex McKinnon will hopefully raise the much needed funds for his long rehabilitation and on going medical expenses.

He seems a very positive person but this will lift his spirits even more.

The NRL has promised him a job for life which will provide security for the future.

All this is great but this unfortunate event has highlighted the lack of insurance for the players.

NRL is a billion dollar industry yet it appears the players are not covered with adequate protection.

The NRL seems to be run no better than the local A grade park side.

 

[POPEYE]

In the grand scheme of world sport League is insignificant, players are underpaid for the effort they put in, administration is pathetically short sighted and money spinners are in it for a quick dollar. Is it any surprise that there is little room to manoeuvre where player welfare is concerned even in scheduling, let alone their longevity

 

[jaymon112]

It's not fair the amount athletes in others sports get paid, Rugby Players do not get enough in my mind.

 

[muzby]

It's not fair the amount athletes in others sports get paid, Rugby Players do not get enough in my mind.

players earn enough..

you want to see someone underpaid for the job they do?

go speak to a nurse or a teacher..

 

[jaymon112]

It's sickening the salaries that Football players earn, maybe I wasn't clear enough. It has improved the past couple of years but In Today's sporting environment, I believe Rugby players are underpaid.

 

[jaymon112]

The highest paid Rugby earners SBW, Folau, Johnny Wilkinson don't even register in the top 100. I think that's pretty shit.
http://www.forbes.com/athletes/list/#tabverall

 

[Timmah]

Who cares what the NRL are doing? If you're bitching about being asked, voluntarily, to reach into your own pocket, then you're a bigger f**kwit than everyone first thought.



For the record I believe next round, not this round, is Rise for Alex round.

 

[blaza88z]

are they going to do this round every year to pay for his "job for life"?

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Who cares what the NRL are doing? If you're bitching about being asked, voluntarily, to reach into your own pocket, then you're a bigger f**kwit than everyone first thought.



For the record I believe next round, not this round, is Rise for Alex round.

Correct

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Whats with all the hate?

Regardless of its tv deal, the NRL is still a relatively small, non-for-profit organisation that reinvests in the community.

Whats with all the cynicism? this is something that has for once really connected with the broader community and the NRL has set up a VOLUNTARY charity drive. This is money people have decided/will decide they dont NEED and theyd like to pass it on and feel good for helping the lad

And the NRL saves a bit of money that they can use on junior league (or do we not care about that now??).

 

[--Storm--]

200-600k to play in the NRL or 60k-120k to be working a normal job, there definitly not underpaid, I know what I'd choose.

 

[Usain Bolt]

You pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

 

[TheFrog]

This weeks fundraising efforts for Alex McKinnon will hopefully raise the much needed funds for his long rehabilitation and on going medical expenses.

He seems a very positive person but this will lift his spirits even more.

The NRL has promised him a job for life which will provide security for the future.

All this is great but this unfortunate event has highlighted the lack of insurance for the players.

NRL is a billion dollar industry yet it appears the players are not covered with adequate protection.

The NRL seems to be run no better than the local A grade park side.

I doubt any insurance would pay out in a situation where an injury has been caused by an action that is illegal under the rules of the game. The fact that these sort of tackles are never premeditated matters not. Insurance is not in the business of financially covering for unlawful behaviour, either under civil laws or sports laws.

 

[Danish]

200-600k to play in the NRL or 60k-120k to be working a normal job, there definitly not underpaid, I know what I'd choose.

An NRL player who is on 200-600k (we are talking probably 25% of them at best being in that pay range) also only has that earning potential for about 8-10 years providing they don't have a drop in form or pick up a career ending injury.

They then get tossed back into the real world, often with zero skills and have to make a fist of starting a new career in their late 20s or early 30s.

Compare this to the average worker you've described earning $60-120K over 40 years, and the NRL player really isn't much better off than the average punter.

Thankfully players seem to understand this more now and invest their money wisely so as to help set them up for their future (usually by giving them enough breathing space to transition into a new career once footy is up). There is a reason you don't see even the highest paid NRL players living in multi-million dollar houses and driving top end cars.

 

[Danish]

I doubt any insurance would pay out in a situation where an injury has been caused by an action that is illegal under the rules of the game. The fact that these sort of tackles are never premeditated matters not. Insurance is not in the business of financially covering for unlawful behaviour, either under civil laws or sports laws.

Life insurance and permanent disability pay out when your death or injury is caused by a criminal action. As does home and content insurance, comprehensive car insurance, income protection.... and pretty much all of them really.

If the person holding the policy commits a criminal act I'm sure some have clauses against it, but certainly not if you are the victim of a crime.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

This weeks fundraising efforts for Alex McKinnon will hopefully raise the much needed funds for his long rehabilitation and on going medical expenses.

He seems a very positive person but this will lift his spirits even more.

The NRL has promised him a job for life which will provide security for the future.

All this is great but this unfortunate event has highlighted the lack of insurance for the players.

NRL is a billion dollar industry yet it appears the players are not covered with adequate protection.

The NRL seems to be run no better than the local A grade park side.

Well i guess its a good thing the ARLC is trying to make the game safer; insurance premiums would be massive is punching was legal...

 

[Card Shark]

All this is great but this unfortunate event has highlighted the lack of insurance for the players.

NRL is a billion dollar industry yet it appears the players are not covered with adequate protection.

The NRL seems to be run no better than the local A grade park side.

Why is it up to the NRL to insure them? What does the players association do - can't they organise something?

When I was a contractor, I had pay my own workers comp / income protection etc. They are contractors too.

Spend some of your money on protecting your income stream players instead of expecting the NRL to keep giving.

I'd rather see amateur players on an insurance scheme so they can play the game without fear off losing their livelihood if injured on the weekends.

 

[Fat Krion]

Why is it up to the NRL to insure them? What does the players association do - can't they organise something?

When I was a contractor, I had pay my own workers comp / income protection etc. They are contractors too.

Spend some of your money on protecting your income stream players instead of expecting the NRL to keep giving.

I'd rather see amateur players on an insurance scheme so they can play the game without fear off losing their livelihood if injured on the weekends.

Strict sense of the word they are not contractors but employees.

Workcover has a strict interpretation of what defines an employee and a sub contrator.

Players welfare has to be given a higher priority whether the onus falls on the player himself, managers,clubs or the NRL to insure themselves properly.

The real shame is that Alex McKinnon will receive support from the NRL community but their are many players of less profile and amateur who have been injured that won't get the same support.

Greenberg has been very quiet on this so far.

 

[ripthebodyhookthehead]

Thoughts on what the punters views are on the $1 donation for each person admitted for rise for Alex round ?
Although a great gesture surely a 22yo paraplegic deserves more from the NRL

 

[AlwaysGreen]

The NRL are doing more than this round, this is just a way to get the fans involved.