Rumours and Stuff

[Chipmunk]

I don't think he wants to travel to Wollongong.

He just built a brand new home on the northern beaches as well.

Surely a fully sik merkin like him would be out of place over there.

 

[Chipmunk]

H

His brother is gone

Well someone had to make way for his brother

 

[JohnStoppafarty]

H

His brother is gone

S

Special ?

When did you develop a stutter?

 

[eels_fan]

H

His brother is gone

No loss tbh… I’d still take a stab at getting Ronaldo over

 

[lingard]

Who you calling ordinary ffs

I was hoping you wouldn't see that.

 

[lucablight]

Hunts 35 soon and passed his best. I doubt we can win comp in 2025. He would be better suited to a side that's in win now mode. BULLDOGS,Brisbane,

Bulldogs aren’t winning anything right now (with or without Hunt).

 

[oldmancraigy]

this "arm's length" crap is bullshit

what the f**k does it actually mean and how does an agent or club prove or demonstrate that they have complied with the "arm's length" rule, if there is such a rule ?

surely that is not how it is worded in the NRL policy or rules but it's always the terminology we see used in the media

some clubs must have pretty short arms

Honestly, if a board member made the relevant declaration re: conflict of interest, their company could probably straight up pay a TPA. As long as tbe player doesnt wear club uniform to promote it, what can the NRL actually do.....

 

[T.S Quint]

Pou, take a break.

Honestly, if a board member made the relevant declaration re: conflict of interest, their company could probably straight up pay a TPA. As long as tbe player doesnt wear club uniform to promote it, what can the NRL actually do.....

Add it to the salary cap.

 

[oldmancraigy]

Add it to the salary cap.

Sorry, but this seems a bit naive. How would the NRL be able to prove it was arranged by the club?

 

[Glenneel]

I'm very excited what Ryles can do with Morretti,Grieg,Mataele.

Don't think Grieg will be any more than project player. Will be gone 2026 imo.

 

[Glenneel]

I remember reading that the TPA can’t be contingent on the player signing with a given club. Obviously that would be very difficult to enforce. But even if it were enforced, over time the situation would emerge where TPAs associated with some club partners always paid up, no matter how little was required from the players, while TPAs with other clubs were unreliable, or had onerous requirements on the player’s free time. This would have the effect of conferring greater value on the TPAs associated with some clubs than others.

Consider the situation of a genuine TPA arranged by the Eels (for example). They have someone who wants to sponsor the club and Sarantinos says, could you provide this to a player as a TPA? The potential sponsor asks what it means, and Sarantinos says you can’t use the club’s imagery, but you get exclusive access to the player to help promote your business or entertain your golf friends or whatever. The potential sponsor wants his money’s worth. He’s not going to have his business promoted by the club at official events, so he will need the player to do some work.

Meanwhile the player doesn’t want a second job. He just wants the extra cash he was promised to reduce his salary demands to help the club under the cap. His mate at the Roosters (for example) doesn’t have to do anything for his TPA except turn up at a Christmas party and drink for two hours. The TPA provider doesn’t care because the $100k was given to him by an individual paying out of his own pocket, which he is free to do.

However, the Eels need to account for their expenditure because they are a business subject to regulation and oversight by the NRL. So they can’t just give cash to TPA providers to transfer it to the players. This is actually one of the things we got caught doing in 2016.

Hang on, didn't Crichton sign with dogs after getting shares in a pub (shares being TPA)? Also thought principal sponsor couldn't offer TPAs without them being on cap?

 

[Gronk]

Don't think Grieg will be any more than project player. Will be gone 2026 imo.

Yeah, he's a slow tractor with a small tank.

What EMU did that forced his selection into NRL was to trim down.

He might be able to play longer minutes in NSW Cup, but that doesn't mean that he is playing at 80% ability. Most of the time he is just coping. Compared to our good props, he is running around like he's wearing a heavy backpack.

Any future he has in NRL will be up to HIM and his ability to adapt to a more mobile style.

If Ryles has a part in it, it will be delivering the hard truth.

 

[Twizzle]

Sorry, but this seems a bit naive. How would the NRL be able to prove it was arranged by the club?

well that was my issue with this whole "arm's length" bullshit

Does the NRL have to prove that the club arranged it, or does the club have to prove that it didn't?

either way it's a big can of worms

 

[T.S Quint]

Sorry, but this seems a bit naive. How would the NRL be able to prove it was arranged by the club?

I believe you were asking if an Eels board member's company could provide a TPA to a player, is that right?
I don't think that would take much investigation to prove that it's not 'at arm's length'.

 

[T.S Quint]

well that was my issue with this whole "arm's length" bullshit

Does the NRL have to prove that the club arranged it, or does the club have to prove that it didn't?

either way it's a big can of worms

I think it's up tot he NRL to prove that they didn't arrange it.
The club may provide some proof initially, but who's to say that it's actually legit.

Definitely a can of worms. There needs to be a salary cap in place, but not really sure on how best to enforce it.
I'm on the side of making player contracts public. At least then we have an idea of how much each player is earning (under the cap).

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I think it's up tot he NRL to prove that they didn't arrange it.
The club may provide some proof initially, but who's to say that it's actually legit.

Definitely a can of worms. There needs to be a salary cap in place, but not really sure on how best to enforce it.
I'm on the side of making player contracts public. At least then we have an idea of how much each player is earning (under the cap).

The NRL have stated plenty of times that they don't want to restrict the amount of money coming into the game or how much the players earn, which conflicts with the purpose of the salary cap. But I do think the NRL wants an excuse to turn a blind eye to it. Blatant comments in the media, or club whistleblowers force their hand.

 

[Glenneel]

I think it's up tot he NRL to prove that they didn't arrange it.
The club may provide some proof initially, but who's to say that it's actually legit.

Definitely a can of worms. There needs to be a salary cap in place, but not really sure on how best to enforce it.
I'm on the side of making player contracts public. At least then we have an idea of how much each player is earning (under the cap).

NRL will never do that, might just expose Storm, Roosters (their favourite) and Donkeys (close 2nd).

 

[T.S Quint]

The NRL have stated plenty of times that they don't want to restrict the amount of money coming into the game or how much the players earn, which conflicts with the purpose of the salary cap. But I do think the NRL wants an excuse to turn a blind eye to it. Blatant comments in the media, or club whistleblowers force their hand.

Oh, absolutely.
If there's a way to ignore it, then they will. We've heard many times of shady stuff happening and the NRL hasn't done a thing about it.

Both Craig Wing and Mark Gasnier left their clubs to go to Union because apparently a third party didn't pay up. That's supposed to have nothing to do with the clubs.

And the NRL twisted themselves into knots in order to allow the Sharks to keep their premiership win. Lol at them being over the cap in the years preceding and after but somehow all good that one year.

 

[Gronk]

Both Craig Wing and Mark Gasnier left their clubs to go to Union because apparently a third party didn't pay up. That's supposed to have nothing to do with the clubs.

Didn't Chris Sandow call up a TPA and tell him that he was a f**king merkin for not paying him ?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Didn't Chris Sandow call up a TPA and tell him that he was a f**king merkin for not paying him ?

Peats tried to hold the club accountable when one of his didn't work out.