Can you post it? Behind paywall. Sounds a pretty weak argument, though if it is an NRL run event game they are after then its more likely the NRL wont see it as a money maker.
In UK it is traditional for a player to be given a testimonial year after 10 years service at a club, during the year a range of fundraising events happen. Having said that in this day and age of million $ contracts I'm really not sure players need this anymore.
Maybe if it was to raise money for charity it would be more appropriate and be a way of celebrating special players, at a club or NRL level.
C&P
Benji Marshall has done more for rugby league than most players in the game’s history, let alone this generation.
Throughout his illustrious career, Marshall has been one of the game’s biggest drawcards — and the amount of fans he has brought to the sport just to watch his magic would have made millions upon millions in revenue in Australia and New Zealand.
Throughout it all, Benji never embarrassed himself on or off the field, and was pretty much the instigator of a Kiwi revolution. But apparently that still does not qualify Benji for an end-of-season testimonial.
And under the NRL’s ridiculous guidelines, Robbie Farah won’t be getting one, either.
In their glorious wisdom, the NRL has told the two Tigers champions that they don’t meet the same criteria that was afforded to Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and, somewhat reluctantly, John Sutton.
Talk about rules for some and rules for others. Get this. The reason is because Marshall and Farah have not played their entire careers at one club.
We all know they were forced out back when the Tigers were going through some difficult years.
But Benji has still played 225 NRL games for the Tigers (292 all up) and meets every other criteria, while Farah has 263 Tigers games (289 all up) and meets all other guidelines.
The NRL is forgetting JT played the early part of his career at Canterbury. And while Thurston and Smith were on $1 million contracts, this year Marshall is playing for $170,000 and Farah is on $190,000, not much above minimum NRL wage.
The NRL will say it has been given the green light to have a testimonial dinner but what about the fans who might also want to celebrate what should be such a wonderful occasion? It is rubbish and let’s hope it is not too late to overturn.
Cut & paste credit to @theunknown in the Tigers forum
