Union players not counting towards NRL salary caps

[BuffaloRules]

Now that the ARU has thrown down the gauntlet by saying that they will raid League to prop up players for the fourth Aussie Super 12 team, I think that the League has to fight back....

If a player is currently playing Super 12 standard as a minimum, and they have been involved with Union say for the previous three years, then I think that League clubs should be able to throw some money at these guys in retaliation to the Union poaching our players.

I propose that this money should not count towards the League clubs salary cup, say for the first two years of the players NRL contract where;

1. The player is a current Super 12 player - ie a star of their game. The Union types are only going to go after our big names, so we should do the same, and it also stops NRL teams signing large numbers of up and coming Rugby players and not having this expense count towards the cap.

2.The player needs to have been playing Union for the previous three years ( not necessarily at Super 12 level). This will stop the likes of Nathan Blacklock going to Union for one year and then returning to league salary cap free.

We need to be able to fight back somehow against Union, whilst somehow still maintaining the integrity of our salary cap.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Why would we poach union players? They are substandard atheletes who wouldnt be able to make it in our game.

 

[Tighthead]

Why would we poach union players? They are substandard atheletes who wouldnt be able to make it in our game.

You're not big on history, are you CH?

 

[BuffaloRules]

I think there are plenty of good players in the Super 12's who could make it in League, not necessarily limited to Australian players...

Rokocko,Umaga,Howlett, Giteau, Mortlock for starters....

 

[Nugby]

And which club do you think would be suddenly be able to sign up players like Gregan, Tuqiri and Matty Rogers. I'll give you a hint. It won't be the Broncos or the Sharks.

 

[BuffaloRules]

And which club do you think would be suddenly be able to sign up players like Gregan, Tuqiri and Matty Rogers. I'll give you a hint. It won't be the Broncos or the Sharks.

Eric Watson could probably throw some dollars at the All Black players...

Parra,Roosters, Brisbane and Penrith would probably have some spare cash to spend on some of these guys...

Look, If the Roosters got a player like Giteau playing for them salary cap free, then great... he is a talented guy who wouldn't be playing in our game otherwise...

We are only going to be talking about a handful of players anyway...

I'm just trying to think of a way where we can fight back against Union...

 

[Tighthead]

I'm just trying to think of a way where we can fight back against Union...

I don't know that getting older, more established players is the best way to fight back anyway - they are high priced for what they can effectively give a team.

The best method is to grab rookie s12/14 players coming off contract or young colts/club players who haven't signed s12 contracts yet. Clubs have been doing this for a while now, and there seem to be some good young players from a ru background coming through - Gary Tupou, George Smith's brother etc.

 

[Thunderstruck]

Aren't they already outside the cap anyway if picked up by an NRL team? That is the under 21's who haven't played league as a junior or first grade level or something.

 

[Taiwan RL fan]

mortlock??????
a bash n barge merchant with a dodgy knee. Might make it into souths premier league team

 

[lockyno1]

Look, If the Roosters got a player like Giteau playing for them salary cap free, then great... he is a talented guy who wouldn't be playing in our game otherwise...

The Roosters don't need to woory, they can but him anyway. Remember there is 1 cap for the Roosters, and anaother for the other 14 clubs.

Big union players will not come, even for money. I mean one of the big things that union has, is it is "international". I mean blind freddie can work out that its Australia and then 25 points to the next best in league. That is hardly something that a top union player will want to do. Yes State of Orgin is fantastic, but winning a World Cup for Australia or New Zealand for that matter will and always will be more superior

 

[Taiwan RL fan]

mortlock??????
a bash n barge merchant with a dodgy knee. Might make it into souths premier league team

 

[lolesi]

Why would we poach union players? They are substandard atheletes who wouldnt be able to make it in our game.

You're not big on history, are you CH?

Haha

 

[BuffaloRules]

Big union players will not come, even for money. I mean one of the big things that union has, is it is "international". I mean blind freddie can work out that its Australia and then 25 points to the next best in league. That is hardly something that a top union player will want to do. Yes State of Orgin is fantastic, but winning a World Cup for Australia or New Zealand for that matter will and always will be more superior

They all won't come, but some would.

Don't underestimate what the motivation of money can do....

There are also a hell of a lot of Super 12 players running around that won't be playing in any world cup sides....

Five NZ super 12 sides but 1 national side...

 

[Chook]

"The Roosters don't need to woory, they can but him anyway. Remember there is 1 cap for the Roosters, and anaother for the other 14 clubs." Moron alert!

If we get into a bidding war with the ARU we will go broke. Let them poach if they feel the need. It highlights the fact that Yawnion in Australia cannot developed it's own players.

Chook.

 

[Oz Yid's Tigers]

union players are 4th rate athletes playing a 4th rate game ... 99% (esp forwards) couldn't cope with the intensity and the up 10, back 10, crunch in the middle nature of league .. most are more akin to walking between scrums, lineouts, penalty goals kicks for touch etc ... 2 bob game that is actually worse to watch than AFL

 

[rugged]

Thunderstruck is correct. They are already outside the cap.

 

[Tighthead]

union players are 4th rate athletes playing a 4th rate game ... 99% (esp forwards) couldn't cope with the intensity and the up 10, back 10, crunch in the middle nature of league .. most are more akin to walking between scrums, lineouts, penalty goals kicks for touch etc ... 2 bob game that is actually worse to watch than AFL

Hell yeah!

That's why no rugby union players have ever succeeded at rugby league!

 

[bartman]

Union players of the past have succededed in League at/from the highest levels (eg Ray Price, Michael O'Connor, Andrew Leeds).

But now both games are openly professional, why would someone change codes once they're established, if it wasn't just for more money (Wendell, Rogers, Tiquiri etc).

You've got to really look and pick the one or two Union players whose qualities stand out for league, rather than just open cheque books for the sake of it! League shouldn't stoop to Union's level of raids, let the money hungry suckers go if they want!

Having said that, I don't know of anyone currently playing Union that I'd want in my league side anyway. Maybe that dude George Smith, but that's it. The rest (especially the backs) are a dime a dozen.

 

[fatshark]

Union players of the past have succededed in League at/from the highest levels (eg Ray Price, Michael O'Connor, Andrew Leeds).

Christ your clutching at straws, they were the old days. the game now is twice the speed, they would all be ordinary cept for Oconnors goal kicking!

 

[Anonymous]

The fact remains that the history of Rugby League is littered with Union stars.

The only three of note to have gone the other way in any recent times are Rogers, Tuqiri and Sailor.

I dont see the problem really.