I don't agree but in the interests of balance, here's Bennett's opinion on the Gasnier soap opera
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,18671624-10389,00.html
WAYNE Bennett has called for rugby league to launch a fightback campaign against rugby union by giving extra money to the game's "must keep" players.
The Brisbane Broncos coach believes the NRL should establish a panel of experts to draw up a list of the game's elite players, who could be given extra money beyond the salary cap to ensure they stayed in the code.
"There might be six to 10 players and it might take only $200,000 to $300,000 to retain them all because one thing I do know about the guys who are going to rugby is that they're going for money, not because it is a better game," Bennett writes in his column in the print edition of today's Courier-Mail.
Bennett's comments come as league braces for the possible defection of St George-Illawarra Test centre Mark Gasnier to union, which is reportedly prepared to offer him $750,000 a season to join other star league recruits Wendell Sailor, Mat Rogers and Lote Tuqiri. The Queensland Reds have also shown an interest in Bulldogs rugby league international Willie Tonga.
NRL chief executive David Gallop admitted the issue was difficult but said providing current stars with extra money was not the solution.
"The problem is that you have players who might not be in the top six you are signing, yet they could be more important to their club than some that do get the extra money," Gallop said. "Brett Kimmorley is one example with the Sharks. Also, if you sign six players, (union) might just sign player seven, eight or nine and you end up chasing your tail. If you picked a small group of players it can only give some clubs an advantage over others and one of the strengths of our competition over the last few years has been its evenness."
Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen liked the idea of a panel governing decisions of additional payments but conceded the allocation of those payments had the potential to create problems.
"I feel we should try and keep our marquee players in the game and that it should be funded by sponsors in the game but the question is how far do you go?" Cullen said. "You could have criteria saying they must have played 10 Tests, then someone like Benji Marshall, who has done none of that, just jumps out of the ground and shows he will attract a lot of people to the game. The difficult thing is to decide who is worth keeping."
Last night, Gasnier's uncle – league immortal Reg Gasnier – joined the call for national selectors to snub his nephew for the May 5 Test against New Zealand if he opts to switch codes.
"I wouldn't pick him, not if he's going to rugby union, and I don't know if he is or not," Reg Gasnier said. "Of course I would like to see him stay, but I've had my time. He's going through his now."
ARU boss Gary Flowers has demanded an assurance from Gasnier that he is genuine about leaving league before agreeing to talk about money. Flowers last night warned he would not allow the ARU to be used as "a pawn in some other agenda".
Kudos Puff for your comments. Unfortuanately, I don't see the same type of honour in your nephew.
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,18671624-10389,00.html
WAYNE Bennett has called for rugby league to launch a fightback campaign against rugby union by giving extra money to the game's "must keep" players.
The Brisbane Broncos coach believes the NRL should establish a panel of experts to draw up a list of the game's elite players, who could be given extra money beyond the salary cap to ensure they stayed in the code.
"There might be six to 10 players and it might take only $200,000 to $300,000 to retain them all because one thing I do know about the guys who are going to rugby is that they're going for money, not because it is a better game," Bennett writes in his column in the print edition of today's Courier-Mail.
Bennett's comments come as league braces for the possible defection of St George-Illawarra Test centre Mark Gasnier to union, which is reportedly prepared to offer him $750,000 a season to join other star league recruits Wendell Sailor, Mat Rogers and Lote Tuqiri. The Queensland Reds have also shown an interest in Bulldogs rugby league international Willie Tonga.
NRL chief executive David Gallop admitted the issue was difficult but said providing current stars with extra money was not the solution.
"The problem is that you have players who might not be in the top six you are signing, yet they could be more important to their club than some that do get the extra money," Gallop said. "Brett Kimmorley is one example with the Sharks. Also, if you sign six players, (union) might just sign player seven, eight or nine and you end up chasing your tail. If you picked a small group of players it can only give some clubs an advantage over others and one of the strengths of our competition over the last few years has been its evenness."
Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen liked the idea of a panel governing decisions of additional payments but conceded the allocation of those payments had the potential to create problems.
"I feel we should try and keep our marquee players in the game and that it should be funded by sponsors in the game but the question is how far do you go?" Cullen said. "You could have criteria saying they must have played 10 Tests, then someone like Benji Marshall, who has done none of that, just jumps out of the ground and shows he will attract a lot of people to the game. The difficult thing is to decide who is worth keeping."
Last night, Gasnier's uncle – league immortal Reg Gasnier – joined the call for national selectors to snub his nephew for the May 5 Test against New Zealand if he opts to switch codes.
"I wouldn't pick him, not if he's going to rugby union, and I don't know if he is or not," Reg Gasnier said. "Of course I would like to see him stay, but I've had my time. He's going through his now."
ARU boss Gary Flowers has demanded an assurance from Gasnier that he is genuine about leaving league before agreeing to talk about money. Flowers last night warned he would not allow the ARU to be used as "a pawn in some other agenda".
Kudos Puff for your comments. Unfortuanately, I don't see the same type of honour in your nephew.
