2023 NRL General Discussion

[andrew's_sharks]

To be fair I think this should be part of the agreement. I would prefer them actually be paid less and cover medical costs for work related surgeries for two years. People think of the top paid players, but if Hiroti got injured, he would never have been on big bucks and deserves to recover fully to be able to work another job.

 

[bort]

Wade says his idea would have been to reduce the cap payment increase to players to fund the areas they're talking about if they'd had the chance. That makes sense in relation to it being about the money.

Listening to footballers try to explain this is a tough exercise in linguistics and empathy...

I think at a surface level that makes sense. We will take less now to fund these other initiatives.

BUT that now robs from the pocket of the squaddie who is just now getting into good wage territory. And how do you give the bottom guys a pay rise without upsetting those immediately above them (and so on up the line). Could do a staggered increase (guys at the top don't get 18% they get 5% for example) but that's not what their contracts say!

They might need to let one or two things slide for now and hope NRL continues to do well enough to expand their support.
More cash in hand now as a player, expansions of surgery buffer from 1 year to 3 and maybe something else but a 'hardship fund' has to wait (keep our own higher pay to cover your hardship)

 

[Sparkles]

I think at a surface level that makes sense. We will take less now to fund these other initiatives.

BUT that now robs from the pocket of the squaddie who is just now getting into good wage territory. And how do you give the bottom guys a pay rise without upsetting those immediately above them (and so on up the line). Could do a staggered increase (guys at the top don't get 18% they get 5% for example) but that's not what their contracts say!

They might need to let one or two things slide for now and hope NRL continues to do well enough to expand their support.
More cash in hand now as a player, expansions of surgery buffer from 1 year to 3 and maybe something else but a 'hardship fund' has to wait (keep our own higher pay to cover your hardship)

If I remember correctly, Wado said something like keeping 12% as a pay rise (across everyone). The 6% must have been enough to fund the other ideas to a level the players would be happy with in his eyes.

Sounds like Wado is pretty deep into the CBA's

 

[HaroldBishop]

Wade says his idea would have been to reduce the cap payment increase to players to fund the areas they're talking about if they'd had the chance. That makes sense in relation to it being about the money.

Listening to footballers try to explain this is a tough exercise in linguistics and empathy...

Wonder if he would have said that if he was at the start of his career rather than the end.

 

[bort]

If I remember correctly, Wado said something like keeping 12% as a pay rise (across everyone). The 6% must have been enough to fund the other ideas to a level the players would be happy with in his eyes.

Sounds like Wado is pretty deep into the CBA's

But their contracts say 18% so it's no so easy as one bloke saying it

Wade is one of the main four player reps

 

[Proud Shark]

It's really hard to know where to sit on this as little bits get drip fed through the media. If like Wade said, they were happy to reduce the cap to cover these areas, couldn't the players just cover it themselves via the rlpa?

For example the RLPA take 1% of members salaries towards a hardship fund that covers their members for x years after their career?

Feels like this would achieve the same goal if its about allocation of money rather than additional money. Would also solve the issue of taking cash from the squad players and likely strengthen their member base (I have no idea if there are players who aren't members of the rlpa).

 

[Sparkles]

Wonder if he would have said that if he was at the start of his career rather than the end.

Wouldn't have mattered, you'd never have heard about it anyway...
It's a fair point.... wheeling out CT7, Dally M Halfback of the Year and Wade 'Champaign' Graham doesn't really paint a picture of what the 'workers' see as fair.

 

[Sparkles]

But their contracts say 18% so it's no so easy as one bloke saying it

Wade is one of the main four player reps

Doesn't it say that because the NRL told them that's what it is? I won't pretend to understand it all, but what I'm hearing is that the player reps have the poops because the didn't get the chance to talk about it before it was announced.

 

[Rob]

Take out your own private health insurance like the rest of us who know we will need our bodies fixed.

How far back do they want to go? 25 years when I was playing JR reps and injuries stopped my career, ffs it’s just part of life.

 

[Proud Shark]

Take out your own private health insurance like the rest of us who know we will need our bodies fixed.

How far back do they want to go? 25 years when I was playing JR reps and injuries stopped my career, ffs it’s just part of life.

If anyone else was seriously injured in the course of their employment, they'd expect their employer to pay for rehabilitation, no? Why should athletes be any different?

It feels like they are saying 1 year isn't enough, which is fair. How long they are proposing I don't know.

 

[Sparkles]

Take out your own private health insurance like the rest of us who know we will need our bodies fixed.

How far back do they want to go? 25 years when I was playing JR reps and injuries stopped my career, ffs it’s just part of life.

I'd be surprised if there was a plan to cover running into blokes as hard and often as possible, without protective gear, that is being diagnosed regularly as resulting in crippling (and possibly fatal) brain damage.

 

[Capital_Shark]

It feels like they are saying 1 year isn't enough, which is fair. How long they are proposing I don't know.

I've read Joe Galuvao using himself as an example and he retired in 2013. I'm thinking a while.

 

[Rob]

I’m not talking about injuries, that should be done when when playing or at the end of your career, you can’t go back and clam workers comp on bad knees or back from wear and tear 10 years after leaving the job

 

[bort]

Doesn't it say that because the NRL told them that's what it is? I won't pretend to understand it all, but what I'm hearing is that the player reps have the poops because the didn't get the chance to talk about it before it was announced.

NRL started putting it in their contracts but we don't know the deets

I’m not talking about injuries, that should be done when when playing or at the end of your career, you can’t go back and clam workers comp on bad knees or back from wear and tear 10 years after leaving the job

I have issues from amateur league I'd love someone to front up some money to help me sort out.

 

[Proud Shark]

I've read Joe Galuvao using himself as an example and he retired in 2013. I'm thinking a while.

I’m not talking about injuries, that should be done when when playing or at the end of your career, you can’t go back and clam workers comp on bad knees or back from wear and tear 10 years after leaving the job

Yeah I would agree there needs to be a limit. 10 years seems ridiculous. I just thought it was fair to say that Fifita shouldn't have to have 4 or more surgeries crammed into a year or miss out on funding.

 

[Gal The Goat]

I’m not talking about injuries, that should be done when when playing or at the end of your career, you can’t go back and clam workers comp on bad knees or back from wear and tear 10 years after leaving the job

Are you sure? I reckon if you hurt your back at work, filled out the appropriate paperwork (incident reports) and then 2, 3 or 4 years later etc it hasn’t improved but worsened and you need surgery to replace discs or something I’m almost certain that would come under workers comp wouldn’t it?

 

[Rob]

Are you sure? I reckon if you hurt your back at work, filled out the appropriate paperwork (incident reports) and then 2, 3 or 4 years later etc it hasn’t improved but worsened and you need surgery to replace discs or something I’m almost certain that would come under workers comp wouldn’t it?

That’s an injury not wear and tear

 

[Gal The Goat]

We also have to understand their job is going to be different to the “average” job out there.

They go and bash them selves silly every day (training included) for how ever many years straight for our entertainment. They are going to have a more unique “workers comp” to the rest of the working world.

If a player has done his ACL for the game and several years later after retirement it needs a new surgery so he can get out of bed, than I understand he should be entitled to that being paid for by some kitty the players and the suits contribute to each year for this new large revenue.

I also understand it needs some limits though, as you say they probably can’t have every player coming back 15 years later with some strong about my wrist is now sore can you cover my costs

 

[Gal The Goat]

That’s an injury not wear and tear

I think that’s what they are more talking about though aren’t they? Genuine injuries that they succumb to from the game.

I know of small time players that had surgery and rehab but then needed more surgery. By then 12 months would have been over.

They used Booth recent ACL and no new contract for example. Fifitas 4 recent injuries for example. Beau Ryan’s neck injury which forced him into retirement for example. I completely understand if those guys need touch up surgeries straight after that 12 months then who pays for it?

 

[Sevshark]

I think that’s what they are more talking about though aren’t they? Genuine injuries that they succumb to from the game.

I know of small time players that had surgery and rehab but then needed more surgery. By then 12 months would have been over.

They used Booth recent ACL and no new contract for example. Fifitas 4 recent injuries for example. Beau Ryan’s neck injury which forced him into retirement for example. I completely understand if those guys need touch up surgeries straight after that 12 months then who pays for it?

Simon Dwyer anyone?