2023 NRL General Discussion

[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?

 

[Gal The Goat]

Simon Dwyer anyone?

Perfect example. In a sling for the rest of his life and may need future surgeries. Under the current agreement he has nothing to help him. That’s a work place injury that any other work cover would cover for life.

I do think the tIgers have acted in a lot of good faith to him but plenty of low profile won’t be as lucky.

 

[bort]

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?

I would say I do think if a surgeon could report to nrl something like 'surgery 12 months ago appears to have not recovered to extent we were aiming for, an extra surgery is required for this same issue' there should be capacity for NRL to go okay yep that's the same injury we agree to cover and surgeon has backed it is related to original injury/surgery
So in that case it seems right it would be okayed.

Seems like everyone agrees the timeframe is too short and perhaps the system is too rigid but that it can't feasibly be a 10 or more year thing?

 

[Gal The Goat]

I would say I do think if a surgeon could report to nrl something like 'surgery 12 months ago appears to have not recovered to extent we were aiming for, an extra surgery is required for this same issue' there should be capacity for NRL to go okay yep that's the same injury we agree to cover and surgeon has backed it is related to original injury/surgery
So in that case it seems right it would be okayed.

Seems like everyone agrees the timeframe is too short and perhaps the system is too rigid but that it can't feasibly be a 10 or more year thing?

Yep definitely needs to have some sort of limitations like that.

I’m definitely behind players injuries getting looked after post career but it can’t become a rort where players hurt themselves years later at home or playing touch football and think they can claim it

 

[Western Sharkie]

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 get it but sometimes athletes do get excluded from things like health funds or from making certain claims, just like some high risk professions are excluded from Life or disability insurances due to the nature of their work.

So it’s not as easy as saying “just get your own health insurance” (but would be good if it was).

Insurers either won’t insure or make the premiums unbelievably high that it is not affordable.

I think the idea of 1-2% of players wages (or a sliding scale eg 1% from minimum wages players, 1.25% for mid range 1.5% from higher end and 2% for the $8-900+ or something like that) go towards a RLPA run health fund might work.

 

[Born&bred]

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.

Difference is we get workers comp if we're injured on the job - they don't

 

[Born&bred]

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

You actually can in most occupations