The NRL is considering preventing players who break their contracts from earning more money with a rival club.
One of the biggest bugbears of fans and clubs is the practice of contracted stars agitating for a release, often on compassionate grounds, and then immediately walking into a more lucrative job elsewhere. Privately, many of the holding clubs feel they are being taken for a ride, believing players and their managers offer spurious reasons to leave if they feel their market value is higher than that of their contract.
Rugby League Central has no issue with players shifting on genuine family or compassionate grounds if both parties come to a mutual agreement. However, there is a growing feeling in the game that disloyalty should not be rewarded with a pay rise.
The idea of capping contracts for wantaway stars was first flagged five years ago and now the Australian Rugby League Commission will revisit the issue.
“I’m an old-fashioned person and if you do a contract, you honour it,” ARLC chairman Peter V’landys told this masthead.
“A contract is a contract, unless there are circumstances well beyond your control – if it’s unforeseen, then fair enough. You get the benefits of the contract, so you should honour the contract, that’s my view.
‘I’m a man who believes in loyalty and honouring contracts. Honour your word.’
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys
“Your word is your word. To be fair, a lot of the time it’s caused by the manager, not the player.
“We will certainly have to look at it because you can’t leave it the way it is. We will work on the RLPA with it to ensure it’s balanced.
“The RLPA’s argument is that sometimes the clubs get rid of the player, so it’s got to go both ways.”
St George Illawarra forward Francis Molo is the latest disgruntled player trying to extricate himself from his contract. Just nine months after recommitting to the Dragons until the end of 2026, the Maroons prop has requested a release, citing an interaction with a club staffer. The Red V has rejected the request and Molo remains on leave while the matter remains unresolved.
Dragons prop Francis Molo.Credit: Getty Images
It’s a touchy subject for the Dragons; with Molo’s contract on the books they pulled out of negotiations with fellow props Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Daniel Saifiti, Stefano Utoikamanu and Terrell May, who have all found homes elsewhere. The situation comes after coach Shane Flanagan’s two best players, Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax, were eventually released after both agitated for an early exit.
Speaking generically about early releases rather than about the Molo situation, V’landys said he felt the issue needed addressing.
“I believe a contract is a contract,” V’landys said. “You go through your club, you build your brand through a club and then, because you’ve built your brand at that club, you’re getting more money somewhere else? No.
“You have to show some loyalty and honour the contract.
“I’m a man who believes in loyalty and honouring contracts. Honour your word. That’s my principle, that’s what I believe in and that should be the case here.”
The NRL is considering a host of changes to the game that have been proposed by a Pathways Steering Committee, which could result in an under-21s pathways competition and raising the age when players can engage a manager.
“We will be revisiting [the issue of the contracting system] because we’re doing the whole player management analysis as well, it will form part of that,” V’landys said.
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