The NRL is considering an offseason transfer window that will attempt to override contract problems that often see players appearing for one club while having already signed for another.
For years other sports like the AFL and NFL have commercialised trade windows to their advantage as a way of staying in the media throughout the offseason, yet the NRL has never invested in such moves.
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As it stands, players can sign for a rival club up to 12 months before they leave their current one, with the RLPA keen to keep things the same.
One of the potential options discussed at Rugby League Central is having just a single window after the grand final, meaning players could be forced to move clubs just weeks after making the decision to do so.
“That’s all up for debate and I don’t know where we will land,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“We’ve put forward natural opportunities to think about the window, particularly the main one being at the end of the season. Following the grand final, having then an opportunity for players, agents and clubs to engage and interact, and have everything done in the off-season is probably what clubs are after to give teams the ability to begin their pre-season knowing what their full squad is.
“There’s an option that says there’s a single window, there’s an option that says there are two windows, mid-season and at the end of the season.
Abdo said fans have been frustrated for years about player movement.
“We hear the feedback from fans around the timing of when contracts are decided, with players playing sometimes for a full season with a club knowing full well that they are leaving,” Abdo said. “That’s frustrating for some fans.
“I also think there’s an opportunity for us to create excitement and engagement around dedicated windows where that trade can take place.”
However, the players’ union, has pushed back against the idea.
“Are clubs universally aligned on this matter? I’m yet to see any proof that clubs are in total alignment on this matter, which is primarily because it is complex and tears apart the employment rights of players. And even if clubs were aligned, given the unavoidable legal implications of such a chance there is no other place for this discussion except bargaining with Hugh Marks [who is leading CBA negotiations for the NRL] if that’s what’s required.
“Proposing changes to the current systems is an untested quick fix at the expense of employment rights. I love horse racing and have always enjoyed the Magic Millions sales, but we are not buying Black Caviar’s or Winx’s first offspring. These are human beings with families and they need to be respected, and so do their employment rights.”
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