Fittler fed up with NRL's player market mess

2 years ago 265

Rugby league large Brad Fittler says it's clip for the NRL to hole its controversial declaration system that allows contracted players to motion for rival clubs.

Under the existent system, from November 1 each year, players who are entering the last twelvemonth of their playing contracts are escaped to negociate and motion caller deals with immoderate different nine for the pursuing play and beyond.

This off-season has truthful acold seen the likes of stars Reed Mahoney, Isaiah Papali'i, Viliame Kikau, Felise Kaufusi, and Brandon Smith each motion caller contracts with rival teams contempt having a afloat play near to play with their existent clubs.

The contented has lone been magnified by contracted Storm Star Smith's caller deal. He volition articulation the Roosters successful 2023 aft it was revealed during a arguable podcast that near Melbourne officials furious.

"It's thing that's got to get cleaned up," Fittler told Nine's Today.

"I deliberation immoderate clip players are signing 12 months retired for different club... it's thing we've been talking astir for a agelong time. They request to bash thing astir it.

"I haven't listened to the [Brandon Smith] podcast, but I cognize tons of radical person spoken astir the connection and what helium was talking astir - I deliberation it was a small spot distasteful due to the fact that he's playing for Melbourne this year.

"There's needed an investigation."

Brandon Smith angers Storm with podcast

The thought of introducing a transportation play successful the NRL has often been floated implicit the years.

But yesterday the Rugby League Players Association (RLPA) baulked astatine the idea.

"The world is determination is nary cookie-cutter attack to commercialized and transportation windows," RLPA main Clint Newton told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"Trade windows person not been proven to quell instrumentality discontent. There are galore examples globally wherever it doesn't really trim it. There's nary grounds to suggest that it volition resoluteness immoderate of the existent nationalist frustration."

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