Panthers players could miss World Cup Challenge due to NRL leave rules
The international success of its players may come as a cost for Penrith come the World Club Challenge in February with up to nine stars unavailable.
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Success has come at a cost for Penrith with up to nine players facing the possibility of being rubbed out of the World Club Challenge in February.
The Panthers are scheduled to take on St Helens at Bluebet Stadium on February 18 but pre-season leave and return-to-play protocols have thrown a spanner in the works.
Under the rules, Rugby League World Club players must take between seven-to-eight weeks off from the last match they played in the tournament.
For Penrith’s RLWC grand final stars, Isaah Yeo, Nathan Cleary, Liam Martin, Jarome Luai, Brian To’o, Stephen Crichton, Spencer Leniu, Taylan May and Izack Tago, that leave did not start until after November 21.
Those players then must have also had at least five consecutive weeks of pre-season training under their belt before they are allowed to play their first game of the year.
It puts the Penrith stars at the cusp of being ineligible for the St Helens clash.
The early indication is that a number of players want to line up against the Super League heavyweights and are willing to return to pre-season training early to be eligible for selection.
Penrith District Rugby League CEO Matt Cameron praised the players’ unwavering desire to put on the Panthers jersey and represent the club.
“It’s a reflection of where the club is at the moment but that has taken a lot of people, a lot of hard work to get to where we are but we are really happy with where we are,” Cameron said.
While Penrith players are expected to be offered the chance to play against St Helens, the club’s World Cup stars may be rested by club management or seek to sit out the match.
If players want to return to training early, the club must apply for approval with the NRL and RLPA.
Cameron said the wellbeing of his players would be the top priority in making a call about their availability for the clash.
“There are some guidelines that the NRL and RLPA put in place about players leave entitlements,” Cameron said.
“We haven‘t made hard and fast decisions about who will or who won’t play.
“But players are entitled to a break. But they are also entitled to come back to training if they feel like they are ready. We’ll monitor that over summer.”
Despite the pre-season hurdle, Cameron said the club was committed to selecting the strongest Penrith team possible.
“This game is a big deal but we won’t put anyone at risk. But we’ll work with the players and all the coaching staff with the aim of getting the best team out there,” Cameron said.
With the World Cup digging deep into November, the RLPA has privately acknowledged that all players may not receive their full holiday leave.
The World Club Challenge is also a chance for the back-to-back premiers to test themselves against the might of St Helens, who have won four-straight Super League titles.
“For this group of players they have achieved so much, it’s just another milestone in their careers,” Cameron said.
“From a personal point of view every player wants to test against the best players, in our competition they have ticked that box and now they thrive on the opportunity to be tested against players in another competition that’s looked at in the highest regard.”
PRIZE FIGHT: PANTHERS ISSUE FRESH DEMANDS TO NRL
Penrith will seek more than $300,000 from the NRL before committing to play the World Club Challenge against St Helens early next year.
Panthers group chief executive Brian Fletcher said his club still hadn’t signed off on the match, despite it being scheduled for the 2023 pre-season. The club doesn’t know what prizemoney will be on offer.
Penrith wants at least $100,000 to play the WCC on February 18 at BlueBet Stadium, a match that forced the Panthers to cancel a lucrative home trial game and grand final rematch against Western Sydney rival Parramatta.
Fletcher has again written to the NRL to request an additional $200,000 the club feels it’s owed for winning this year’s grand final.
That adds up to more than $300,000, which Penrith wants paid before agreeing to play St Helens.
“That’s the sort of income that we need,” Fletcher said.
While Penrith is keeping an open mind, it will fight for the money before agreeing to contest a match that pits the NRL premier against England’s Super League champion.
The Panthers don’t want to be seen as greedy, just pursuing money they believe they have earned and deserve.
They estimate the Eels trial would have netted them around $100,000, possibly more, in gate takings, corporate hospitality and merchandise.
That figure, the club said, didn’t include the money being outlaid by fans at the adjacent Panthers Leagues Club before and after the game.
The Panthers want at least the same money to play St Helens and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo is working on the WCC proposal.
He will shortly tell Penrith the prizemoney on offer.
“We are waiting on details from Andrew Abdo — we haven’t signed off on the game,” Fletcher said.
“Andrew said we would be playing for prizemoney and we are waiting to hear what it is. We have to hear back from him before we make a decision. It’s in Andrew’s court.
“It will replace our second trial against Parramatta at home. We have to make sure we are replaced financially.”
Asked if his club would consider boycotting the game if the $300,000 funding wasn’t secured, Fletcher said: “We’re not at that stage yet but we have to come to an agreement. We would have to have further talks with Abdo.”
Penrith is angry at being awarded just $200,000 for beating Parramatta in this year’s grand final. Before Covid, the NRL premier received $400,000.
With the worst of Covid now gone, Penrith believes it is owed the full $400,000. The NRL has paid the Panthers $200,000 but they have reiterated their push for the remaining $200,000.
“The NRL still owes us 50 per cent of the prizemoney from the grand final,” Fletcher said.
“The commission made a decision to cut the prizemoney in half, which is ridiculous because they are going to announce record profits
“We would like to think the commission will revisit it. They should treat the clubs who made the finals with respect and pay them the right amount.
“It would be nice to think after they’ve done their figures and recorded record profits that they could show the eight clubs that played in the semi-finals some respect and return the prizemoney levels to where they were.”
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