‘One in all in’: Paul Gallen says Cameron Smith should not have to bear brunt of wage cuts
Paul Gallen has leapt to the defence of some of the game’s biggest earners by suggesting that they should not have to receive the bulk of wage cuts, while young players get off scot-free.
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Paul Gallen has taken aim at the suggestion of staggering pay cuts based on what a player earns.
Gallen believes players on higher salaries should not have to cop the brunt of the pay cuts, while players on lesser contracts lose nothing.
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“A situation like this should be one in, all in,” Gallen wrote for WWOS.
“I am not in favour of staggering pay cuts depending on what players earn, a possible option for the NRL and RLPA amid the coronavirus shutdown that takes a higher percentage away from top players.
“You’re paid what you’re worth to the game. Why should Cameron Smith, Daly Cherry-Evans or Wade Graham get a 75 per cent pay reduction and someone on $120,000 per year doesn’t have to cop anything?
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“People might say that they earn more money, but they’ve also paid their dues. They’ve been in the game longer and built better careers.”
Gallen believes players like Cameron Smith who are in the twilight of their career should not have to front the bulk of the bill with his wages just because he earns more.
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“These guys on $80,000 to $120,000 are players No.25-30 on your roster,” Gallen said.
“Or young guys trying to prove themselves and if they’re any good, they’re on that wage for just one year before being upgraded and extended; or picked up by another club for twice the money.
“Cameron Smith’s possibly got just one season left in the game. He could retire this year, while that bloke on $120,000 may have 10 years left.
“After 20 years at the top of rugby league, Cameron doesn’t deserve to lose 75 per cent of his income when a player on $120,000 might lose nothing, or significantly less.
“I do feel sorry for the bigger names in the game who are the heroes to kids, who are the faces of our game and rightly on good contracts, yet could have most of it taken away this year.”
Originally published as ‘One in all in’: Paul Gallen says Cameron Smith should not have to bear brunt of wage cuts