NRL Trade window: Wayne Bennett wants end to current ‘free agency’ policy

Wayne Bennett says the NRL and players must put aside differences and find a way to introduce a trade window, writes Paul Crawley.

DolphinsÕ Head Coach Wayne Bennett, also there was chief executive Terry Reader and Ram Kangatharan the Budget Direct Managing Director & CEO, at Toowong, on Wednesday 18th May 2022 - Photo Steve Pohlner

Wayne Bennett has spoken passionately about why the NRL and the players need to put aside their differences and just find a way to introduce a trade window, adamant the current open slather policy is not fair on fans and “has to stop”.

“I am a fan of anything that will improve what we do now,” Bennett said.

“What we do now is a joke.”

It comes after Cronulla veteran and Rugby League Players Association director Wade Graham (SEE BELOW) outlined why the players are against any changes to the current free agency policy.

In his exclusive column for News Corp, Graham wrote: “The problem with the trade debate is that it always gets distilled down to player loyalty.

“How does introducing a restrictive trade or transfer window improve loyalty or fairly spread talent.”

But while Bennett was reluctant to use the word ‘loyalty’ in his argument, the game’s longest serving coach certainly made a strong case why he reckons the people worst affected under the current model aren’t the players or the clubs.

“I am for it for the fans and members who go and buy their season tickets and everything else,” Bennett continued.

“It is not about the player not getting traded. It is just in an orderly fashion which presents a much better picture and image for the game then a player being at a club today and gone tomorrow. It can’t happen.

“It has got to stop. Even soccer, as highly competitive as it is and particularly in Europe and those places, they have still got trade windows.

“There is nothing more disappointing for me to see a player playing for one club today and then he races out and plays against that same club for another club two weeks.

“And I don’t see where you get disadvantaged. You can still be traded. It just can’t happen willy-nilly. I am not blaming players here.

“I’m blaming clubs. The clubs have got the contracts. They don’t have to let them go. But it is the clubs that usually initiate it.”

But with a trade window, he believes the system would be fairer on everyone.

“If players, or clubs, are disgruntled well there is still an opportunity for you to go,” he explained.

“But it is a controlled opportunity. It is just not here today gone tomorrow.

“It stops fans being short changed and it also helps the players.

“Maybe the player doesn’t want to leave but (the club) have gone out and recruited someone else and they have got to get rid of you.

Wayne Bennett wants trade windows in the NRL. Photo Steve Pohlner

“It is a pretty murky business and the fans are always the ones who suffer.

“I have come through all the eras and what happens in the game today never happened in the game of yesteryear.

“And I think as a player we all cherished that. I don’t know if you want to use the word ‘loyalty’, but the aspect that when you signed at a club you are at that club for that year.

“Maybe guys got out of contracts after the season, but you weren’t losing them during the season.

“That is the part that irks me. But again, if we have got to have it let’s do it in a controlled manner.”

Bennett believes there should be an allocated trade window before the start of the season, another before or after Origin, and then after the season.

“This player movement is about once the competition starts,” he added.

“What you do in the off season you can still do as far as I’m concerned.

“But when the season starts it shouldn’t just happen all the time.”

PLAYERS V NRL: STAR REVEALS WHY TRADE WINDOW ISN’T DEAD

– Wade Graham

It’s clear the game’s finances are strong, and that’s great.

It means the NRL and NRLW products are healthy, we have engaged fans, and the players and clubs are doing their jobs.

We’ve said all year the game needs to align with every other major code in the world and provide players with a genuine revenue share model.

Players should receive a fair percentage of revenue above the NRL’s forecasts and that share shouldn’t see the current group of players track backward.

Players are fundamental to the game’s revenue, so the percentage share must be fair and reflect our contribution.

We’ve also been very vocal publicly and direct privately with the NRL that this negotiation is about more than money going to current players.

Our CBA claims take a bottom up approach by guaranteeing more contracts, lifting the minimum wages in the NRL and NRLW, and improving our benefits and non-financial terms.

Wade Graham says the players want to control where their share of the revenue goes. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

The next CBA needs to demonstrate greater respect for players and our Association. It must respect our commercial rights and property, and fairly respect past players and the challenges they face.

When we do reach agreement, the game will move forward, but we can’t allow rival codes or our biggest threat, the AFL, to extend its lead on rugby league.

We should be doing all we can to attract and retain the best NRL and NRLW talent with industry-leading terms and conditions.

The salary cap usually gets all the headlines during a CBA negotiation, but there’s a lot more detail and elements that are important to players.

Agreement Rights

Players must have fundamental agreement rights over our core employment terms and conditions.

If the NRL wants to change the rules of the game and go to eight tackles or seven point tries then they can go for gold.

Players will have an opinion on it, but we don’t want to govern the game because that’s the job of the Commission and the NRL.

What we must have, though, is a clear framework that trusts us to help make decisions on matters that directly impact our employment. If we can reach agreement on hundreds of employment matters during a CBA negotiation, why could we not reach agreement on future matters over the term?

Equal rights on employment and workplace matters should reflect the strength of our relationship with the NRL.

Trade and Transfer Windows

It’s well known the players are against any changes to our current free agency model.

Are there options to improve the current system? Possibly.

The problem with the trade debate is that it always gets distilled down to player loyalty. How does introducing a restrictive trade or transfer window improve loyalty or fairly spread talent?

Penrith won two grand finals with four key players signing contracts with other clubs long before they played in those Grand Finals.

I would love to see someone question their loyalty or commitment to the Panthers.

It’s on everyone to make the current system work because we haven’t seen anything that fairly balances the risk on players or supports clubs trying to rebuild a roster.

Player Support and Programs

Rugby league started out as a working-class game. Taking care of its people was vital.

I believe we have moved away from the very foundations we have all benefited from.

The NRL needs to do what it does well. But when it comes to past players, the RLPA is best positioned to service their needs. It’s the RLPA’s bread and butter.

The RLPA is led by players, for players and our Board is incredibly experienced and highly-skilled.

Our Association must have the autonomy to allocate the players’ share of revenue to areas we decide are most important.

We must continue to grow as the representatives of the players and claim greater responsibility in the industry.

ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys Picture: David Swift.

Players want to establish a Past Player Program and Medical Support Fund for male and female players. We want to expand the Injury Hardship Fund to start taking better care of those who dug the well for current players.

The RLPA is also proposing greater control of the players’ Wellbeing and Education program. It’s wrong that the players are the program’s biggest investor, yet it’s controlled by the NRL and Commission with little or no financial contribution.

Best practice globally is for the players’ association to manage the players’ wellbeing program. Our game is lagging behind in this area, especially in Australia.

Next steps

We have already rejected proposals from the NRL because they did not meet the players expectations of fairness and respect.

Recently the NRL have committed to delivering on our expectations. That is why our Board decided not to terminate the current CBA, a right both parties have, and give the industry more certainty past November 1.

We will continue to negotiate in good faith, but the NRL’s next proposal must meet our expectations which includes fair revenue share and outperformance, agreement rights, and RLPA autonomy.

Players will not accept any further excuses by the NRL and Commission that prevents us from agreeing to a historic CBA that the whole game can be proud of.