How to fix the shattered loyalty in rugby league

Loyalty in sport is a two-way street between players and clubs and neither group is taking enough responsibility as the player market descends into farce writes PAUL CRAWLEY.

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There is no use blowing up about the lack of player loyalty in the NRL when most clubs refuse to hold up their end of the bargain.

Now we have had Shaun Johnson ask and have granted a release from the final year of his contract at the Warriors while Gareth Widdop reportedly wants out of the final three years of his deal at St George Illawarra.

Last week it was Valentine Holmes who left Cronulla in the lurch and you can throw in David Klemmer, who says it wasn’t money but personal reasons that he sought a release from Canterbury to join cash-strapped Newcastle.

That opened the door for Dylan Napa to take up a big money offer from the Bulldogs, although it seems the Sydney Roosters were not as upset to let Napa go a year early because it was in both their best interests.

Johnson has been released by the Warriors. Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images.

Josh McGuire left Brisbane mid-contract to take up a longer, richer deal at North Queensland.

You could go on and on.

It is laughable.

But it’s not a one-way street.

Trent Merrin was “released” at Penrith despite having two years to run on his contract.

Depending on who you listen to, one suggestion was Merrin was told that if he stayed he would be playing NSW Cup next season.

You talk about holding a gun to someone’s head.

Last year Aaron Woods was disgracefully treated through no fault of his own.

And that’s not even taking into account the coaching circus that has engulfed the game.

Anthony Griffin was sacked with more than two years left on his deal to make way for Ivan Cleary who still had two years to run on his Wests Tigers contract.

Holmes walked out on Cronulla. Picture by Brett Costello.

And while it is mostly the big names that steal the spotlight, the amount of battling players that have their careers destroyed by reckless clubs is rarely reported.

Paul Gallen got it half right last week when he said Holmes should be banned from returning to the NRL if he fails in the NFL.

Sure, there has to be more accountability from the players.

But you can’t pin all the blame on them if the clubs are allowed to constantly get away with the dirty tactics they employ.

The NRL must get tough and the players union has to support them on this.

Sure, ban players for the term of their contract by all means but clubs must also be forced to pay for their poor decisions.

Klemmer left Canterbury for a big money deal at Newcastle. AAP Image/Darren Pateman.

For instance, if a club forces a player out early then take the money off their salary cap. Don’t allow them to sign a player in his place but reduce the roster by one, until that contract expires.

They’ll soon learn.

Make them pay for poor recruitment.

Make everyone accountable.

No exceptions.

Because the real losers in all this is the fans and the game itself.

NRL coaches are due to meet in Sydney tomorrow and this issue has to be addressed immediately because as it stands the clubs are as much responsible for this mess as the players.

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