NRL 2023: Penrith director Greg Alexander calls for free agency trade system, transfer overhaul

With four stars in Friday’s Panthers-Broncos blockbuster already signed with rival clubs for next year, Penrith director Greg Alexander is calling for a free agency trade overhaul.

Greg Alexander (right) has called for a player transfer overhaul, and put an end to players signing with other clubs for a season in advance. Picture: Getty Images.

Penrith director Greg Alexander is calling for a free agency trade overhaul to fix the farcical system that infuriates fans and coaches.

It comes as four stars, Stephen Crichton, Spencer Leniu, Herbie Farnworth and Thomas Flegler prepare to line up in Friday’s Panthers-Broncos blockbuster having already agreed to join rival clubs for next season.

Alexander’s idea is to introduce a mid-season trade window followed by an end-of-season trade period, which would stop players signing with rival clubs a full year out from the start of a new contract.

The Panthers’ Crichton and Leniu will be playing for the Bulldogs and Roosters respectively in 2024, while Broncos’ Farnworth and Flegler have signed with the Dolphins.

Greg Alexander (right) has called for a player transfer overhaul, and put an end to players signing with other clubs for a season in advance. Picture: Getty Images.

Newcastle winger Dominic Young is another whose decision to leave the Knights for the Roosters next year has caused a massive stink.

Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses is another expected to announce where he’ll be playing next year any day now, while Joseph Suaali’i, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and David Fifita are other big names all with their futures still up in the air.

CHANGE THE SYSTEM

Alexander believes the best deal for fans would be to scrap the current November 1 trade start date and replace it with a trade window followed by the end-of-season trade period.

“Have a window where players can sign (during the season) but if it is not done then and there, well, sorry boys, now it’s after the grand final,” Alexander said.

“I remember when we changed it (from June 30 to November 1) the reason was to stop all the speculation throughout the season.

The 2023 season hadn’t even started before Stephen Crichton had signed with the Bulldogs for 2023. Picture: NRL Photos.

“It was just constant about is he going to go, is he going to stay.

“So I thought, well, let’s try something different.

“But when you look at every other sport around the word, it just doesn’t happen.

“You don’t sign for a (rival) club and then stay at that (existing) club for 12 months.

“If you try and explain it to people from other sports, they go, ‘What? So you’ve signed with that club but you are staying with that club all season?’”

CBA HURDLE

It’s understood the issue has become a real sticking point between the NRL and RLPA during the current CBA negotiations.

While the NRL wants to move the start of the trade period back to June 30, where it was previously, the players are refusing to budge from the current window that start on November 1, a full year before the contract takes effect.

And while the two parties are slowing edging closer to an agreement, this is said to be one area the players will refuse to give up.

But in Alexander’s view, it’s just not fair on fans, even if the players who sign elsewhere continue to aim up for their current clubs.

Herbie Farnworth has signed with the Dolphins next season. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

“No, it is it not (fair on fans),” Alexander added.

“It is hard for fans to wrap their head around that one of their good players, because generally it is a good player that signs 12 months out, won’t be with them next year but he is with them this year.

“I guess we just become used to things in our game pretty quickly and you tend to live with it.

“And we have seen a lot of players who have signed as early as Christmas and have gone on to have great seasons with the clubs that they are at.”

Alexander also said the argument players need more time to plan for changes to their personal lives just doesn’t wash in the modern world.

“Does anyone really believe that?” he questioned.

“We have had players allowed to move clubs up until June 30 in the past, and we have now pushed that out to August, where clubs would sign players and they would move immediately.”

Spencer Leniu is set to join the Roosters next season. Source: NRL Imagery

STOP THIS RUBBISH

Tevita Pangai and Matt Lodge are just two of the more prominent players who have switched late in the season in recent times.

“All this rubbish about players needing so much time, please,” Alexander added.

“Come on.

“They are professionals.

“Like, that is what they do.

“Surely they can organise themselves in three months, or a month.

“They can get themselves organised in a week.

“I am sure if it happened they can get themselves organised pretty quickly.”

Originally published as NRL 2023: Penrith director Greg Alexander calls for free agency trade system, transfer overhaul