NRL Player Agents’ Survey Part II: Shock revelations of league talent as young as 11 being targeted

The NRL has been rocked by revelations player agents are targeting budding league stars as young as 11 in predatory behaviour labelled “disgusting”.

The NRL has been rocked by revelations player agents are targeting budding league stars as young as 11 in predatory behaviour labelled “disgusting”.

News Corp’s exclusive inaugural player-agent survey found some managers are breaking NRL rules by approaching players before their 15th birthday.

Almost 27 per cent of respondents revealed they begin scouting players at age 14.

In a revelation that should ring alarm bells at NRL headquarters, five per cent of agents chase kids at 13 - and just under two per cent target players 12 or younger.

While the latter figures represent only a small fraction of the NRL’s player-agent stable, leading managers say any practice of chasing young teens is unacceptable.

“Any agent who approaches a kid under the age of 15 is breaking the rules,” says accredited NRL agent Shaun Pyne, who formerly represented Queensland Origin star Cameron Munster.

FULL LIST: Every NRL player manager and their clients revealed

Damning junior scouting results revealed.

“Signing a 12 or 13-year-old is disgusting, that is the equivalent of grooming in my eyes.

“I’ve had parents approach me at carnivals saying they have had some agents contacting their kids or minors through Instagram.

“The NRL need to do something about it because it’s illegal.”

Asked if the NRL’s enforcement of agent-conduct standards is adequate, 73 per cent of managers answered no.

Pyne found allies in fellow player agents Scott Sattler and Sam Ayoub, the latter of whom has worked in the industry since 1988.

“I think that’s ridiculous,” Ayoub said of agents scouting young teens.

“I believe 16 should be the minimum age because you can determine the ability of players at that age.

“Some players who are 17 can potentially play NRL – Joseph Suaalii, for example, played first grade at the Roosters at 17 – so these older kids need representation.”

Sattler was appalled by revelations some agents are chasing kids still in primary school.

“I am concerned by that. If that is happening, it’s a real worry,” he said.

“I can see why agents want to get in early, but identifying players as young as 11 or 12 is disturbing and unnecessary.

“It doesn’t matter how much due diligence you do, so much can happen to a kid from ages 13 to 17.

Leading agents there should be an age cap on signing junior talent.

“I don’t think kids need to worry about an agent when they are 15 or 16, there is so much growing to do psychologically and emotionally.

“Maybe we should wait until they are in grade 12 … they need to be given time to develop.”

Meanwhile, 61 per cent of managers said player agents should be banned from also representing NRL coaches.

“I’m all for a ban on agents having coaches,” Ayoub said.

“There are some agents who like to manage coaches, but I don’t believe it should be allowed.

“It’s not uncommon to see situations where a coach is appointed and players who are in the same management stable end up playing under that coach at a club.

“The agents steer the players to the club where their coaches are working.

“It’s a major conflict of interest to be honest.

“It’s a very simple solution. The coach can have a manager but it’s not a player manager. We are called player managers for a reason. We’re not here to manage coaches.

“The NRL shouldn’t allow it.”

Originally published as NRL Player Agents’ Survey Part II: Shock revelations of league talent as young as 11 being targeted