NRL news: Wayne Bennett calls for transfer change after Jack Wighton saga

Wayne Bennett and his Dolphins have been snubbed at almost every tun in the NRL transfer market, so it’s no surprise that the veteran coach wants a change to the way the game handles the matter.

Repeat transfer bridesmaid Wayne Bennett wants a trade window. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Wayne Bennett has launched a stinging attack on the NRL over the player-transfer market as the Dolphins coach hit out at the new franchise’s failure to win the battle for NSW Origin star Jack Wighton.

Canberra ace Wighton will face the Dolphins on Saturday at Wagga Wagga – just days after knocking back interest from Bennett to ink a four-year deal with South Sydney.

ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys is in negotiations with the Rugby League Players Association to introduce a strictly regulated trade window that would prevent the market madness of incessant mid-season transfers.

Repeat transfer bridesmaid Wayne Bennett wants a trade window. Picture: Patrick Woods.

The Dolphins, Souths and Canberra have been embroiled in a mid-season bidding war for Wighton’s signature and Bennett – the code’s greatest coach – blasted the NRL for accepting years of largely unregulated transfer chaos.

“I can’t believe we don’t have one (a trade window),” Bennett said on the eve of the Dolphins-Raiders showdown.

“I have been on about it for a long time in my coaching career.

“It’s wrong – it doesn’t give us the look we need as a game.

“There’s some great football being played at the moment, but we are being distracted by all these contract negotiations which shouldn’t be happening.

“They don’t happen in other sports and other codes around the world.

“We don’t have the will to reign it in unfortunately, that’s the bottom line.”

Asked if players would accept a trade window, Bennett fired: “I didn’t know the players run the game, if that’s the case, then you are right.

“I thought the NRL runs the game and they do what’s in the best interests of the game for everybody … the fans, the players.”

Ironically, if a trade window existed when the Dolphins won an NRL licence for premiership entry this season, Bennett would have been banned from approaching players contracted to rival clubs.

But Bennett says the NRL could grant market dispensation in a trade-window climate should an 18th franchise be added to the league in 2027.

“If the NRL were to admit a new team, they would have to take that (allowing an 18th team free reign) into consideration,” Bennett said.

“They may get some exemptions for doing it (signing players), that’s not difficult to do.”

Finding a franchise player has proved a headache for Bennett, who has missed out on a posse of big names, including Cameron Munster, Kalyn Ponga, Harry Grant, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.

Will Peter V’landys step in and introduce an NRL transfer window? Picture: David Swift.

Wighton is the latest Origin and Test star to reject the Dolphins in favour of a move to South Sydney, but Bennett defended his recruitment drive as he prepares to coach against the Canberra dynamo at McDonalds Park.

“We (Wighton and Bennett) spoke so that’s OK, it’s all good,” he said.

“I’m not going to go into any discussion we had. It’s over, it’s done, he is moving on, we are moving on, we are getting on with life.

“I don’t know what happened (with Canberra).

“I know what our situation was with Jack and his manager.

“It was a good conversation we had and after that we don’t know.

“We’re not doing too bad for a team with no big-name stars. Teams are more important than stars.”

Dolphins hitman Felise Kaufusi vowed to give Wighton some extra defensive attention.

“I might have to put a bit extra into him now and give him a bit more,” Kaufusi said with a wry grin.

“If I get the chance I’ll try to give him a bit extra.

“Any team and player would want to play with him because of the quality of player he is and what he brings to the team.

“In saying that, that’s how it goes. I wish him all the best.

“We have signed some awesome players for next year with Herbie Farnworth and (Tom) Flegler from the Broncos.

“We have some key signings.”

WALTERS’ SHOT AT NRL OVER TRANSFER CHAOS

– Robert Craddock

Kevin Walters has shot down the players’ defence of the current contract system and supported calls for change in the wake of the Jack Wighton affair.

Canberra utility Wighton agreed to a four-year deal with Souths this week, sparking an emotional protest from the Raiders and ugly social media backlash from Raiders fans.

Rugby league has rarely been in better shape but the Wighton affair is a poor look for both clubs and the game with Broncos coach Walters agreeing with Raiders counterpart Ricky Stuart that league needed to scrap the law which lets players sort out their futures mid-season.

“I certainly believe the NRL need to look at that,’’ Walters said.

Kevin Walters has called for changes to the NRL transfer system.

“There should be a time frame when players can negotiate for next year if they’re not already re-signed. It’s tough for the Raiders, for Ricky and Jack Wighton. Nobody wins there really.

“I would have thought in the off-season, maybe in October through to whenever. That’s when you can negotiate with another club. It just makes sense to me. I feel for Ricky and all those guys and also Jack Wighton having made the decision so early in the season.

“In the past players have said “we can’t move quickly, we need time to adjust.’ I have seen players one week in a certain jersey and the following week in another one.

“The commission needs to make some rules about when the players can negotiate because it’s not a great look for the club.’’

The AFL go down a different path to rugby league by having an intense post season trade period which enables them to steal headlines off cricket during the summer and give their game a vibrant 12 month publicity cycle.

Jack Wighton in action against the Broncos.

One of the reasons NRL powerbrokers allow players to negotiate their futures mid-season is that it dominates the back pages and keeps the publicity bush fire burning between games without harming the game in a deep seated way.

Walters also took aim at social media warriors who viciously attacked Wighton after the decision.

“I have not seen the remarks but we have seen it here with our players. It’s just not acceptable.

“And whoever they are those keyboard warriors need to be found and actually punished and fined and we need to do whatever we can to stop it. It’s ridiculous.’’

Originally published as NRL news: Wayne Bennett calls for transfer change after Jack Wighton saga