NRL to implement 10-year bans on players and agents joining R360 rebel competition

Players and their agents face dire consequences if they defect to rugby union’s rebel competition R360 in the wake of the NRL’s ruthless move to stave off the poaching threat. See the punishment detail.

The NRL could hand out 10-year bans – effectively a life sentence – to any player who has signed a R360 contract or any agent who has led a player to the rebel rugby union competition.

The ARL Commission formalised its stance on the breakaway competition at a meeting on Wednesday morning, leaving players facing a choice between their rugby league careers and the outlandish money available with R360.

It is understood the hard-line stance could even see players or agents dealt with retrospectively, amid speculation up to 10 NRL players have already agreed to join R360.

Proving who has signed might be problematic for the NRL, given how tight-lipped R360 organisers have been.

However, the NRL has fired a clear shot at players and agents.

Those who elect to take the cash will be signalling the death knell for their careers in the NRL. The move to put sanctions in place in relation to R360, or any other non-recognised sporting competition, leaves a number of NRL players facing career-defining decisions that have the potential to end their time in rugby league.

“The Commission has a clear duty to act in the best interests of rugby league and its fans—and we will take all necessary steps to protect the future of the game,” ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys said.

“Unfortunately, there will always be organisations that seek to pirate our game for potential financial gain.

“They don’t invest in pathways or the development of players —they simply exploit the hard work of others, putting players at risk of financial loss while profiting themselves. They are, in reality, counterfeiting a code.

“Accordingly, if it all goes wrong it’s the players who suffer most. Every stakeholder must be accountable to the standards our fans expect. We’ve listened to our clubs, and we’ve acted decisively.”

The likes of Payne Haas, Zac Lomax, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jye Gray are all believed to be weighing up significant offers from R360.

The NRL is ready to hand out 10-year bans to R360 defectors.

Player agents are also in the crosshairs with any manager who negotiates a deal with R360 facing a decade-long ban.

The decision is not expected to deter Warriors veteran Roger Tuiavasa-Sheck who at 32 will enter the final year of his NRL contract next year. The dual international has already indicated his intention to sign with R360 and if the competition implodes he may remain in rugby union anyway if he wants to prolong his sporting career.

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The NRL’s move resembles the stance the ARL took during the Super League war, where any player who signed with the rebel competition for the 1997 season was banned from playing representative football in 1995.

“This policy reflects the united stance of the Commission and NRL clubs. We will not allow unrecognised competitions to undermine the integrity, professionalism, and future of rugby league,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.

The players union said they were concerned about the legality of the proposed sanctions.

“No-one wants to see players leaving the NRL or NRLW but the RLPA is uncertain about the legal basis or enforceability of the proposed bans,” RLPA chief executive Clint Newton said.

“We’re concerned this is destined to be tested and decided in a Sydney courtroom.”

Major rugby union organisations around the world, including World Rugby, have refused to sanction R360.

R360 officials have vowed to push on regardless, but they were already facing an exodus of rugby union players, whose priority was to play at the 2027 World Cup in Australia and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics – a move to R360 would have ended those dreams.

They now face the prospect of missing out on a handful of rugby league players who were considering a switch of codes. Faced with the prospect of being frozen out of the NRL, there is every chance the players will now elect to stick solid and remain in rugby league.

In doing so, they will be turning their back on life-changing money. There had been talk that Haas would be offered up to $5 million a season to join R360, with the potential for that money to be tax-free if he relocated to Dubai.

He may still elect to go, although it will mean his rugby league career is all but over. The same applies to the likes of Lomax and Papenhuyzen.

It is understood the NRL took legal advice on potential sanctions after a meeting with key club figures last week where they were urged to take strong action against anyone weighing up defection to R360.

Originally published as NRL to implement 10-year bans on players and agents joining R360 rebel competition