NRL 2021 contract frenzy: trade circus ahead of 2021 season to have roster implications

It’s a move that would trigger serious roster ramifications – and prevent Tyson Frizell and Jai Arrow joining their new clubs until January. But the NRL is set to rubber stamp an unprecedented contract frenzy.

WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 15: Tyson Frizell of the Dragons reacts after a missed try opportunity during the round 1 NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Wests Tigers at WIN Stadium on March 15, 2020 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)

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Tyson Frizell will be unable to leave St George-Illawarra until January next year – under an NRL proposal that will descend the entire player market into contract chaos.

In a major decision that would trigger serious roster ramifications for every club and 180 off-contract players, the NRL has proposed in readiness for a protracted 2020 season, that all player contracts be extended until December 31 this year.

The NRL's written proposal to every club on Wednesday spoke to the current November 1 deadline – which signals the start of the transfer market for players coming off-contract.

The proposal also declares the NRL’s mission to ensure player agents don’t use their influence on players to break existing contracts with clubs due to a salary cap which is set to be greatly diminished.

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Tyson Frizell won’t be able to join new club Newcastle until January under the proposed changes. Picture: AAP

With the NRL aiming to resume the competition on July 1 – and as late as September – the code has little choice but to extend the contracts of players off-contract beyond November 1, given the season may not conclude until Christmas week.

But by extending every player's contract until the last day of the year, the NRL are unofficially permitting a contract frenzy just weeks out from the start of the 2021 season.

"It will be a circus – absolute chaos,'' one NRL club CEO told The Daily Telegraph.

"If the season runs until December, as suggested, we will have players linking with their new club in January – which once they are given time-off to recover from whatever football we play this year, will be less than two months before we start again.

"I foresee mass movement of players as every club works under to adjust their roster and operate within the restraints of a tightened salary cap and in a time frame of high-pressure due to the short amount of time between December 31 and March for the 2021 season.''

Jai Arrow will remain with the Gold Coast Titans until the end of December, it seems. Picture: Getty

Frizell and Gold Coast forward Jai Arrow are two of the biggest name players to have already committed to rival clubs for 2021.

The new December 31 end-date of their current contract means that their purchasing clubs, Newcastle and South Sydney respectively, wouldn't be able to see the star duo until New Year’s Day, at the earliest.

For the rest of the 180 off-contract players, the New Year's Eve contract expiry will leave them precious time to determine their futures for the following 2021 season and beyond.

Depending on their negotiations with targeted players, teams and coaches may not be able to finalise their roster until just days out from the new season.

Alternatively, the new date would only raise the prospect of agents negotiating deals behind closed doors for their players with rival clubs – only announcing the deal on January 1.

The likelihood of increased influence of agents on clubs and players to secretly seal deals prior to the December 31 has also been red-flagged by the NRL.

In the letter forwarded to every club, the NRL states their desire to ensure clubs "resist" helping agents using the extended contract period and likelihood of a decreased salary cap as an opportunity to leverage players out of existing contracts.

Originally published as NRL 2021 contract frenzy: trade circus ahead of 2021 season to have roster implications