Geoff Carr says Karmichael Hunt will get no retirement fund

[Kaz]

Jeba

This retirement fund only started in 2006.

 

[OXY-351]

When you consider $60K in the grand scheme of things for someone who has just signed a 3 million dollar contract over 3 years, you think they'd just bow out of the game gracefully wouldn't you.

 

[mick]

But if K put the money into the retirement fund, superannuation esq, as in he earned the money, then put it away, as he earned it, he should be entitled to it, and I believe this should extend to the other code jumpers too. However, if people understand the mechanics of the "retirement fund" more, I'd love to hear it

From what I remember, half of all match payments (or something like that) for representative matches is put away automatically by the NRL, and you get it when you retire. If you leave the NRL to go to a competing sport, you forfeit the money.

Spot on, and that's something which is signed and binding. K has no case to answer, unless they can somehow argue that the AFL isn't a competing sport. Let's see, same time of the year, played in the same city, both codes fight for the best TV deals, advertising, sponsorships etc... hmm.

The biggest question mark I have over this whole story, and whether it indeed is a genuine issue, is why someone who allegedly signed a mssive money deal would be fighting over small change? Anyway, will be very interesting to see how it plays out and how, or if, it is resolved by the ARL. Could set a precedent.

 

[Kaz]

If they are wanting the money, he wouldn't be able to get it until he retires.

 

[Flutterby]

Yep the reason for it's creation was as part of a way to try and stop our top-line players jumping codes. Personally I don't think it really works because usually when they jump codes it is for significantly more money than is currently in their loyalty fund - but those are the rules. He signed a contract to that effect.

What I want to know is in regards to guys who jumped ship and have now come back to the NRL. Will they be entitled to get their loyalty money from before they left the code or only any loyalty money they might accumulate playing rep footy since they came back?

 

[Coxy]

I think that's the question. It'd be interesting if they asked Geoff Carr about that.

However, the only player in that boat right now would be Timana Tahu. I think he's the only one who's played Origin post 2006, gone to Union and then come back?

 

[Nashy]

What about players who go to ESL?

 

[Coxy]

Seriously, the ATO couldn't have come up with a more ambiguous system than this :P

 

[Flutterby]

I'm sure these things are addressed in the details (then again with ARL, maybe not) - but I would definitely be interested to know. Because if they can jump ship and then come back and still get it, then it defeats the purpose of it trying to stop players leaving.

 

[Anonymous person]

I have no doubt the second they jump code that money is gone from the fund, put in the regular old NRL bank accounts to be spent somewhere else. Doesn't matter if you come back, you still left.

 

[Coxy]

ARL, not NRL. But yes, I would hope you're right.

 

[mal]

Lol at ARL & NRL as an organisation.

 

[Coxy]

+1 on your Lol mal.

If there's one thing Rugby League in this country needs it's to get ONE governing body. They should be ultimately responsible for the game from the grassroots to the elite.

There should be sub-boards that control the NRL competition, Representative competition, and the various states, to make sure there are people keeping an eye on things, but the purse strings and decision making should be ONE board.

It's ludicrous now that the NRL season has to take into account Origin and Test football, which is managed by the ARL. Too much double up. Too much bureaucracy.

/rant

 

[Kaz]

What about players who go to ESL?

They are still playing Rugby League, so they would still be entitled to it when they retire.

 

[Professor47]

What if it was someone like Darren Lockyer for example? He has served this code greatly for the best part of 13 years and played 30 games for Queensland and 47 for Australia, which means his retirement fund would be worth a lot more than $60,000 I would assume. If he decided to have a go at Rugby Union to finish off his career, would he be denied this payment? To me it would seem unfair if that was the case.

Obviously someone like Karmichael doesn't deserve to have the rules bent after playing only a handful of Origins and Tests, but if it's someone like Lockyer, would they get the same treatment?

100% agree with this which concludes the system is a load of garbage. Agree with Mal as well.

Honestly, is it such a mystery our code is falling apart? It's so funny how they try to smokescreen it as well. [icon_lol1. [icon_lol1. [icon_lol1.

* If its part of a requirement I call fair enough but it would be ridicilous for a player like Lockyer, but once you make exemptions you start opening a can of worms. Once again - piss poor administration/management issues.

 

[Coxy]

Frankly I think they'd just have to say "rules is rules Locky, sorry mate".

The good thing is, guys like Locky, Price, Petero etc would see that the money being used to put back into grassroots footy would be worth it. In fact, it wouldn't surprise if they just told the ARL to keep their share of the cash anyway.

I hope they do actually, and make it public...at which time it'll make K look like an even bigger douche than he already does.

 

[Professor47]

^
Agreed, agreed.

Regardless, it is still a grey area. Imagine someone who had half of locky's career. That would really be a grey area...

as you said - rules are rules.

I just hate it when things are shite due to little technicalities and people refuse to change it! - i.e corner posts!

/rant.

 

[broncosil]

Hunt doesn't deserve a cent and I agree that if you leave the code you forfeit the cash. It shouldn't be made so easy to leave RL and they definitely should not be rewarded for it.

Ricky Stuart had an interesting article over the weekend, where he says any players who want to come back (and they always do) should be banned for two years. Like Sailor, Rogers, Tahu etc.