Rooney's windfall could trigger player exodus

[Kimlo]

RUGBY LEAGUE'S biggest player agents have described super-rich European rugby union as a monster that will swallow up the NRL's best talent.

Wayne Beavis, Allan Gainey and Steve Gillis, who represent many of the game's greatest players, say Penrith winger Luke Rooney's stunning deal with French union club Toulon - $1.2 million over two years for a non-Origin player - is the start of something big.

Rooney's deal follows the move north by another Penrith player - halfback Craig Gower - to French club Bayonne last year. Gower, who has played mostly in the centres in France, has agreed to a new three-year deal worth $2.4 million with Bayonne.

Initially, Gower's decision was viewed as a one-off move rather than the start of a trend, particularly since he was anxious to escape media scrutiny following a series of off-field dramas. But Beavis, Gainey and Gillis agree if St George Illawarra's Test centre Mark Gasnier signs on to play union in France, it will open the floodgates for European rugby clubs bidding for the best back-line players in the NRL.

wow, he'd be lucky to get offered 250k here IF THAT, That's just crazy, I'm afraid we're going to lose all our half decent players then the NRL will become a 2nd tier competition :(

 

[Bannermania]

WOAH. Holy fark.

Always liked Luke Rooney, but god damn, he must be really wanted.

I always fancied him as a better Union player, he's built more like a Union winger.

 

[Foordy]

the problem as i see it is by raising the salary cap to match the bigger overseas offers, then we could go back to the super league days when only 1 or 2 clubs could compete, because the others just don't have the cash to match the offers from the richer clubs (like the Broncos)

 

[mick]

The start of something big? Nup, even the cashed up Yawnion clubs couldn't afford it.

Shelling out that much for Rooney means that they're going to have to part with around $20 million per year for a decent first grader, let alone an origin rep.

 

[Flutterby]

I think the floodgates will close when they realise they have paid too much for a solid but relatively average player.

 

[Guest]

I got a mate thats living and working in France, he told me about 3 month ago that French Rugby had a cap of around $20 million.
They were going to raid Rugby League & Union in Australia big time.
This is something big and the Nrl will be a second string comp, the only way for the NRL to Succeed is to go National or get a billionare who will support the game by injecting a shit load of money.

 

[Coxy]

What Flutterby said. They'll have a love affair with Australian sports people for a couple of seasons at most and then realise spending millions on them is a poor investment.

 

[gUt]

What Flutterby said may be true when talking about someone like Rooney, but the frogs aint stupid. Sooner or later offers will be made to the likes of Slater, Hayne, Thurston, Smith, Hunt, Inglis. This process will be encouraged by managers looking for their cut. I believe this issue is a live grenade.

 

[robbie mustoe]

Increase the cap. Those that can't handle it die and new clubs are formed.

 

[Hamm.0]

Yawn.

French RU is massive
Their second biggest sport in France, the biggest in the south in fact. $$$ to burn

That said, the true greats, they chose early on what they want from their careers. Think I'm full of shit and that $$ makes the world go around?

Go to a remote part of Australia, even just a country town in Victoria/ SA/ WA or NT. Ask people who Darren Lockyer is. Then ask who Berrick Barnes is or ANYONE from the Wallabies Pack.

They may get some, but they won't get the greats.

 

[Hamm.0]

We could increase the cap, my problem is, where does the revenue come from? Places like France get 60000+ to their games. AND they have an in-depth TV license with their pay-tv. We are a counrty of 20 million, always has been and always will be the reason Australian sport can never be on even ground when challenged by the big budgets.

 

[gUt]

So you reckon that $250000k per season playing in front of, let's say, 15k fans per week so that Cletus in Dingo knows your name

-vs-

$600000 per season playing in front of (apparently) 70k fans, living in Europe young, fit and cashed up

I don't think you're full of shit but I do think that player managers have huge influence on their young charges (that's their job I guess). If a manager is in someone's ear, someone young and awesome like Peter Wallace, saying "cool, you can play in Brisbane for decent money or you can play in France for obscene money", I think I know what the player is likely to do.

These guys have 10 years if they're lucky to do their thing.

 

[Hamm.0]

So you reckon that $250000k per season playing in front of, let's say, 15k fans per week so that Cletus knows your name

-vs-

$600000 per season playing in front of (apparently) 70k fans, living in Europe young, fit and cashed up.

I don't think you're full of shit but I do think that player managers have huge influence on their young charges (that's their job I guess).

Correct. If the player is a mediocre player....like Gower and Ronney are. (Let's face facts, neither were ever going to play rep football again...EVER) The option is viable.

HOWEVER, if you are Peter Wallace, one Origin series (well, half a series) and in a successful team, all the ground work being laid to become something special, then the option isn't viable at all.

You think Lockyer, Johns, C. Smith, SBW all make just their $300k(+) a year? The sponsership factor is huge mate. In France, how many people would know Gower's name, considering he hasn't even been able to hold down the First XV spot for his club?? His income, whilst still excellent and beyond all dreams, is exactly how his current club dictates it.

I understand what you are saying and I agree to some extant that the salary cap does need to be increased (not overnight, however that's another whole arguement), but the players with the great potential will stay. You reckon Lote is happy in Yawnion? I mean, from everything you hear he doesn't seem content.

As a young footballer, playing rep is non-existent if you go to Europe. That right there is enough to stop the potential elites.

Either way, time will tell, just like the mass-hysteria about Union taking all our players, which fizzled as quick as it cam, if 10-20 respected players swoon to France, i'll stad corrected, until then, I stand by what I have rambled^ [icon_wink

 

[Hamm.0]

These guys have 10 years if they're lucky to do their thing.

P.S. In 10-12 years, do you want origin and Australian jerseys on your wall, or some obsure french team that no one outside of France knows of?? Yes, you may have a bigger wall, but money doesn't but everything.....thank god.

 

[gUt]

Third party sponsorship does need to be fixed up for sure.

I personally don't believe that playing for rep sides "means" as much to some players as they make out. I'd like to believe that it does but I just don't think that these sentiments add up to much when someone is waving a 150% wage increase under a player's nose.

I hope you're right Hammo!

 

[Hamm.0]

Hammo is alway right......................................................................

 

[Jeza23]

Good luck to Rooney, he wouldnt have got that type of money anywhere in Australia because he hasnt been the same player since he played origin in 04.

It could mean we have an exodus but it means the players have to give up rep opportunities (like has been stated already) which then means that they wont be as well known and the sponsorship dollars wont be as great.

Either way I think the issue needs to be addressed. Not that Rooney is that great but we cant have our depth going over there otherwise we wont have much of a competition left!

 

[Hamm.0]

Sorry, one more thing;

Never, in all my time watching RL can I remember so many debutants who can just slot in, no worries. The depth in RL is unmatched in any other sport in Australia, except perhaps AFL.