The Problem with League Today...

[Flutterby]

... players have far too much influence.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl ... 5894792213

Stuart's downfall lights up one of the great truths of the NRL - that a coach is only a coach so long as he has the support of key players.

For this is equally certain - in any battle between coach and players, management will side with players.

It's the cheaper option.

On Monday night the Cowboys had a short dig against Wests Tigers, which was a nice surprise because Henry hasn't been able to get his players to dig for him all season.

No group of players is in more need of a good honest talking-to than these blokes.

But who is Henry to tell them? He's just the coach.

If he upsets the wrong person, then management gets wind of it and suddenly it's his job that's in the firing line.

Players have never wielded more power in the game, and the game has never had a more sorry state of players.

The Cowboys complain Henry is too "stats minded".

Maybe he could complain they aren't enough. Try this stat for size - wins 4, losses 13, position 15th.

The worst defence in the league.

Here's a stat on Henry - missed tackles 0.

Every Toyota Cup payment should be capped. The same for every player, with bonuses built in for first grade games to account for the very talented.

They will get their pay day if they graduate, and a couple of years earning a tight dollar might teach them the discipline and sacrifice that we are forced to suffer here in the real world.

A place where, sometimes, you have to suck it up and take responsibility for your performance. Instead of blaming the coach.

Some very interesting discussion points. I tend to agree that some players do weild far too much power and influence in the modern game. And that basically coaches (or club administrators) are on a hiding to nothing if they try to keep players in line.

I also like the sound of capping payments for U20 players and making them earn their big pay-checks.

 

[Je$ter]

They don't get big pay checks. There is a cap in 20's.

They get free uni (which imo is awesome - 3 year degree, 3 years out of school for 20's it is a no brainer) or set up with a job/traineeship/apprenticeship.

 

[Flutterby]

I think it's more in reference to the U20 aged players that play NRL - a lot (not all, but alot) of them have pretty big pay checks - especially in relation to other guys their age.

 

[Je$ter]

I think it's more in reference to the U20 aged players that play NRL - a lot (not all, but alot) of them have pretty big pay checks - especially in relation to other guys their age.

True. It's about $5000 match fee (i'm led to believe), you play half a dozen matches that's more than most apprentices earn in a year.

Plus you have guys like Hoppa jr. and other guys supposedly on 6 figure deals.

 

[Flutterby]

And most other guys at uni/TAFE are only working minimum wage jobs like pizza delivery or bar wench AND have to pay for their own education out of that minimum pay, so even most of the 'regular' U20s who don't play any NRL get a decent pay check compared to others their age.