The NRL has ratcheted up pressure on player agents, demanding they sign up to a new scheme that makes them more accountable for their often-unethical practices, or be de-registered.
Rugby leagues 110 accredited agents have been given until December 14 to commit to new protocols or be blackballed by the NRLs 16 clubs and the RLPA.
The new agent-accreditation scheme will be administered by the RLPA, with the NRL exercising power over sanctions.
New rules: The NRL has told player agents they must accept the new accreditation scheme or they will be de-registered.Credit:AAP
Under the current scheme, whereby agents are effectively self-regulated, the NRL has one vote on the seven-person accreditation committee. Only one unnamed agent has been handed a show-cause notice for the salary cap breaches exposed in investigations into Parramatta and Manly that resulted in seven officials banned and $1.75million in fines imposed on the two clubs.
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A letter was sent to agents on Thursday, advising them the reformed NRL-RLPA scheme will begin on December 1 and they must be registered by December 14. Any existing agents declining the NRL invitation to join will not be accredited after December 14.
This will have two impacts: firstly, NRL clubs will be prohibited from negotiating with those unaccredited agents and, secondly, players currently signed with those agents will have the right to terminate their management contracts.
An old guard of long-term agents resisted the changes when they were mooted early this year. They now risk their players walking away. After all, since players have engaged their agents to negotiate with clubs, if clubs wont talk to them if they are unaccredited, then the player is entitled to walk.
Should this small, yet influential, group of agents follow through on a threat of legal action, the NRL is committed to defending the new scheme in the courts.
It is rare for Rugby League Central to find itself in a situation where it has the universal support of all clubs, the RLPA and the backing of the ARL Commission, yet this is the case with its action against agents.
The NRLs inability to discipline a body whose collective income is equal to the salary cap of just one club undermines the credibility of the sport. The powerful agents are often accused of having more influence over the running of a club than its board, chief executive and coach.
Ironically, the NRLs resolve to force through the new scheme strengthened when it recently made concessions to the agents whom it had consulted at forums in Sydney and Brisbane.
The NRL undertook to respect, or grandfather, existing player-management contracts, that is those entered into before December 1. However, some agents seized the opportunity to lock their players into longer deals while they still had time.
A management agreement between a young player and an agent with a term of 11 years was signed recently. This is effectively a life-time contract and guaranteed the players agent 6 per cent of his earnings for the duration of his career in rugby league.
As one official said: “This is an embarrassment to the agent industry and behaviour that has hardened the games commitment to a new scheme.”
This is an embarrassment to the agent industry and behaviour that has hardened the games commitment to a new scheme.
AN NRL official
Almost 5000 players have an agent, despite the code having only 500 professional players. That means there are many aspiring young players who have an agent but have no need for one.
There are 1500 players who have long-term management agreements with agents, yet cannot extricate themselves from these contracts. Many of these players are under the age of 18, yet they have appointed someone for terms of five years or more, with no termination rights and conceding sole and exclusive powers to the agent to represent the player.
The new scheme will mandate that contracts between agents and players must be capable of termination, without cause, after two years.
The NRL has also undertaken not to take action against agents for any breaches of rules under the old scheme, meaning those exposed during the investigations at the Eels and Sea Eagles will remain unpunished.
In a letter to agents, the NRL said: “The NRL will provide written confirmation to applicable agents confirming that the NRL will not reopen disciplinary matters investigated and determined under the previous scheme. Those agents impacted will be contacted by the NRL on an individual basis.
Roy Masters is a Sports Columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald.
The NRL has ratcheted up pressure on player agents, demanding they sign up to a new scheme that makes them more accountable for their often-unethical practices, or be de-registered.
Rugby leagues 110 accredited agents have been given until December 14 to commit to new protocols or be blackballed by the NRLs 16 clubs and the RLPA.
The new agent-accreditation scheme will be administered by the RLPA, with the NRL exercising power over sanctions.
New rules: The NRL has told player agents they must accept the new accreditation scheme or they will be de-registered.Credit:AAP
Under the current scheme, whereby agents are effectively self-regulated, the NRL has one vote on the seven-person accreditation committee. Only one unnamed agent has been handed a show-cause notice for the salary cap breaches exposed in investigations into Parramatta and Manly that resulted in seven officials banned and $1.75million in fines imposed on the two clubs.
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A letter was sent to agents on Thursday, advising them the reformed NRL-RLPA scheme will begin on December 1 and they must be registered by December 14. Any existing agents declining the NRL invitation to join will not be accredited after December 14.
This will have two impacts: firstly, NRL clubs will be prohibited from negotiating with those unaccredited agents and, secondly, players currently signed with those agents will have the right to terminate their management contracts.
An old guard of long-term agents resisted the changes when they were mooted early this year. They now risk their players walking away. After all, since players have engaged their agents to negotiate with clubs, if clubs wont talk to them if they are unaccredited, then the player is entitled to walk.
Should this small, yet influential, group of agents follow through on a threat of legal action, the NRL is committed to defending the new scheme in the courts.
It is rare for Rugby League Central to find itself in a situation where it has the universal support of all clubs, the RLPA and the backing of the ARL Commission, yet this is the case with its action against agents.
The NRLs inability to discipline a body whose collective income is equal to the salary cap of just one club undermines the credibility of the sport. The powerful agents are often accused of having more influence over the running of a club than its board, chief executive and coach.
Ironically, the NRLs resolve to force through the new scheme strengthened when it recently made concessions to the agents whom it had consulted at forums in Sydney and Brisbane.
The NRL undertook to respect, or grandfather, existing player-management contracts, that is those entered into before December 1. However, some agents seized the opportunity to lock their players into longer deals while they still had time.
A management agreement between a young player and an agent with a term of 11 years was signed recently. This is effectively a life-time contract and guaranteed the players agent 6 per cent of his earnings for the duration of his career in rugby league.
As one official said: “This is an embarrassment to the agent industry and behaviour that has hardened the games commitment to a new scheme.”
This is an embarrassment to the agent industry and behaviour that has hardened the games commitment to a new scheme.
AN NRL official
Almost 5000 players have an agent, despite the code having only 500 professional players. That means there are many aspiring young players who have an agent but have no need for one.
There are 1500 players who have long-term management agreements with agents, yet cannot extricate themselves from these contracts. Many of these players are under the age of 18, yet they have appointed someone for terms of five years or more, with no termination rights and conceding sole and exclusive powers to the agent to represent the player.
The new scheme will mandate that contracts between agents and players must be capable of termination, without cause, after two years.
The NRL has also undertaken not to take action against agents for any breaches of rules under the old scheme, meaning those exposed during the investigations at the Eels and Sea Eagles will remain unpunished.
In a letter to agents, the NRL said: “The NRL will provide written confirmation to applicable agents confirming that the NRL will not reopen disciplinary matters investigated and determined under the previous scheme. Those agents impacted will be contacted by the NRL on an individual basis.
Roy Masters is a Sports Columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald.
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