Why the NRL needs a transfer window

Manly halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran futures are up in the air

The recent announcements made on the futures of Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran are clear and typical examples of why the National Rugby League needs a designated transfer window for player trades and dealings.

Cherry-Evans told his teammates of tying the knot with the Gold Coast Titans virtually straight after his side’s emphatic defeat to the Parramatta Eels on Friday night.

Foran’s news of joining the Parramatta Eels on the other hand was leaked out to the media on Wednesday night.

I can only feel for Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey, who was in the middle of making an appearance on Fox Sport’s program NRL 360 when he heard the news of his second superstar departing his club.

I still don’t understand why we see in the modern day players being able to freely sign with other clubs during the regular season. 

I couldn’t think of a bigger interruption, let alone frustration, into match preparations and the overall team chemistry from a coach and fans point of view.

The league should not allow this. Why not adapt a similar system to that of the Australian Football League [AFL] and National Football League [NFL] in America that seems to be a far more reasonable scheme. 

In other words, wait until the end of the season to do your business. It’s pretty simple, surely.

As an avid fan of the English Premier League football competition in England, I find the structure and format of the top European competitions transfer windows in summer to be a great template that could be used for the NRL.

Let players have the right to renew their contracts with their current clubs at any time of the year. 

But once the season starts a line needs to be drawn.

I understand where the players are coming from as in they would prefer to know, rather than risk, if they have a job next year in their profession. 

Because let’s face it, I would too.

 

But how hard can it be for our NRL players to get their playing futures sorted by their agents or managers in the space of one year – surely that’s what they are paid to do?

If a suitable NRL trade system is not to be introduced soon rather than later then fans, coaches, and more importantly players are continually going to be losing.

Words such as disappointment, devastation, anger, and shock are emotions that will be felt by all involved with their club when they repeatedly learn year after year that their superstar is off elsewhere when you’ve just completed the first competitive game of the season.

What could be worse? Scared players will talk with rival codes and void their contract at any time.

There needs to be a legally binding code-crossing contract. 

But due to the pride of the NRL of course, they will never agree to that.

Players want to know where and if they can still get work at the same or a different club in the future. 

It is granted the start of the season isn’t exactly the best time for players to announce their own decisions.

But let’s be realistic here. 

If someone offered you better money to do the same job, you would take it as soon as possible no matter how long you had left on your outstanding contract. 

That is sadly what the NRL is still allowing players to do.