NRL icon Gordon Tallis has called on the NRL to draw a line in the sand and eliminate all contract clauses to make players honour their deals.
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It comes after Dylan Brown was this week able to sign with the Knights from next season despite being contracted to the Eels until 2031.
Brown had options in his favour and triggered an out clause to sign a historic 10-year deal with Newcastle worth $13 million.
On the same day Alex McKinnon called for change after describing the Brown situation as a worst-case scenario for head office, the NRL 360 panel tore his Eels contract to shreds.
“That contract is the worst contract in the history of the game, putting those clauses in it. It wasn’t a nine-year deal, it was essentially a two-year deal,” James Hooper said.
“Too many players with too many clauses and they know that they had too many players like that,” Michael Carayannis responded.
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Tallis then put forward his proposal.
“So clubs have handcuffs on them because they need to sign the player… is there any chance the NRL steps in and says ‘we’re not going to register any clauses, we have to give something back to the fans’,” he said.
“Peter V’Landys sat here and said he’s heard from the players and now he wants to listen to the fans.
“Do you think the fans like the fact it’s Round 1 and we’re sitting around talking about players moving clubs.”
Hooper responded: “I’d love to see it happen, if the NRL did decide you know what from now on there are no more exit options, a deal is a deal. You sign from 2025 until 2028 and (you honour it).”
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