Why can't a very very good super rugby player make enough money here without having to look at options overseas? Plenty of League players who aren't in the National team make a great earn here.
Why can't a very very good super rugby player make enough money here without having to look at options overseas? Plenty of League players who aren't in the National team make a great earn here.
Any good rugby player who is willing to take the long view can use his playing career in Australia as a springboard for the rest of his life, plenty of time to study, plenty of successful people around who are involved in the game and would be prepared to give good advice, and maybe business opportunities.
This is the aspect of our game, compared to league, that we just do not enough to promote. Just think about this: the average NRL player gets about 60 first grade games total in his playing career. Some do a lot better, of course, that is the nature of averages, many do worse. But 60 first grade games does not give you enough of a nest egg, certainly not a "great earn" in whole of life terms. We do not read many stories about former NRL players making a splash outside league, do we.
I few weeks ago there was a story in the SMH about half a dozen NRL players who are enrolled in tertiary courses. I am certain that there would be far, far, more rugby players taking the opportunity to study and prepare themselves for life after the game. Phil Waugh, to quote one good example, graduated with two Masters degrees last year. How many NRL players have, or have ever had, one Masters degree, let alone two?
What if they've just decided to take a pay cut for one year to have one last crack to get themselves back into the Wallabies contracted player list?
I don't understand. There manager said that Aus rugby couldn't afford to keep them. Either QLD are paying under the table or someone in the Fainga'a camp is lying. Makes me lose a fair chunk of respect for them.
If they were Tahs players, WJ would be calling them heroes right now for staying in Australia and accepting a smaller paycheque.
Just because they aren't on the contract list doesn't mean they can't get selected.
When was the last time a player manager constituted a reliable source of information?
I'd imagine there were a few things other than money involved. When people consider job offers, money is one of the influences, but there are many other intangibles, such as wanting to stay close to family, quality of living, etc which are equally important.