The meat market reopens... part 3

The meat narket Re open



In my very first blogs some months ago I reported the meat market that was occurring in sport. Players such as Sonny Bill, Mark O’meley and Lote Tuqiri where negotiating contracts before the season had even started and looking at other clubs. O’meley in fact by round five had turned his back on the Bulldogs and signed with rival club the Sydney Rooster for 2008. Into round 14 of the Telstra premiership and there have been over ten player movements effective immediately that have taken place in the NRL.

Currently amongst NRL coaches and media personalities there is an argument occurring over rugby league becoming more like soccer with regards to players diving and faking injuries. It seems now that league is becoming more and more like soccer in another regard. Soccer for years has had players sign and change with clubs mid season every year since 1992. In the premier league competition if a player is unhappy with his club he simply asks for a transfer and come transfer window he is off at a rival club or applying his trade in another country. The word loyalty no longer exists in world soccer the only thing that you can guarantee is that a player will change clubs at a drop of a hat. Every year an Australian paper will review the upcoming premier league soccer country in England. Each year under player comings and goings there would be a list of fifteen players leaving and seventeen coming. When looking at these clubs and transfers it becomes easy to understand you’d be hard pressed to find a player that has played his hole career at one club. A fan of the world game I can only think of three players that have been loyal to the one club such as Ryan Giggs, Pablo Maldni and Paul Scoles.

It now seems that this fate is now reserved for the NRL with so many players changing clubs mid season. Clint Newton a Newcastle hero after walking out on the club because he was disillusioned with it was suiting up for the Melbourne Storm two weeks later. Jamie Soward and Josh Lewis two player makers at the Roosters un happy at there lack of opportunity in first grade this season both in succession left the club and both had debut for another NRL club a few days later. In Sowards case he had played an integral part in the Roosters Saturday night victory and then come Friday night was stirring the Dragons to a win over the Broncos.

The argument for this….

Many have noted that these transfers may be hard to swallow to the clubs supporters but for the football fans it allows them to watch quality footballers apply their trade. Many pointing to the fact that those that love the game can now see talented players like Soward and Lewis applying their trade in the top league. They also argue why should a player show loyalty to a club who at the end of the day will not only throw them aside once they’ve played beyond their used by date but not give them loyalty later in life either. As a fan of rugby league and respect talented players this argument does make me think twice about whether or not players should show loyalty to a club. Myself who has changed clubs a number of times in pursuit of trophies, better opportunities and more enjoyment can understand why players are hard to show some loyalty to clubs. What I’m interested to know is will there ever be a one club one player ever in the future in the NRL or how do we stop this trend????