NRL won’t allow R360 loophole for early departees
Scott Bailey and Joel Gould |
The NRL intend to enforce a 10-year ban on any player who leaves for R360 via another competition, confident there is no loophole to be found by exiting early.
Zac Lomax’s Parramatta departure remained the talking point of the league on Monday, after he was granted an immediate release from the Eels on Sunday night.
The NSW State of Origin winger is yet to confirm his future, but is heavily linked to breakaway rugby competition R360 ahead of its planned kick off next October.
His exit comes after Ryan Papenhuyzen was granted an early release by the Storm last month, as he too weighs up his future in professional sport.
There remains a prevailing thought the pair could wind up with lucrative Japanese rugby contracts, before eventually joining the breakaway competition.
Unlike most leading rugby bodies, the Japan Rugby Football Union has not publicly opposed R360 or threatened to blacklist any players that do join.
A move to Japan for any R360-bound players would offer them a wealthy deal for next season, which would finish before the breakaway competition starts.
The NRL also threatened to ban any player from returning to the NRL for 10 years last month, if they join an unsanctioned competition.
There has also been a suggestion from some quarters that a player may circumvent that if they joined via another competition, and therefore did not go directly from rugby league.
NRL officials would not be quoted on Monday, but well-placed sources have told AAP there is no loophole, and any player who eventually joins R360 would still face a ban.
Questions still remain over the NRL’s threat to ban any player who leaves from returning for 10 years, with a general consensus at player agent meetings last week that it may not be enforceable.
But the NRL remain adamant their rules will stand up if challenged in court as a legal restraint of trade, given the edicts have been brought in to protect the game’s interests.
A similar verdict was reached by the Federal Court when Jack de Belin challenged the league’s no-fault stand-down policy in 2021.
Lomax’s exit comes with superstar Brisbane prop Payne Haas still the biggest name linked to R360, with suggestions of a potential $3 million offer.
While the Broncos remain unsure if Haas will take up a lucrative contract to join the rebel league, Brisbane officials fully expect him to be at the club for next season.
Lomax and Papenhuyzen’s departures have left Parramatta and Melbourne agreeing to release the star backs, who are both managed by Clinton Schifcofske.
In Papenhuyzen’s case, his release has allowed the Storm to clear up salary-cap space amid questions over whether the fullback wanted to continue playing sport at all.
With Lomax, the Eels have also cleared $700,000 from their cap for each of the next three seasons.
The 26-year-old had kept Parramatta informed of a potential desire to leave the NRL, with the club never likely to stand in his way after one season at the Eels.
In comparison, it is hard to see any situation where Brisbane could benefit from agreeing to release Haas early as they attempt to defend their premiership.
Former Dally M medallist Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has also confirmed an interest in joining R360, with his Warriors contract up at the end of next year.
AAP
