JB Down Under wrote:Ha ha I can just imagine the whinging when the RFL announce they are taking Leeds and St's best players for a three week tour of Australasia mid season! This is what the Union clubs have to put up with here. Central contracts sound nice until the players are not available for clubs and clubs don't make the playoffs or a final because their star was on Int duty.
Only call would be if we were losing our best players to Union to help keep them in RL but we aren't so no need. A bit of pocket money and a test cap should be enough for the honour of representing your country. We've seen through Snr how much it means to some!
i'm not sure mid-season would be a particularly good time to organize a tour any way, regardless of any clubs moaning, but maybe a couple of weeks at the start of the year, and three or four international weeks spread throughout the season, maybe limiting the elite players to say 25 club games a year in return for 20% of I wages being paid by the rfl, with this being off-cap this would then allow you to bring in a player or two to cover for the games they miss wouldn't impact
too much on the club game,
And union isn't the be all and end all of rl, our elite players should be rewarded for being elite, they are the best and a little bit more money to help them when their bodies are knackered, ruined and they are 34 and need to get a real job for the first time in their lives isn't too much to ask, they earn every single penny we could possibly pay them,
And our elite clubs should be rewarded for investing time and money and effort and skills in helping these players get where they are, though as this only effectstop British players, and you are a hull or fan, I can see why youre not too keen
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