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Aussie Player Exodus

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
False equivalence?
How is it a false equivalence? as an employer I think is a great idea

But it is legal collusion, if we are happy with some professionals having their wages limited by agreement between the employers, why not other industries?
 

Derpus

George Gregan (70)
How is it a false equivalence? as an employer I think is a great idea

But it is legal collusion, if we are happy with some professionals having their wages limited by agreement between the employers, why not other industries?
Because having no cap has a deleterious effect on the industry. Sport requires a relatively even distribution of resources to remain interesting/competitive.

This is not the case for the provision of legal services.

You can also physically batter people in sport with no risk of legal sanction. As much as you may like to, you can't tackle the opposing barrister in court.
 
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Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
How is it a false equivalence? as an employer I think is a great idea

But it is legal collusion, if we are happy with some professionals having their wages limited by agreement between the employers, why not other industries?

It's just another rule in a sporting competition.

We already treat sport significantly differently to other occupations in terms of employment laws.

Why only let my team have 15 players on the field at a time when we have 30 that want to play at once?
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
They had no choice but to do this. If they'd folded in the other direction it would have been worse.
We don't know that.

It's the same outcome but at least they've put their foot down and said they won't be extorted.
If it's the same outcome, maybe they've extorted themselves then. By extorted, I mean screwed - or are you saying there was some criminal action here in the threat to leave?
 

Braveheart81

Will Genia (78)
Staff member
We don't know that.


If it's the same outcome, maybe they've extorted themselves then. By extorted, I mean screwed - or are you saying there was some criminal action here in the threat to leave?

I don't think either of the other two options are viable in this situation which would have been to reinstate Austin because LA threatened to withdraw.

Or do nothing and have the gun point to their head knowing that they could get to their final series and LA could withdraw at the last minute causing even more chaos.

At least they've drawn a line in the sand and the competition has made a stand that one owner can't dictate terms to the rest of the competition.
 

kiap

Steve Williams (59)
I don't think either of the other two options are viable in this situation which would have been to reinstate Austin because LA threatened to withdraw.
MLR conveniently waited until Austin had played in the 18th and last round of the regular season before booting the team into touch.

In fact, they announced it on the same day of that game. When I say "announced", they didn't state a specific reason, just the banning.
  • Were they not confident enough in basis for the DQ?
  • It looks like an ambush timed to limit an appeal.

I wonder whether their auditors just "suddenly" found some "boot money" (or a smoking gun) in the sheds after full time ... Because, otherwise, they were sitting on this snap disqualification for some time, happy for the team to continue to play while filling the broadcast schedule.

These (unspecified) "cheats" were allowed to play while the league "knew" they were cheating so long as it was convenient.

Or do nothing and have the gun point to their head knowing that they could get to their final series and LA could withdraw at the last minute causing even more chaos.

At least they've drawn a line in the sand and the competition has made a stand that one owner can't dictate terms to the rest of the competition.
Hmm. A side-step to my "extorted" query. Who is extorting who?

LA threatening to leave is unconscionable extortion. Kicking LA out is fair and due process?
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
I still have issues with the principal of employers colluding to limit employee wages, sorry "salary caps"

Can you imagine the uproar is say the major accounting or law firms decided to collude to to limit employee wages - but it is fine for sportsmen to be limited "for the good of the industry"
um… have you never worked in government?

A salary cap is no different to working within a budget; which companies, departments and governments do every day.
 
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fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
um… have you never worked in government?

A salary cap is no different to working within a budget; which companies, departments and governments do every day.

Yep, worked in a semi-government thing for a while, truly horrible experience.

A company budget for staffing isn't agreed across industry, it is the company's budget and if they find someone of great value - they find a way, it is only a budget

I don't disagree with the premise of owners wanting to limit costs by colluding with other organisations they compete against (I wish I could, but I couldn't poach good staff or have good staffed poached as easily), I just know it is illegal in most industries
 

Adam84

Nick Farr-Jones (63)
Yep, worked in a semi-government thing for a while, truly horrible experience.

A company budget for staffing isn't agreed across industry, it is the company's budget and if they find someone of great value - they find a way, it is only a budget

I don't disagree with the premise of owners wanting to limit costs by colluding with other organisations they compete against (I wish I could, but I couldn't poach good staff or have good staffed poached as easily), I just know it is illegal in most industries
But individual competitions aren’t the entire industry. NRL/AFL/Super Rugby is a company and budgets like any other with set limit on different departments, ‘the industry’ is that of a professional athlete and if players dare choose they can test their value in other codes/companies.

They aren’t limiting players salaries, a club can choose to pay a player $2 million per annum if they choose.

NRL/AFL/RA setting budgetary limits on clubs, is no different to a company setting a budgetary limit on different departments.
 

Proud Pig

Ted Thorn (20)
Salary Caps are not limiting a players ability to earn from playing Rugby. We have seen that very distinctly in Australia.
If a player wants to earn more money they are allowed to go play overseas where more money is available.
All a salary cap does is ensure the teams within the local competition pay their squads within a specific band.
If the Western Force decided to entice Kerevi back to Australia by offering him 75% of their salary cap they could do it.
It wouldn't be advisable as they would need to fit the rest of the squad into the 25% left, but it is doable.

In a relatively closed system like a Rugby competition failure to create a competitive market means you end up with a system like the English Premier League. Only a few clubs have any chance of competing and most others are just making up the numbers.
Equalization measures are required to create that competitive market.
Rugby doesn't have a truly equalized competition because of various factors but the salary cap is one way to try and create at least a semi-level playing field.
In a truly closed system with strong equalization like the AFL you can end up with a system where any team can win the competition.
 

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
Joe Tomane is leaving Japan after two seasons there and linking up with freshly demoted Biarritz, who just got pumped 80 odd by Toulouse on the weekend.

In more bizarre Biarritz news, Tevita Kuridrani didn't show up to any trainings all last week and was completely uncontactable lol, missing their final game. Good on ya TK, enjoy the weather.
 

Dismal Pillock

Simon Poidevin (60)
In more bizarre Biarritz news, Tevita Kuridrani didn't show up to any trainings all last week and was completely uncontactable lol, missing their final game. Good on ya TK, enjoy the weather.
panoramic-view-of-villa-belza-and-port-vieux-located-in-the-city-of-biarritz-france-650x366.jpg

"Um you've reached Tevita, this is my voice message, uhh, you're breaking up now, ok bye then".
 

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Joe Tomane is leaving Japan after two seasons there and linking up with freshly demoted Biarritz, who just got pumped 80 odd by Toulouse on the weekend.

In more bizarre Biarritz news, Tevita Kuridrani didn't show up to any trainings all last week and was completely uncontactable lol, missing their final game. Good on ya TK, enjoy the weather.
What is it about oz players going o/s and going off reservation..does that mean second chance play for force…as they do need depth at centre and I do mean depth as TK was great in his time but now good depth option for force vs ideal starting centre…
 

Dctarget

John Eales (66)
Doubt we'll ever see Guy Porter back. English qualified and probably over-valued after winning premiership. Harry Potter could well come back one day, he'll never be capped for England I assume.

Australia's locks domination continues:
Tom Staniforth's Castres marches on to the final after dispatching Rory Arnold's Toulouse. Rory actually got yellow carded, for a tackle similar to Skelton's. Lucky just to be yellow. Tough for the big fellas.

Kane Douglas's Bordeaux went down to Montpellier who'll meet Castres next weekend in the final. Nick de Crespigny has also been starting at blindside flanker for Castres (including the semi). Is he the first player to go from Shute Shield to Top 14 final, skipping super rugby, in one season?
 

Rugbynutter39

Michael Lynagh (62)
Doubt we'll ever see Guy Porter back. English qualified and probably over-valued after winning premiership. Harry Potter could well come back one day, he'll never be capped for England I assume.

Australia's locks domination continues:
Tom Staniforth's Castres marches on to the final after dispatching Rory Arnold's Toulouse. Rory actually got yellow carded, for a tackle similar to Skelton's. Lucky just to be yellow. Tough for the big fellas.

Kane Douglas's Bordeaux went down to Montpellier who'll meet Castres next weekend in the final. Nick de Crespigny has also been starting at blindside flanker for Castres (including the semi). Is he the first player to go from Shute Shield to Top 14 final, skipping super rugby, in one season?

Tom staniforth still young enough…would need to be good enough to play for wallabies to be tempted back and don’t know how going in uk to suggest he has upward trajectory
 
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