Aussie Player Exodus

[Members Section]

Japan yes, but MLR doesn't pay much yet. Any reduction in the money being offered in England and France will help us though, particularily for the top flight wallaby contenders like Arnold.

True about the top tier & it looks like its already working with Arnold!!!!! I prob should have explained my self better about meaning guys just in or out of Super Rugby.

Point taken about MLR

 

[TSR]

Even if it only sends a handful of mid level players back our way, that will be a good thing.

Most of our starting XVs are pretty respectable. But all of our teams are relying on young guys playing above their age and experience once we have a few injuries. A couple of seasoned veterans would do wonders for improving the strength of each squad.

Even if it just alleviates some of the drain on our squads as guys progress from rookies to 2-3 year pros.

 

[PhilClinton]

Japan yes, but MLR doesn't pay much yet. Any reduction in the money being offered in England and France will help us though, particularily for the top flight wallaby contenders like Arnold.

Don’t sleep on the MLR.

Caught up with some SS players and staff over the holiday period and the consensus isn’t great. Lots of player drain in terms of depth in key positions, even from 2nd grade which fits their market of blokes who won’t get paid to stay in Oz.

 

[Drew]

Agreed. We don’t have worry about MLR signing our superstars. As said above, it’s the young blokes in clubland that want to get more than they currently are and want to go overseas and have fun.

 

[RebelYell]

What MLR does is give players a genuine taste of a FT program for 6 months, and at the same $ as a minimum Super Rugby contract - but with another 6 months of the year up their sleeve, to play ITM Cup for example. I do know of at least 2 MLR Aussies who've turned down a Super Rugby contract in the last two years.

 

[Pfitzy]

Don’t sleep on the MLR.

Caught up with some SS players and staff over the holiday period and the consensus isn’t great. Lots of player drain in terms of depth in key positions, even from 2nd grade which fits their market of blokes who won’t get paid to stay in Oz.

Sydney Uni lost almost half a team to MLR didn't they?

The Yanks are finally taking themselves seriously in terms of plumbing the available talent - whether looking to qualify some guys through residency, or the massive quantity of players who won't make a living out of other sports:

 

[PhilClinton]

Sydney Uni lost almost half a team to MLR didn't they?

Yeh they’ve lost a significant number over the past few years.

I’ve heard the Rats coach has approached QPR front rowers to fly down as well, many of them playing mostly third grade recently but that’s the desperation of the clubs to create some depth in those specialist positions with so many of them being drained.

 

[Pfitzy]

Yeh they’ve lost a significant number over the past few years.

I’ve heard the Rats coach has approached QPR front rowers to fly down as well, many of them playing mostly third grade recently but that’s the desperation of the clubs to create some depth in those specialist positions with so many of them being drained.

Lot of issues to work through there - our systems simply don't produce the right quantity of players in the right places.

Mainly because of the lack of alignment in our pathways. But that is an old song I sing...

 

[Members Section]

Yeh they’ve lost a significant number over the past few years.

I’ve heard the Rats coach has approached QPR front rowers to fly down as well, many of them playing mostly third grade recently but that’s the desperation of the clubs to create some depth in those specialist positions with so many of them being drained.

This may have been done & may not be the right thread but could the SS look at something like premier cricket (club cricket) does & allow every club to have 2 professional players per club?

 

[PhilClinton]

Not a Super Rugby player but I see Blake Fergusons’ time in Japan will likely be ending before it began, charged with cocaine possession and assaulting a man in Roppongi.

To my knowledge he didn’t have any drug problems when playing in the NRL. I didn’t see him a Wallabies chance but I reckon he would have gone alright in Japan and would have been interesting to follow.

 

[wamberal]

That is a sad ending for him. Living and working offshore is not for everybody, that's for sure.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

What MLR does is give players a genuine taste of a FT program for 6 months, and at the same $ as a minimum Super Rugby contract - but with another 6 months of the year up their sleeve, to play ITM Cup for example. I do know of at least 2 MLR Aussies who've turned down a Super Rugby contract in the last two years.

The most a player can be paid in MLR is $45k USD plus housing and car hire. Most of the Shute boys won't be getting that. Most likely half that. But it's still an opportunity to earn significantly more than they would here while living and breathing Rugby for 6 months in full time environments in a developing league that would be pretty exciting from a player perspective.

And there's growing opportunity to earn if they look at 7s as there are two pro 7s leagues kicking off next year.

 

[Members Section]

The most a player can be paid in MLR is $45k USD plus housing and car hire. Most of the Shute boys won't be getting that. Most likely half that. But it's still an opportunity to earn significantly more than they would here while living and breathing Rugby for 6 months in full time environments in a developing league that would be pretty exciting from a player perspective.

And there's growing opportunity to earn if they look at 7s as there are two pro 7s leagues kicking off next year.

& free f45 memberships if you play for LA or Austin .

But in all seriousness if you are business inclined getting in with Adam Gilchrist is not the stupidest move

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

& free f45 memberships if you play for LA or Austin .

But in all seriousness if you are business inclined getting in with Adam Gilchrist is not the stupidest move

That's never been confirmed. Outside of a couple of the LA players and coach apparently being awarded F45 franchisee licence coincidentally prior to playing for the team.

Wonder if Darren Coleman still has his after leaving LA early?

 

[Members Section]

That's never been confirmed. Outside of a couple of the LA players and coach apparently being awarded F45 franchisee licence coincidentally prior to playing for the team.

Wonder if Darren Coleman still has his after leaving LA early?

Memberships not franchises lol.

Hope so DC got him a title

 

[Adam84]

F45 franchise licenses are worth considerably more then your average Super Rugby AU player salary

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Memberships not franchises lol.

Hope so DC got him a title

Umm...no. Franchises. A few of the imports suddenly had F45 franchises up and running. It was a topic of discussion early on particularly after Canadian international DTH Van der Merwe who had recently returned from playing in Europe announced he was opening a F45 Gym in Victoria, BC right before LA announced they had signed him. Coleman also mentioned it during an interview leading into the season on a US Rugby podcast.

Could be pure coincidence but it seems odd in the timing.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

F45 franchise licenses are worth considerably more then your average Super Rugby AU player salary

It costs roughly $250k to set up a gym. That includes the franchise fee. Equipment and working capital requirements. They apparently need 65 members to break even. This was from a break down I found from 2019. So, yeah. worth more than most Super Rugby contracts.

 

[Members Section]

Umm...no. Franchises. A few of the imports suddenly had F45 franchises up and running. It was a topic of discussion early on particularly after Canadian international DTH Van der Merwe who had recently returned from playing in Europe announced he was opening a F45 Gym in Victoria, BC right before LA announced they had signed him. Coleman also mentioned it during an interview leading into the season on a US Rugby podcast.

Could be pure coincidence but it seems odd in the timing.

Could be a business deal separate (on paper) to DTH's contract. Gits & Coops prob had an option for the same deal. At the end of the day he decides how much a franchise is worth. I think Meaksy & Cottrell are getting deals in the off season to work for Gilly's beer.

Its something Nick Politis does over at the roosters, helps guys with their investments outside of their footy wage. But that is pretty interesting info DTH

 

[PhilClinton]

To what extent you allow these deals creates an interesting discussion re salary cap breaches etc. I would think if these MLR players/coaches were simply being gifted gyms worth $250k it would be an unfair contract advantage. If they, however, were investing their own money and being given assistance or discounts on equipment, it probably falls on the ‘safe’ side of that grey area.

Same thing happens overseas in different sports in what they call ‘big market’ franchises, there are just better business opportunities in those markets which in turn attracts the better players who want to make money outside their contracted salaries.