A player moves from one club to another during the middle of the NRL season and predictably, the media runs around telling everyone that the sky is falling. The same old reactionary bullshit we have come to expect over the years. Then they wonder why they are all getting sacked!
I personally have no problems with players switching clubs in the middle of the season.
Many times these moves come down to circumstances that see’s a player move from one situation, into a better one, and it usually is made to further their career. This season its a little bit different though as I think we are seeing some moves being made in an effort for some teams to alleviate salary cap pressures and get out from under longer term deals.
For instance, it has been well documented that the Penrith Panthers have major salary cap issues. Today they released winger Sandor Earl to the Canberra Raiders which will save them money under the salary cap, but it will also allow Earl to play more first grade than he has at the Panthers.
The Panthers also released promising youngster Nafe Seluini to the Sydney Rooster, which will once again relieve cap pressure and allow Seluini the opportunities to play first grade that he never really received at Penrith.
I can’t see any down side in these moves. As a Panthers fan, I would rather see these players get an opportunity to play first grade elsewhere rather than know the club is paying good money for them to play reserve grade for the Windsor Wolves.
Other mid season moves have seen Richie Fa’aoso leave the Knights to head down to the Melbourne Storm, Anthony Mitchell go from the Roosters to the Cowboys, Sam Perrett and his brother go from the Roosters to the Bulldogs and of course Krisnan Inu heading from the New Zealand Warriors to the Bulldogs as well.
For all of these players, I see opportunities arising to further their careers, while at the same time not really damaging the club they are leaving. Surely these moves are a good thing for the game. Yes you dont want to see too many of them, and it would become a problem is star players started to shuffle around the competition. However at current levels, everything seems fine to me.
These moves all get made before June 30. That is the cut off point for when players can move between clubs and be part of a teams run into the finals.
