Clint Newton has attacked NSW coach Laurie Daley and QLD coach Mal Meninga for not releasing players to attend a meeting been the Rugby League Players Association and the NRL.
The strange thing about Newtons comments is that the RLPA is supposed to represent all players, they don’t have to be in the room to be represented in these meetings.
Cooper Cronk attended the meeting, so it wasn’t as though current State Of Origin players weren’t represented.
I’d like to know why Clint Newton wasn’t this upset when Newcastle Knights players weren’t getting paid. To me, the Newcastle Knights situation shows what a non existent organisation the Rugby League Players Association is.
We haven’t heard from them at all over Knights players not being paid. They should have been up to Newcastle immediately!
But no, the big issue is that 34 players were busy earning tens of thousands of dollars during a State Of Origin camp and therefore couldn’t attend this RLPA meeting.
Just because David Smith sits you down in an office and says “In the future we will consult with you” doesn’t mean you actually achieved anything.
The RLPA is actually funded heavily by the NRL itself. How independent can they be?
I find it absolutely ridiculous that we have so many issues in this game that could be addressed, the non payment of players, the handling of concussion, the lack of income insurance, and yet State Of Origin scheduling is the big talking point?
If players are asked to pay their own hard earned money into this organisation they should say no. The RLPA is a toothless tiger and everyone knows it.
They can have all the meetings they like with David Smith. The fact remains that when they are really needed, when players need the support, this lot are no where to be found.
If the Rugby League Players Association actually did it job we wouldn’t need the Men Of League foundation or Former Origin Greats.
