Rugby league legend Billy Slater has weighed in on the NRL’s controversial stance against the breakaway competition R360.
Under the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC)’s new policy, any NRL player who defects to R360 could face a decade-long suspension, while accredited player agents who enter negotiations with the rival league would also be banned.
The harsh penalties were announced by ARLC chairman Peter V’landys on Wednesday following legal advice supporting strict sanctions.
Slater described the proposed 10-year ban for players who make the switch as “a little bit extreme.”
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Despite the tough new measures, Slater believes the NRL shouldn’t be overly concerned about the emerging competition.
“I think our game’s in a really good position to be honest and maybe our game’s a little more worried about this competition than I am,” Slater said on Nine’s Today Show.
“TV ratings are going through the roof … you only have to look at the grand final and Origin series this year and how exciting and entertaining our game is at the moment.
“I think that’s always been our main attraction, not just to play the game but also be a part of it and to watch our game.
“Me personally, players come, players go, you look at Mark Nawaqanitawase this year, he was playing a different sport two years ago and he’s entertaining in our game now. For the handful of people that might go and look at options overseas and play different sports, it probably seems a little bit extreme.”
Reports suggest the financial incentives behind R360 could tempt some players, with lucrative tax-free contracts being discussed as part of the new competition’s appeal.
However, Slater believes players should be trusted to make their own choices.
“As a former player myself, players put absolutely everything into the sport and sometimes that’s to the detriment of long term health,” he said.
“We’ve got to respect our players as well, they are our sport at the end of the day.
“Like the great Tina Turner always said, it’s simply the best game in the world. I think we lean on that attraction rather than anything else.”