NRL icon Mat Rogers wants the free agency model abolished and has thrown his support behind implementing a draft.
Rogers is an accredited player agent and is frustrated with the current system that allows players to sign for new clubs 12 months before they join them.
Fellow former NRL player Scott Sattler suggested to Rogers the idea of a free agency draft where the wooden spooners would get the first pick.
“I love the fact that we’re talking about it, we need something like it,” Rogers said on SEN.
“I hate the system at the moment I really do, the fact that someone can sign (for another club) then have to play for another year with that team, it just throws conjecture up in the air.
“If a player doesn’t want to stay at your club or they want to test the open market, would you be ok with them going into a draft?
Your team might be 15th pick and you might be able to get them back, but reality is once that November 1 deadline comes they’re gone if they haven’t signed prior, I honestly don’t mind.”
Rogers’ take comes in the wake of a list of recommendations set to be put forward by the Pathways Steering Committee (PSC).
The PSC includes Roosters coach Trent Robinson, NRL executive Brock Schaefer, Storm general manager Frank Ponissi, Queensland Rugby League chief executive Ben Ikin and Panthers boss Matt Cameron.
The committee is reportedly set to recommend a rookie draft, a national under-21s competition, regulations on how young players can be signed by agents and an accreditation scheme for junior coaches.
The AFL has had a draft since 1986 but there hasn’t been one in rugby league since 1991, when Terry Hill launched legal action alongside fellow players and had it abolished.
Rogers admitted a juniors draft would be difficult to fairly implement due to the majority of juniors coming out of a select few clubs.
“A junior draft is hard because it would stop the investment of junior talent for clubs,” he said.
“But at the same time, they obviously want to win a comp and they’re trying to develop juniors to win a comp but when you’re a team like Penrith and you’re getting pillaged by other clubs of your talent, they aren’t seeing any benefit from it.”
