SYDNEY - Talk of a rugby league draft has again resurfaced following a 'talent equalisation' proposal by the National Rugby League (NRL) on the opening day of the league's annual conference in Sydney today.
The NRL put forward the idea of a territorial external draft as an effective means of
sharing the wealth amongst all clubs.
The draft would tie clubs to regional areas, with no club allowed to sign a player from another club's area until the player had turned 19, with each team limited to a pool of 6000 juniors.
NRL chief executive David Gallop said while there would be a long time before anything was finalised, he was hopeful that clubs would see the merits in the concept.
"It's a way of saving money that's currently spent on recruiting potential players. It refocuses money on pure development rather than recruitment," Gallop said today.
"In comparison to a pure draft, it maintains the ability of local boys to become local heroes.
"Andrew Johns is going to become a Newcastle hero, Matt Bowen is going to become a North Queensland hero. He's not going to get put into a draft at 18 where he could finish up anywhere, which is what a pure draft does."
The issue of player burnout was also high on the agenda at the conference, on the same day members from the victorious Kangaroos outfit began returning home after their eight-week tour.
Clubs were told by the NRL that next year's Tri-Nations event was likely to involve a shorter overseas trip.
The conference concludes tomorrow.
- AAP
