Andrew Abdo admits change must be made to ‘disruptive’ system after Brown, DCE contract sagas
NRL boss Andrew Abdo has admitted a change needs to be made to the league’s player transfer system to prevent players from moving between clubs during the season.
Abdo suggested now was the time to introduce designated trade windows after high-profile players Dylan Brown and Daly Cherry-Evans this month dominated headlines with their plans to change clubs after this season.
Eels five-eighth Brown signed a monster 10-year deal to join the Knights in 2026 before Sea Eagles captain Cherry-Evans opened a can of worms when he sensationally revealed he wouldn’t be playing at Manly beyond this year.
Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans. Getty
Speaking to 2GB’s The Continuous Call Team, Abdo said something needed to be done to stop players from signing with rival clubs mid-season.
“I don’t like the system we’ve got at the moment. I think it’s disruptive to the season,” he said.
“I’ve long campaigned for — and we attempted to negotiate with the players’ association — a trade window at the end of the year for the year ahead.
“Look, there’s always going to be speculation and everyone is interested in where players are going to go; it’s a professional area and players move around. But I just don’t like the fact that players sign so early.
“We’ve always said that if a player is going to renew with their existing club, they can do that at any point. But if they are going to move clubs, it should happen out of the season.”
Under the NRL’s current rules, players can sign with rival clubs from November 1 in the final year of their contract.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo. Getty
With David Klemmer and Dylan Walker also granted permission to exit their respective clubs and immediately take up new offers in recent weeks, Abdo was asked how those arrangements could be blocked.
His solution included the introduction of trade windows in which players could transfer, similar to that of the AFL’s trade period.
“You might have two windows; one might be mid-season and one might be at the end of the season, and that way, there is dedicated space for this to happen,” Abdo said.
“Obviously … when you have a willing club and player that need to part ways, that all can happen. But it needs to happen, I think, in a far more controlled manner.”
