Should NRL players get a real job?

[Guest]

Online article in the Tele today I found interesting, this seems to be something everybody talks about when there is an off field player incident, due to players having too much time on their hands, but I didn't think it was possible for players to fit in a real job to their days, what with early morning training runs & afternoon sessions too, what do we all think, should or can players work a real job & still fit in all the training? What happens if they were to injure themselves doing the real job? It's easy to remember the old days, I know Artie had jobs at the Leagues Club (in catering of all departments!!) & at the wharfs, he also laid bricks in a few off seasons for fitness, but it's so different these days, I don't know if it's even possible for them these days?

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226272148607

[Guest]

I've made my decision, I voted NO, I want our players focusing 100% on their footy & not risking injury doing heavy work, having said that, I wouldn't mind if they studied to give themselves a qualification for when they finish playing, I know alot of them do study now anyway.

[novice chook]

I believe players should have a trade or profession, so that they have something to concentrate on when their footy career is over, which, let's face it, can happen at any time if they suffer a career ending injury.

I reckon more injuries would be suffered on a training paddock or mucking around at home than at the workplace for NRL players.

As for focus, what would you rather, they focus on the pokies down the pub or the form at the Tab or on a career after footy in their 'spare time'? Because chances are if they're not doing one they are doing the other.

NC

[Guest]

Professional league players should be just that, but they should also have some sort of trade/degree/qualification to fall back on to, and the onus should be on the clubs to enforce that.
I went to the QRL admin conference at Coolum last weekend, and saw presentations from all sorts people, but was most impressed by the work blokes like Bobcat Ryan and Nigel Vagana are doing with the NYC boys with regards to getting them trained/employed/educated and prepared for life after footy. They have to do a minimum of 24 hours per week of work/study to be eligible to play and I was quite surprised by just how many were pursuing uni degrees or were well advanced in their trade.
This is definitely a step in the right direction for the NRL

[Guest]

Look at Peter Cusack. He was a plumber for most of his career.

[ism22]

I had lots of professional sports people with me when I was at uni. It was also a time where I matured significantly.

Not NRL players (they're professionals in their own right), but young aspiring players should have to get the grades to get into uni and then pass all their subjects. If they were told say "you won't be in contention for the NYC unless you get a UAI of 70" or "Australian schoolboys coming up... if you pass your English exam" then they'd make themselves pass those tests.

Uni at 18... graduate at 22, and that's also when you start playing NRL. I'd suggest not TAFE/CIT/RTO training simply because it's more practical/vocational based. My focus would be on gaining more academic discipline...etc.

FWIW at least 1 current NRL player went to my uni as an NYC player. He aced his exams and didn't have many training commitments anyway (less than me when I was training for a different sport at the same time.)