all this whilst news ltd sell more papers.
end of the day,the nrl(news ltd )cant do much.what kills me is the use of the word 'loyalty'.where was the loyalty when news ltd funded the super league war???.case of whats good for the goose...
i cant blame SBW for leaving.look at how he was treated.given a 5 year contract(which he shouldnt have signed),being paid unders.the bulldogs then let their best players go,due to the nrl's salary cap,leaving sbw surrounded by an ordinary team.
he then has to play hard each game risking injury cos he hasnt the personel on the park with him.
all the while he can make triple the money playing a different sport elsewhere.
as for contracts,well its not like he took all the money for the 5 years and left.he leaves not fulfilling it and doesnt get paid the rest.
as for the nrl saying they can sue him for losses,well,the crowds havent been great nor will there be any proof of financial losses.
all this just shows the nrl's loss of face.they can ban him for life and thats about it.
it kind of like me and my employer.we have a contract.i come to work to perform my tasks,they pay me.
now if i was to find a another job that pays more for doing the same thing,i would ask for money.if it doesnt come,i leave,and take up a better offer with a new employer.
now, will the nrl,news ltd,come up with a way to save anymore players goin?the only way is to pay their employees more.that means increase the salary cap,which could hurt some clubs.
only teams with private ownership  or 1 city teams will survive.news ltd pulled out of funding the nth qld cowboys,look where they are now.bottom of the table.
melb are funded $14million a year by news ltd.if that funding was withdrawn,would they survive in afls heartland???
news ltd drew first blood with superleague,now along comes french rugby doing a 'superleague' to news.
what goes around comes around.news ltd started it.now they cry foul.
as for any other player going to france.go for it.if you can double or triple,why wouldnt you?
willie mason's mgr is in france trying to get him on a big contract.
in the end,rugby league wont die,it'll just keep losing their best employees(the best players)and the game will continue with a younger and lesser skilled players.
the game survived the superleague war,it will survive this.its always been a working class game.