The NRL’s last chance saloon: Part 1 A Set the default text size A Set large text size
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There are currently some 190 players who remain without a contract beyond this season.
For the statistically minded, that represents about 40 per cent of the combined 30-man squad strengths of the 16 clubs.
Nothing unusual about these numbers at this time of year, though, and no doubt clubs are firming up their future plans, filling paper bags with cash, and communicating with avaricious player agents as you read this. Share
Looking a bit deeper, though, and nearly 40 of the players not contracted beyond this year will be 30 years of age or more by the time the 2022 season kicks off.
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Missing in action A Set the default text size A Set large text size
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Much has been said and written in recent times about the apparent rising injury toll in the NRL.
Theories for this increase abound, including the faster game under the six-again rule, the bigger bodies of NRL players compared to those of days gone by, the ball-and-all tackling style of the modern game and the impact of foul play.
Whatever the reason, it appears that the number of players unavailable at any one time is higher than ever, and it’s clearly affecting the ability of teams to perform at their best.