Judgment
DAY
Mitchell Wems Feature Article
A good mate of mine has the grand pie-nal every year for the NRL when everyone has as many pies as they can eat while watching the grand final. They sit around and sledge the Manly players and discuss how they were born “with a silver spoon in their mouth”. They call them “silver tails” and eagerly share stories of misbehaviour and mayhem amongst NRL communities. You couldn’t pay me enough to be under this kind of scrutiny!
NRL players life is not all that people would imagine. People's perspectives of NRL players are often very wrong. The majority of people think NRL players are overpaid, don't know how lucky they are and they always have to much time on their hands.
As far as NRL players go the overall average salary is $120 000, which in fact is an average wage for many Australian jobs. The fact is that NRL players often don't even play over 60 games for their careers. This is hardly enough to retire on, which is the opposite of what many Australians believe. Often the public think that all NRL players have millions and millions to blow when they retire. This is because people just look at the big names of footy such as Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith and Robbie Farah, who all get paid a salary package of $900 000 and above. However, these players are a minute percentage of all players.
The fact people think NRL players don't know how lucky they have it is outrageous. There is hardly a time when NRL players aren't reminded of how lucky they are. Members of the public seem to see through the fact that NRL players are also human and are often flawed with drug, alcohol and depression problems. Not to long ago Josh Dugan’s contract was terminated after a alcohol related incident luckily for him he is a very good and sought after player so he managed to get his career back in line and still plays in the NRL and represents his state in the State Of Origin.
By Luke Newham