Six months ago they were playing one of the biggest games of their careers, but now stars of Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) are working as builders and plumbers after the coronavirus shutdown forced them to find new jobs.
Several members of the Sydney Roosters, who won the grand final against the Canberra Raiders in October last year, are among the players back “on the tools,” as they try to pay bills and mortgages after the season was suspended.
Players from the NRL, one of Australia’s most popular sports, are facing hefty pay cuts this year after the pandemic shuttered sports worldwide and left the league battling for survival.
“Some of them are looking for jobs... Some of them are on the tools already,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson told radio station Triple M. “Plumber, builder — there are lots of jobs that have been thrown out there for the guys, and they’re still continuing to look. They know they’re going to have some time. They know they’ve got to train, but after that they’re looking to get back into some of their old trades.”
It is a similar story for players across the 16-team NRL, which came to a screeching halt after two rounds — one played behind closed doors — last month.
The NRL — which is cash-strapped despite its immense popularity and ubiquitous media presence — strongly resisted closure before disease prevention measures made it impossible to continue playing.
On Thursday, the NRL and the players’ association agreed on an emergency deal under which players will lose five months’ pay this year if this season is abandoned.
The league’s suspension has meant a dizzying turnaround for the players, especially for the Roosters, who were celebrating their grand final win.
Now, Roosters lock Victor Radley is plying his trade as a carpenter, while Elliott Whitehead is driving a tractor and his Raiders teammate Jack Wighton posted on Instagram looking for work.
Elsewhere, Brisbane Broncos prop Thomas Flegler is working on his family’s banana farm, earning just A$24.60 (US$14.75) per hour, a report said.
“I can’t really do much in Brisbane, so I decided I would get home to see my family and try to make some money while we aren’t playing,” Flegler told Brisbane’s Sunday Mail. “I start work on Monday. I’m on minimum wage. Dad said: ‘You are only a beginner, so you aren’t worth more than the award wage.’”
Broncos great Corey Parker said that some players had moved in together to save on rent while the sport waits out the pandemic.
“I know some of our guys have actually moved out of the units they were currently renting and bunkered in with other guys because they quite simply can’t pay the rent,” Parker told Fox League Live.
Roosters recruit Josh Morris, a veteran with 288 NRL appearances across several clubs, said he was retraining and could soon be back in the workforce.
“For myself, I’ve played the game long enough to have some money put away,” said Morris, according to Sydney’s Daily Telegraph. “But I also have mortgages that I have to pay as well.”
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
DOMINATION: McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took the first two spots as Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed them Australian Oscar Piastri yesterday roared back from season-opening disappointment in his home race by winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two with championship-leading teammate Lando Norris. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Saturday’s sprint winner Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third victory in a row, including last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, but left champions McLaren unbeaten in two races so far this year. “Mega job guys. The car was very, very lovely,” Piastri said
TO FINAL FOUR: France had 22 chances and scored two goals, while Croatia could not manage a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Les Bleus won 5-4 on penalties France on Sunday overturned a two-goal deficit to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Final Four by eliminating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 victory in their quarter-final second leg at the Stade de France. Dayot Upamecano scored the winning spot kick in a nail-biting shootout in which France keeper Mike Maignan made two saves, sending Les Bleus into the semi-finals against Spain. Michael Olise opened the scoring and Ousmane Dembele doubled their lead 10 minutes from time to send the tie into extra time after their 2-0 loss in Split, Croatia, on Thursday. France had a total of
BRING THE NOISE: Brazil’s Fonseca attracted a boisterous crowd that brought such dominant soccer-style energy the referee switched to Portuguese to ask for quiet Australia’s Alex de Minaur on Monday put an end to Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca’s challenge at the Miami Open, outlasting the 18-year-old 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in an enthralling contest. Attendance on stadium court had been sparse throughout the day, but the Hard Rock Stadium turned into a mini-Maracana Stadium for Fonseca’s match, complete with Brazilian flags and soccer-style chanting. Fonseca brought his energetic brand of ultra-attacking tennis, but De Minaur was up to the challenge, coping with blistering forehands and a partisan crowd. Such was the dominance of Fonseca’s raucous support that the referee switched to Portuguese for his appeals for quiet. However, De
RSS