This is the first in a series of blogs I’ll post specifically on the world of the NRL player agents. From the outset I'm not positioning myself as an expert but more someone with a particular interest in this side of the NRL and happy to share some information.
If you’re across the 101s of player agents, then this blog isn’t for you.
However, if you’re keen to get the basics about this side of the NRL then read on.
This blog will answer these questions:
- What’s the recent history of NRL player agents?
- How does someone become an accredited player agent?
- How many are there?
- Who are the big hitters?
- What do they earn?
Recent History
For many years, the NRL had been unhappy with the way player agents have used their power to manipulate players, clubs and by virtue the whole sport,
From the outside it’s looked like various NRL administrations have been working to reel in the power of player agents but reform ended up in the “too hard basket” – but in the past 15 years there has been some landmark moments.
Here’s a brief summary of the most notable events.
2005 – Things get legit
The NRL scored a victory by introducing the first ever Rugby league Player Agent Accreditation Scheme, thus ensuring the end of the “cowboy” player agents and ensuring that all agents in rugby league were required to be registered within the guidelines set out within the scheme.
For the first time, player agents were required to operate within an extensive set of rules and a Code of Ethics and pay an annual accreditation fee.
2019 – here comes the boom
2019/2020 saw a major shake up in the playing agent industry with some big hitters kicked out of the industry for breaching the NRL’s codes and rules
Gavin Orr who at the time had one of the biggest list of players on his books, had his accreditation cancelled by the NRL for breaches, including knowingly aiding a breach of the salary cap rules.
Orr’s firm had over 50 NRL players on it’s books including Valentine Holmes, Ryan Matterson, Jason Taumalolo and Daly Cherry-Evans.
Today, Gavin Orr is the owner and Director of Pacific Sports Management – whilst not a registered agent himself he no doubt still pulls the strings.
In the same round of penalties, the NRL also handed out breach notices to Isaac Moses (Cove Agency), Antoun Zibara and Mario Tartak in what was the sternest action ever taken by then Integrity Head Nick Weeks.
The NRL alleged Moses counselled or assisted our own Tim Mannah to ‘give evidence to the NRL that was false and intended to mislead an investigation by the NRL integrity and compliance unit
2021 - NRL tightens the screws
Until now, the NRL had limited it’s sanctions and penalties for the player agents; however those sanctions would now be extended to NRL club offocials, meaning any club official found to have engaged in dodgy dealings would have their registration cancelled by the NRL effectively ending their career.
The NRL issued a mandate that any club who dealt with unregistered agents would risk losing competition points, thus signalling that the NRL had wrestled back some ground in this power struggle.
How does someone become a Player Agent?
The process is very transparent and also rigorous, with the emphasis on integrity and skilled/educated ethical representation.
https://www.nrl.com/operations/the-players/accredited-player-agent-scheme/
How many are there?
According to the NRL’s website, there are currently approximately 130 individual accredited Player Agents.
Sports management firms vary in size from single agent businesses to those with 4, 5 or more accredited agents working under the agency banner.
Similar to the real estate industry, a person can own the business yet not hold an accreditation-but employ accredited agents. This is the case with Pacific Sports management as mentioned above where Gavin Orr is the founder and Director yet was deregistered by the NRL, leaving his staff of 8 player agents to conduct business with clubs and players.
Who are the big hitters?
There is three tiers of agents, and like any industry the bulk of the business is taken by a handful of agencies, there is another tier of boutique agencies, then there are the “rats and mice”, agents operating as sole operators with a single or few players on their books….Braithe Anaista recently received his accreditation.
But in terms of the big hitters this is a snapshot.
What do they earn?
Agent fees are generally between 6 and 7% of a contract value.
Some simple maths points to a lucrative industry, with salary caps due to increase to $10 million per club in 2022, that leaves between $9.6 and $11.2 million dollars in agent fees to collect.
But the pie is much bigger than that, take into account the salaries of head coaches, assistant coaches, retired players, media personalities and 2nd tier contracts, the total industry for NRL related talent could be more like $15 million plus.
OK, I hope that was a useful (albeit brief and amateurishly cobbled together) summary of this stuff for a few of you.
If this is interesting I'll try to post a club summary each week as that's where it gets more interesting.
P.S. happy for people to add to the facts I've included
Cheers
Replies
Interesting
you thinking of a career change ??
Ha!
I like my career thanks Carlo ...
Bahaha too late I think sluggy
👍
Well written and informative piece NBE. Agent fees are coincidentally similar to real estate agents handling leases.
Really good blog mate, looking forward to the next one.
👍 have a good weekend Snake, up to anything special?
thanks mate and likewise.
Im basically in lockdown till next week, right in the hotspot bro, new rules come in from midnight.
What you up to bro?
Starting my bday celebrations... really dragging it out over two weeks this year 😂 catching up with a couple of mates and doing craft stuff with my daughter
hope your internet plan doesn't run out of puff with all the porn you'll be downloading
60 is a big year embers
it deserves two weeks
snake you poor thing - watch cobra Kai it's really good
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