Carting it up with Stevo

Jarryd Hayne's complaint summed it up.

Late last week the Eels superstar ranted about how the highest profile players in the game aren't receiving decent enough pay to play for their respective rep teams. Only a moment later, Hayne also lamented that the NRL only provided him with 4 tickets for friends and family for Friday nights ANZAC test.

On the face of it, Hayne seems to have muddled his point. On one hand Hayne is saying the players aren't getting enough money, or in this instance gate takings, from the Test. On the other he is demanding the players receive more seats in the stands, therefore preventing the league to maximise their gate takings.

As players threaten to strike and demand answers, one question hasn't been asked of the players. What are they prepared to do for the extra cash?

After the players previously questioned where all the money is going in the NRL, and were subsequently told at a summit, there appeared to be an understanding that the NRL administration is doing the best they can to balance the need for players to be paid well, and the clubs' need to stay solvent. Post-summit no players came out arguing that the NRL is a sham organisation that is squirreling away or squandering thousands of dollars that should be going to the players.

So if the NRL is passing on all it can to the players, then it must be up to the players to work for the extra cash they desire. One way would be to engage with third party sponsors. However, from what I understand, these can be hard to find and often untrustworthy. Most third party sponsors also want players to earn their wage, meaning extra commitments for players.

So, how else can players increase their value and subsequently their pay? Well if playing football is the way they earn money, then they could simply play more games of football. But wait