No 'Development Fee' for developing players

None of the secondary schools that have had their ace student secure an overseas rugby league contract has benefitted financially from the deal.

This was revealed yesterday by Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby League (FSSRL) president Ifereimi Naisoro.

Naisoro said when students get contracted overseas, clubs pay a development fee to the parent body (Fiji National Rugby League).

“Part of it (development fee) should go to FSSRL and schools of contracted players but it’s not happening,” Naisoro said.

“Maybe FNRL is getting the development fee, but we do not have a clause in our constitution that states we get a slice of that development fee.” Naisoro said this has not happened since competition began in 2008.

Sisa Waqa, Marika Koroibete, Viliame Kikau, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Sakeo Railoa and Solomone Naidruki were plucked out of their schools to join Australian NRL (National Rugby League) clubs.

FNRL acting chief executive officer, Don Natabe said they are working on an amount (of money) to be development fee, which would be part of their player clearance policy.

“We’re hoping to put that in place by the first quarter of this year.

“There is no development fee being proposed in our player clearance policy. We’ve started our national academy team, so we’ll be in a position to estimate an average fee for developing a player as the programme matures.”

Former NRL and Australian Wallabies star winger Marika Koroibete was one of the many students who secured contracts with NRL clubs while attending Nasinu Secondary School.

“The secondary schools are affiliated directly to the Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby League (FSSRL), and we are going to make sure there’s an internal process for collecting the development fee. If the fee is charged, then it will be collected by FSSRL, which will go down to the schools that actually developed the players.”

Natabe said the rugby league player export market has grown in the past five years.

Meanwhile, Naisoro said the proposed Under-16 and Under-18 competition would not go ahead.

Vodafone Fiji head of recharge and distribution, Nilesh Singh said they are committed to continue the support the values of hard work and honesty for student rugby league players.

Teachers, coaches and administrators who worked behind the scenes were also acknowledged.

Story by: ioane.asioli@fijisun.com.fj  

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