LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
The NRL plans to implement stricter penalties for clubs, players, or agents who violate the free agency deadline of November 1 and other anti-tampering regulations.
Currently, players can only begin discussions with other clubs from November 1 of the year before their contracts expire. This means that players whose contracts end in 2026 were recently allowed to negotiate potential moves for the 2027 season and beyond.
An exception to this rule occurs when a player and their club consent to allowing the player to seek a new club either immediately or at the conclusion of their contract, prior to the designated date.
However, there has been growing concern about adherence to this deadline. These concerns have intensified this year, as several incidents have arisen involving players being linked or offered to competing clubs. A notable example is the Lachlan Galvin situation, which unfolded earlier this year. Despite having a multi-year contract with the Wests Tigers, Galvin ultimately signed with the Canterbury Bulldogs.
The transfer process received considerable media attention, particularly due to the involvement of Canterbury's director of football, Phil Gould, in discussions about a player who now plays for his club.