LEADER OF MEN
JAMES AIMS TO BE NRL STATESMAN
HE has completed a business degree and is set to become an NRL captain this season.
Now respected Titans forward Ryan James wants to be a voice for footballers not only on the Gold Coast but right across the competition.
James will join skippers from all 16 clubs in meeting with NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg in Sydney today prior to the official season launch at Martin Place.
Among the discussions he expects is the controversial matter of increases to player payments beyond this year – and he’ll firmly stand behind the Rugby League Players’ Association’s push for more.
“We get a small percentage of the cut, what we get at the moment, so we’re really pushing towards trying to get what the players deserve,” James said.
“Without the players there’s no game.”
A particular passion for the 25-year-old is helping players prepare for life after footy and he is determined to drive a better transition for those hanging up the boots.
“I’ve had a lot of people, a lot of mates who just go out with nothing,” he said.
“So yeah, just that education around making sure people are doing things (is important). It doesn’t have to be (university), it could be a secondary course – it’s just making sure everyone’s good for that (the future) because footy can last for a day or it can last for 15 years.
“They’ve already started to get things in place with the insurances and stuff like that which makes it a little bit easier but there’s still people out there who are struggling.”
James has previously spoken about his desire to encourage more indigenous kids to attend university but is also intent on securing more opportunity for the wider fleet of current footballers to study.
“If I can make a difference and make it a little bit easier for everyone in the NRL to go out there and get that (tertiary) education to make that transition after football easier, it would be great,” he said.
Asked how support can be improved, James said: “Just try to increase the funding and try to make it a little bit more lenient on what you can do”.
“I know Griffith (University) were excellent with me over the last seven years; if I couldn’t make an exam, they were able to change it just through the Sports College.
“But we’ve got boys at different unis who really struggle to change it and I think it was just because of the Sports College that made it all a lot easier for me and hopefully we can get those things in place in unis around Sydney and that.”
Today shapes as a busy day for James as he will fly back from the NRL season launch in Sydney and head directly to Parkwood for the Titans own launch function.