Reds trio walk out for good

Pay-cut dispute deepens

WALLABY Izack Rodda, Harry Hockings and Isaac Lucas have terminated their contracts with Rugby Australia and the Queensland Reds in an escalating drama.

The trio have taken the drastic step on legal grounds, claiming repudiatory conduct by the Queensland Rugby Union for standing them down.

The three players were stood down on Monday by the Reds for refusing to accept the average pay cut of 60 per cent brokered by the Rugby Union Players Association and Rugby Australia.

The players have not been at Reds training since Monday and have been removed from the team’s online meetings.

The QRU received a legal notice from representatives of the three players advising of the contract terminations.

“The QRU had no legal basis to issue the stand-down notice. The QRU was given considerable opportunity to withdraw the notice. The QRU failed to do so,” read a statement issued on behalf of the players.

“Repudiatory conduct” is a term in contract law and applies to pursuing an unjustifiable course of action regarding contractual obligations.

The shock moves are seen as a precursor to utility back Lucas and lock Hockings, both 21, pursuing playing opportunities in Japan.

Lock Rodda signed a fouryear contract extension with the Reds just eight months ago.

However, he is believed to want out and has been linked with a move to the Brumbies to advance his rugby.

Anthony Picone, the players’ manager, said in the statement that their decision was extremely difficult and had not been taken lightly.

He said the instability of Australian rugby’s financial future beyond September 30, when the pay cut period expires, was the basis for the players making big calls on their futures.

“This is their livelihood. It is only reasonable that talented players want to secure stable employment during these times,” Picone said.

Along with the QRU’s repudiatory conduct, the players’ decision was also informed by the enormous uncertainty surrounding the financial state of rugby, the statement read.

This includes the broadcast deal, which is still to be brokered, and the ability for contracts to be honoured into the future.

These factors made it difficult for the players to accept the QRU’s proposed variations, the statement said.