O’connor is all cut up
Super League may pay the price of wage cuts
MIKE COOPER has warned that the restart of Super League could be scuppered by a players’ pay row.
The competition is due to kick off with three catch-up games on August 2, with all 12 teams involved from the following weekend.
But Warrington prop Cooper claims “there is no competition as it stands now” because players are disputing pay cuts.
He said: “It is a strange one to be honest, talk about controversy.
“The RFL have stated there is going to be start dates but I think there are only three teams that have agreed what their pay is going to be.
“We are talking about playing in two weeks’ time but only three clubs have agreed to return to training. As it stands now there is no competition.”
It is understood that all 12 clubs had agreed to stick together and implement around 10-15 per cent pay cuts until the end of the year.
Clubs, who all put players on furlough, are predicting losses of between £2m and £4m as a result of coronavirus.
Pay cuts had been agreed at all clubs, but Hull have since decided to reinstate full pay from October, prompting players at other clubs to demand the same.
Warrington are thought to have wanted a sliding scale of cuts,
AXED Ben O’connor insists he was ready to take a pay cut to stay at Sheffield Steelers.
The Challenge Cup holders have released the Great Britain star after completing the signing of Fife’s Sam Jones.
Steelers said that O’connor was shown the door because they couldn’t agree fresh terms but he has hit back.
The 31-year-old says he was ditched because, ranging from 15 per cent for salaries over £30,000 to 25 per cent on earnings more than £100,000.
Bonuses for Challenge Cup and Grand Final glory were being offered by some clubs but the whole pay structure is now up for debate.
A meeting of Super League clubs will discuss the potential season deal-breaker tomorrow.
The sport was also thrown into chaos yesterday by the announcement that a decision on promotion and relegation will not be made until July 23.
An RFL Board meeting was expected to announce that it would be dropped this season.
The majority of Championship and League One clubs do not want to play behind closed doors because of the costs involved.
But most want to restart if and when fans are allowed in, which has sparked a delay in the promotion and relegation question.
An RFL statement read: “The Board have sympathy for the issues at Super League level, in terms of the integrity of their competition and the need for clarity well ahead of the resumption of their season.
“Therefore the situation will be reviewed on July 13 and 20, with a decision to be made by July 23.”
One decision that was passed was the suspension of scrums, for health reasons, this season. despite agreeing to play for less, he missed a deadline to seal a deal by two days.
O’connor said: “I’ve loved my time in Sheffield, the team my dad played for, a team I always dreamed of playing for.
“I accepted the pay cut but was told that two days after the deadline was too late.
“I understand that but when you are taking a big pay cut you have got to discuss it with family and make sure things are viable because loyalty doesn’t pay the bills.
“I didn’t want to go anywhere else and that’s why I decided to accept the pay cut.
“Now it’s time to move on. I’m looking forward to a clean slate.”
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