Richie Barnett: Former Kiwis Captain on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck being scouted for Rugby360

Could Roger Tuivasa-Sheck make another code switch in 2027? 

The Sydney Morning Herald reports the Warriors great is a target of the proposed Rugby360 competition for when he comes off contract after next season. 

The newspaper estimates the value of the offer at over one million dollars per season – double what Tuivasa-Sheck is currently earning with the Warriors. 

Former Kiwis Captain Richie Barnett told Heather du Plessis-Allan this is a massive threat to the NRL. 

He says they’ve always had to contend with competitions trying to recruit across codes, but the money and consortiums that are coming up now have too big a pool of money to say no to. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now there are reports from across the Tasman that Roger
tui Vasashek is on the verge of signing with rugby's
new Rebel three sixty R three sixty competition. The deal
is said to be worth around a million dollars that
has double what he's currently earning at the Warriors. Joining
us now is former Kiwi's captain Richie Barnett. Richie, good morning,
Good morning Eric. I mean, if you can double your income,
it's a slam dunk, isn't it?

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Mad Not too, wouldn't they? Yeah, complexity and of course
the opportunity is now for players to move even when
their contract that actually to get some I guess some
benefit now and depending what age they are, they've got
options now to consider.

Speaker 1 (00:37):
How much of a threat is this to the NRL,
because there are about four players at least who have
been approached apparently.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
Massive, it's huge. It's something that they've always had to
contend with. You look at Joseph Mano, you look at
Joseph Soali's playing for the Australian rugby union team at
the moment. So there's always been there, it's been there
for a long while. But the money and the consortiums
that are coming up now. It's just too big a
pull of money to say no to. And it's another

(01:05):
challenge that they face and always has bull and they
always will.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
Why do you think the Saudis are coming after rugby
league players rather than rugby union players.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
I guess it's profile. You know that the profile of
players is extraordinary. And if you look at Roger and
look at Joseph Sali and you look at they're also
targeting the Offer Solomona. He's a rugby background as well,
So they're targeting people they've got a name, but also
they've also paid Rugby, which majority of my cross code
is anyway. So the opportunity to go and play with
a branded name who's been around is going to be

(01:37):
It's going to be interesting and challenging for the NRL,
that's for sure.

Speaker 1 (01:41):
Do you reckon that any of these players would be
put off by the fact that it's Saudi money.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
I don't think so. Personally, I don't think so. I
know that's been branded around with live golf and so
on where that money is actually coming from. But I
think ultimately they make their own decision and money talks,
I guess as much as you can say and go
through all and be mindful of it all. I think
money talks and it's a big it's a big poor.

Speaker 1 (02:08):
Hey I am. I'm kind of into this idea. I
don't mind them doing a rebel league.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
What about you a rule league. We had it with
Super Leigo with the NRL and and it's it worked
for a little while, but andre and the same with
the golf. It's the same thing where it's pulling apart
international footy club football. So you're draining resources from New
Zealand and Australia and that means it's going to impact
what's happening in this country as well. I know financially

(02:36):
the news rugby union are under pressure, the game's falling
away from innovation in the eyes over the game, so
this is going to have a massive impact on what
that could look like in the next year or so.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
Richie, good to talk to you. Enjoy your morning, Richie
Barnett for m keewis captain. Do you know what I
would be into this if the sound has changed rugby
rules right, so they take rugby and then just change
some of the things that are really irritating to us,
like the scrum. Just get rid of the scrum. Why
are we doing that? I know rugby players love it,
the rest of us looking at it, go It's just
a weird thing that you're doing. For more from the

(03:08):
Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio