Chris Fagan Hits Out At Draftee Contracts
"Borderline ridiculous"
(Image: Getty)
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has hit out at the state of player contracts, suggesting it is "borderline ridiculous" first-round picks only start their career with two-year deals.
Fagan was addressing the story around number two draft pick Josh Schache, who isout of contract at the end of the year and is considering a return home to Victoria.
He said players, who by default earn a two-year deal when drafted, should get longer contracts.
"I particularly think for first-round draft picks, it should be three to four years at least before they can consider moving somewhere else, unless there's some extenuating circumstances," he said on Friday.
"Clubs invest a lot in those first-round picks, and if you've got the opportunity to keep them for longer, guaranteed, from a club perspective, that would be fantastic.
"To be thinking about your future two years into a start at a new place and whether you want to go somewhere else is borderline ridiculous."
Fagan said he hasn't been discussing Schache's future with him.
"As coach I just coach him, and don't go into those areas with him unless he wants to raise it with me, and he hasn't," he said.
"As a 19-year-old boy, if they are the things he's thinking about, that must be tough.
"What I do know is in Josh's time at the club he's been coached well, managed well off the field in terms of welfare, and I think the club's done everything they can to make this a good place for him to be, and that is the only bit we can control."