Hugh McHahan: Player agents always looking for a bargain

Opinion

The notion there is only one guilty party in the awful mess at the Warriors is unfounded.

Insight into how negotiations between clubs and player agents sometimes work may bring some balance to this argument.

Firstly, the club has been found guilty of salary cap indiscretions.

Regardless of who is at fault, it is the club that has been in breach and it must live with the penalty and move on.

Who is the instigator of such breaches? It's a matter of supply and demand that forces clubs to look at other options if they wish to secure players.

Or are the facilitators between the clubs and players at fault?

Player agents are quickly becoming the used-car salesmen of the sporting world. A sale is all some of them are looking for and the highest bidder gets the goods.

Having a family member or friend as an agent can be detrimental for the player. They don't know the benefits available and clubs aren't going to tell them.

Most legitimate agents are above board but the few rogues darken the reputation of the rest.

Their negotiation skills can be detrimental to all parties. To them, the notion of looking out for the player's best interests is secondary. His primary focus is to secure as much money as possible, as this increases the size of his wallet.

There is one agent involved in the NRL who has one of the hottest properties in the game.

He has been able to manipulate the system by playing clubs - both league and union - off against each other.

He was able to leak to the media that his client was interested in playing the other code at the end of his current contract.

This stoked the fire of the NRL, which was prepared to invest in this player's retention for the good of the game. This move naturally increased the player's value in the marketplace, even though there was no real intention to cross codes.

With the loss of players such as Mat Rogers, Lote Tuqiri and Wendell Sailor, the threat seemed real but that's all it was - a threat.

Another agent is well known for his larger-than-life personality, winning over club executives and securing the favour of players. His ability to have the club pay for his services allows him to negotiate non-cash incentives for his players.

These non-cash incentives are hard for him to take a percentage from, so by securing payment from the club, which is legitimate and included in the salary cap, it allows him to negotiate incentives at a higher price than cash.

Incentives include education for children, travel costs, phones, real estate, future jobs or cars.

Often the added incentives grow because it starts working in the clubs' favour because salary cap problems disappear.

Not all players know what their agents get up to but some are just as guilty as their agents and I wouldn't be placing too many haloes over their heads.

-HERALD ON SUNDAY