League: Cleary opposed to deadline

New Zealand Warrior coach Ivan Cleary has backed the National Rugby League's plan to scrap the June 30 anti-tampering deadline.

Earlier this month, Cleary had complained about distractions caused by the deadline.

He said tonight that getting rid of a date before which players coming off contract were prevented from negotiating with rival clubs would help to keep the spotlight on football.

"The problem for me at this time of the year is that, not only is it sidetracking for the management and certainly the coaching staff, but it is for the players as well," he said.

"What it also does is give the media something to focus on apart from what's going on on the field.

"That's fair enough, but I'd rather see things in the papers and on TV about what's happening on the field."

The deadline, which the NRL says has been impossible to police because clubs haven't been making official complaints, will be scrapped at next month's chief executives' meeting.

Most clubs have supported the proposal.

Cleary said the NRL had survived for a long time without anti-tampering.

"It was probably a good thing to try," he said.

"But I guess it's not working the way everyone wanted it to, so I don't see it as such a big deal."

He didn't believe the change would necessarily weaken the hand of the player managers.

"The smart ones will start negotiating earlier, I suppose, and certainly with star players," he said.

"If you can start getting some numbers on the table a fair way out from when the contract finishes, it might drive the price up a little bit. I'm sure the managers will sort something out."

With a week to go before this year's deadline, up to 70 players are off contract for next season.

They include Warriors Brent Webb and Awen Guttenbeil, who have both been in good form in recent weeks.

The Warriors, who have salary cap constraints, have allowed Guttenbeil to sound out Super League and other NRL clubs, while Kiwi fullback Webb has yet to be offered a new deal.

Cleary said he had no news to report on the pair's future.

- NZPA