Manly star Josh Aloiai criticized media personality Paul Kent for his take on players’ push for post-retirement healthcare and mocked the NRL360 presenter for his one-game run in the NRL.
Ongoing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations between the players and the NRL will continue through the 2023 season, with the well-being of the players after retirement being one of the sticking points.
The Rugby League Players Association is calling for a Medical Support Fund to provide support for NRL players who are retired or on transition.
NRL players are excluded from workers’ compensation legislation, leaving them vulnerable to costly surgeries and treatment once their commitments to the club end.
Kent criticized those requests earlier this month in a column where he wrote: “NRL players fill their eyes with dollar signs.”
Paul Kent has criticized the players’ demands in the CBA negotiations as greedy, including calls for a post-retirement healthcare model.
Sea Eagles player Josh Aloiai ridiculed Kent on social media for his claims, pointing to his one-game NRL run with Parramatta.
Now Aloiai, who was one of the Manly players who refused to wear the Pride jersey in 2022, has hit back at Kent on social media, pointing to his only first grade match for Parramatta as a running back in 1989.
“He managed to stay injury free in his only NRL career,” Aloiai posted with the eyes emoji designed to attract attention and a set of clapping hands.
‘No, thanks.’
He then posted a screenshot of Kent talking about post-retirement health care.
‘I don’t know of another union or company anywhere in the world where you are still responsible for people’s health care long after you have left the company. If there’s one nearby, show me. I don’t know where he is, I haven’t heard of him,” Kent wrote in her recent column for The Daily Telegraph.
‘The reason you don’t get paid is also partly because of what you get paid now. It is because of that risk and that danger factor in the game.
Aloiai later responded to those claims, saying: ‘Because not many other companies (sic) leave you handicapped for life long after you leave that job.’
He then concluded the post by taking Paul Kent with an equals sign and clown emoji.
The social media post Josh Aloiai posted in response to Kent’s column on the CBA negotiations
Aloiai was also one of the Manly players to withdraw from the Pride match against the Sydney Roosters in 2022.
Former Parramatta star Jarryd Hayne, who is currently awaiting a third trial in March for the alleged sexual assault of a woman, also shared the story with a series of laughing emojis.
A number of NRL players liked Aloiai’s comments that had been shared on Instagram, including Manly teammate Jason Saab and Cronulla Sharks star Ronaldo Mulitalo.
NRL fans had mixed reactions to Aloiai’s post.
“Maybe they should talk to a mason or mason who’s been in the game for 15 or 20 years… to see how they’re doing,” one fan replied.
‘The NRL should be responsible for covering any injuries caused by playing the game, these players have short careers so for life they need to support the players. Look at a lot of the other contact sports like the NFL, which is also going through scrutiny because of life after the game,” another replied.
Jarryd Hayne liked and shared Aloiai’s post attacking Paul Kent. He is currently awaiting trial for sexual assault.
RLPA boss Clint Newton wants post-retirement healthcare system because NRL players are barred from workplace compensation
In his column, Kent had called on NRL players to stop being greedy, saying that post-retirement healthcare was “unrealistic” and that players were already compensated for the danger in the game.
“I just think it’s outrageous to be really honest,” he said.
“I think part of the reason they’re so well rewarded now is because they can do it themselves, shape their own future.
‘It’s unrealistic. What players need to understand is that part of the reason they are paid so well now is because of the risk they are taking.
“That is why every boxer goes into the ring knowing that there will be health problems. But they do it because they back themselves to one day make money out of it to make it all worth it.
‘If these guys don’t want to play NRL and put up with the collisions and the force, and just want to play rugby league like them, go and play in the bush.
‘Go play somewhere else where the collisions aren’t as violent. They won’t pay you either.