The NRL has vowed to ban any player who leaves the code for R360 for 10 years, as it fights to fend off the threat of the breakaway rugby competition.
In a statement on Wednesday, the NRL also threatened to ban any agent if they take a player to the rebel competition.
It is understood any player suspensions would not come into force until after the player has left the NRL, meaning defectors could still be free to play out 2026.
The likes of Ryan Papenhuyzen, Zac Lomax, Payne Haas, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Jye Gray are among those believed to be considering moving to the competition.
The NRL said the rules would apply to any competition that is not recognised as a national sporting organisation by the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC).
“The Commission has a clear duty to act in the best interests of rugby league and its fans,” ARLC chair Peter V’landys said.
“We will take all necessary steps to protect the future of the game. Unfortunately, there will always be organisations that seek to pirate our game for potential financial gain.
“They don’t invest in pathways or the development of players. They simply exploit the hard work of others, putting players at risk of financial loss while profiting themselves. They are, in reality, counterfeiting a code.”
The measures come after the NRL last week met with the 17 club bosses, who asked for action against any defecting players and their managers.
Broncos premiership player Payne Haas is one player believed to be considering R360. Photograph: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
Clubs had discussed whether the rules could apply to all players who defected, or only those who broke contracts to do so.
But Wednesday’s statement makes it clear that the league wants to take action against anyone who leaves for a rebel competition.
V’landys has previously labelled R360 as a competition that has “come out of a corn-flakes box”, warning players risk not being paid by joining such leagues.
skip past newsletter promotion
Sign up to Australia Sport
Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk
Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
after newsletter promotion
“If it all goes wrong it’s the players who suffer most,” V’landys said on Wednesday.
“Every stakeholder must be accountable to the standards our fans expect. We’ve listened to our clubs, and we’ve acted decisively.”
The NRL would have a right to lift the ban, but says it would only be done in “exceptionally extenuating circumstances” on a “case-by-case basis”.
It comes after Rugby Australia last week banned any player who joins R360 from representing the Wallabies, with that stance taken by seven other countries.
“This policy reflects the united stance of the Commission and NRL clubs,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.
“We will not allow unrecognised competitions to undermine the integrity, professionalism and future of rugby league.”
