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Live sport on SN this weekendStorm boss: Why a NRL draft is 'inevitable'
Nicholas Quinlan • November 14th, 2025 3:31 pm
Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski admits that while it would take a lot of work to implement, a draft system in the NRL is more than likely to happen at some point.
The case for a draft system has been a long-argued one, with the league trying to implement it for the NSWRL 1991 season.
But after the Adamson v NSWRL ruling by the Federal Court that the internal draft system attempted to impose an unreasonable restraint of trade, the system was abandoned and has not been reintroduced.
While there would be plenty of challenges in bringing it back to life, Rodski thinks it is more likely to be implemented given the level of support in the industry.
“It would be very difficult,” Rodski admitted on SEN’s The Captain’s Run. “I think in principle, the broader NRL industry would like to have a draft.
“But because the system is now so inherent in its pathways and the programs that are in place, the zoning.
“The way that the clubs and the NRL have worked over the last 30, 40, 50 years around player pathways and development, it would be very difficult to change that now.
“Not saying that it’s impossible because, of course, you could do it, and I think there is every chance that the NRLW will end up moving to a draft prior to the NRL itself.
“But it would take a lot of change, in a lot of areas that would significantly impact a lot of clubs in a way that…the development and pathways systems that have been put in place.
“I think it is inevitable at some point that the draft comes in. It won’t be in the short term, so yeah, it’s going to be interesting.”
The 2026 NRL season will get underway in Las Vegas with the Newcastle Knights playing the Cowboys on March 1.
