[urlhttps://www.totalrl.com/wakefield-winger-becomes-hermes-driver-and-may-leave-for-rugby-union-to-make-a-living/?fbclid=IwAR3oSaPnc_UAKeIq5-inI-EQgUKf2jbw3uxSuM64PzEOjBfCoDMuXEoBlGs[/url

Really rather shocking to read. You have to wonder if there will be a situation where the elite level of this sport in England returns to part time status for some players

Tough reading.

Can't see other Super League clubs being interested really. Had some poor games following that outstanding debut v Leeds.

Whether Lee Kershaw makes it long term isn't really the point; that's a young professional sportsman from our club driving a Hermes van to make ends meet and living off a sub-minimum wage salary.

Just like millions of others, being a sportsman doesn’t make him special, so what is your point?

I don’t see a great deal in that article that makes me especially sympathetic.

Furlough gives him 80% of his salary though that I believe is soon to be reduced to 60%. If you take away travelling expenses then I can’t see the need for stupid emotive statements like ‘putting food on the the table’. Yes money will be short but not that short. This is typical media bull and like sheep people go for it.

I have been furloughed since April and although my financial muscle may be greater than that of a young man and mitigates things slightly I’ve not struggled at all, whilst some I know have positively benefited but hey let’s have a big wailing session instead.

I wish him all the best but seriously I’m supposed to weep in the current climate for a fit and healthy young man who by taking an extra job is able to keep his head above water, seriously! Should have lived through the early 80’s or better still the 1930’s to suffer real destitution.

My opinion, it won’t suit all but - - - edited

More for me shocking that professional contract at the elite level of rugby league is this country could take a small cut and become worth sub-minimum wage.

Fair play to Lee getting out there and doing what he’s done. Everyone has bills to pay.

Perhaps it depends how his contract is made up ?

The one certainty is that if he can make more brass delivering for Hermes, he wasn't anywhere near to top of the pile.
If he has his own place, without the comfort of a few years "fat" it could be very tough indeed.

He certainly wont be topping up his contract with appearances / win bonus etc and if he cant cover rent/bills etc, then, he's doing exactly the right thing.
After all, none of us know how long this is going to last and the one thing for sure is that the furlough scheme will end and there will be 100,000's losing their job at that point and RL players wont be immune.

I think that you are wrong to have a pop at the kid / papers here - unless of course you know his full circumstances ?

I agree that for some, the furloughing has been like an extended staycation but, definitely not for all.

If he really was on a sub-minimum wage, that would make me an illegal employer?

It would make you a very naughty employer. Thought that was after the furlough reduction he found himself in that situation though?
Sure you wouldn’t allow the club to make that sort of error. I’ve no idea how contracts are calculated and constructed in terms of hours etc so can only take the article on face value. I’ll stand by my initial reaction though.

While you’re here though Daddycool, do you think there is a danger of some SL Players ending up semi pro over the next few years due to impact of the situation?

Let me say straight out that he is nowhere near minimum wage and I wish I had earned what he does at 21

Hang on. If he’s on furlough, how is he working for Hermes? That isn’t allowed

Thanks DC

No great loss .

If his contract permits,then yes it is allowed.

Welcome to the new cry baby society where everyone is a victim.

Any sane person wouldn’t need you to tell them that but in this knee jerk society indignation is the default setting for many.

The story as printed is nauseating. If only the people of Britain could spend one day each as a Syrian refugee in Turkey all this nonsense would end tomorrow.

That said by the time we add up the cost of Covid we won’t need to, Syria will be here.

Just because an article has been written and published does not mean it is the full story.
We do not know the facts and figures of his income and just as importantly his outgoings.

We have no idea how he spends his money or what he needs to get by.

I'm lucky as I am still working full time but also finding myself with extra money as the lockdown has certainly curtailed my weekly spend at Costa/Starbucks or other coffee supplier as the shops are mainly shut my impulse buying has bottomed out (probably not a bad thing).

Let Lee back up this story that suggests he's been badly looked after, with some actual information.

As for me my lack of coffee shops has saved me about £100 a month and as I'm out the habit now it will continue to do so, until I find something else to waste it on, that is.

My issue here is not so much with Kershaw, that’s between him and the club.

It’s the media, that line ‘putting food on the table’ as if he’s some Victorian labourer who can’t feed his family, for Christ sake.

It’s bad enough from Piers Morgan but when some tatty little trade rag gets self righteous over a guy who plays a game for a living then I’m not having it. This virus should have been a reality check, it’s been the opposite!

Bit same for me, but public houses as opposed to coffee houses. I've never been as well off week by week and I was not a great drinker. Even when pubs re-open I will not frequent as often as I did, prior to lockdown.

Just a reminder, I haven't got time to clean up rugby threads that get side tracked to politics and covid. Post it in the politics thread or you risk it being deleted

Back to the post then. I thought Kershaw showed tremendous potential on his debut, but in all honesty, I've seen nothing since to convince me he will be anything other than ordinary.
I wish him well and we move on.

I think he'll be average super league or great 1st division. It's up to him which he prefers. We've been quite spoiled with TJ and BJB but he isn't a poor player at all.

Every time a young player moves on straight away,” he wasn’t owt special “ Lee had potential and proved it in the games he played, just like other positions on the field there is stiff competition the club offered 2 years and were shocked he didn’t sign as stated in papers, so must have thought something of him unlike some Wakey fans. I find it a strange one myself and personally would have snapped their hands off with the present climate, but again I and everyone else on here doesn’t know Lees circumstances. I think it will be tough to get a gig in SL with the compensation payment a club will have to pay. It’s a shame but wish him well what ever he decides to do.

You're right in a way BLM it does tend to be said, probably because we're a bit offended when players snub 'our' club.
LK had a storming debut and I felt big things for him and if he was offered a 2 year contract better coaches than me must still see good things in him.
I think PT hit it on the head when he mentioned TJ and BJB, I'm afraid they are the yardstick for wingers now!
I'm not writing him off I just felt he didn't shine much after the Leeds match - who knows he may make it big time in RU!

The furlough scheme was not introduced to enable people to come into a windfall. Ergo, they aren’t supposed to claim furlough and then work for someone else. The rules of furlough state you are available during your contracted working hours to go back to work at any point when called upon by your employer unless his hours for Hermes are outside his contracted hours for Wakefield. Is he delivering for hermes at like midnight because it’s hard enough to get a Hermes delivery before 5pm.


This is proper dodgy.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/25/coronavi ... -12608344/

https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/25/coronavi ... -12608344/