Parramatta icon Brett Kenny has called on the NRL to act on what he believes is a growing trend of players breaking contracts due to personal issues and signing elsewhere.
Kenny came out swinging at the Eels' 70th anniversary jersey reveal on Tuesday, saying the developments that led to Kieran Foran appearing for the Warriors were wrong for the game.
Foran isn't the only player to have been granted a release from his club and moved elsewhere, with forward Chris Grevsmuhl turning out for Gold Coast months after leaving Penrith.
"I'll be honest, I just think the way things go at the moment with the league, I believe players are pulling all these sorts of stunts, saying I can't do this and I can't do that," Kenny said.
"And all of a sudden they're allowed to leave the club and six months later or even less, you're allowed to sign with another club. To me, that's not right.
"I think they've really got to do something about it. I think it was good to see him back playing well, but the way it all happened was wrong."
The four-time premiership winner said more needed to be done about making players honour their contracts with their club before opting to move on.
He suggested players be given more leeway by their clubs to address personal issues with the end goal of returning to the team and finishing their deal.
"I would've been told to go away, look after things, try and sort things out, be back at training in a fortnight or a month's time, and be ready to play. That was the way it was back then," he said.
"But now youv'e got to give him time off, send him away here or away there. I fully understand you have mental issues, but I think a lot of times it's being treated too softly.
"These guys have got to be told, 'You're getting paid damn good money to do this, the club have signed you in the belief you'll be there for the remainder of your contract'."
In just his second match of the season and first against the Eels since controversially being granted a release by Parramatta last year, Foran was arguably the Warriors' best player in their victory.
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