The oldest living Australian Kangaroos rugby league player, Ken McCaffery, says money is ruining modern rugby league
McCaffery, 88, was once among the highest-paid players in the game and he still takes a keen interest in the modern game, but does not like all that he sees.
"I'm dirty on the players that are getting around now. I think they've done the game a lot of harm," he said.
Mr McCaffery said clubs were being sent broke by players who demanded huge dollars, but often failed to deliver the performances expected.
"I think they've got to have a sum of money to attract a player, but then I think there's got to be some condition to the balance of a contract," he said.
"The balance of the contact [should be] dependent on the success of the team."
It is no surprise then that the former half-back is no fan of the controversy surrounding Gold Coast star Jarryd Hayne.
"It's boring and it just highlights the necessity of some mathematical genius to come up with something that's not all for the player," he said.
Mr McCaffery can speak from experience.
He retired in 1960 after a serious pre-season injury, despite being entitled to sit on the sidelines and still earn 1,000 pounds from North Sydney.
"Harry McKinnon said 'we've got to pay it', and I said 'no you don't, I won't accept it'."
Mr McCaffery later went to work as a secretary-manager for Canterbury Bankstown.
He will attend a Kangaroos reunion at the Sydney Cricket Ground this Sunday, and it's some modern-day greats who he is most looking forward to catching up with.
"I'm very impressed with those blokes from Melbourne, they've done rugby league a terrific good turn because that's the way you've got to play the game," he said.
"It's got to be more entertainment ... those [Melbourne] blokes when they play, it's terrific to watch."
