Point of order: Ongoing debate proves player values should be public

There had been a few shots fired in Mudgee's direction in the opening weeks of the Peter McDonald Premiership season and some were questioning how the Dragons managed to fit four players with NRL experience in their lineup.

Given every club plays under the much-debated Player Points Index System (PPIS, how could one team have four players supposedly so high in value?

Easily, it turns out.

We spoke to Dragons president Cameron McCall last week and he explained the situation. None of the four ex-NRL players are worth maximum points for various reasons.

Jack Littlejohn has been with the club for more than four seasons so he's now worth zero. Clay Priest is in his fourth season so his value has dropped to 10.

Zac Saddler only played four NRL games so hit fits into a lower tier at 12 points and Anthony Cherrington hasn't played any top-level rugby league in five years so is down to five points.

McCall went as far as to say his club, if it really wanted to, could sign another ex-NRL player given the amount of points they've got to spare.

So, let's all move on. Nothing to see here.

But we all know that's not going to happen. There's continually going to be shots fired in the Dragons' direction this season. Especially after a performance like the one produced last weekend, when former Indigenous All Star Saddler starred with a barnstorming double in a win over Bathurst Panthers.

Not everyone will have read McCall's comments, as much as we want to imagine them clicking on everything we write.

Not everyone is at the officials' desk each weekend and can see the Mudgee teamsheet and the points value of each player.

No, they'll continue to take pot shots from the sideline or from their keyboard.

Part of that is envy and some tall poppy syndrome. The Dragons have a bit of glitz and glamour about them again this year and have made at least the preliminary final every season since 2019. It's easy for many fans to dislike them and most of the time that really adds spice to this competition.

But the continual comments about the points are frustrating. It's what led McCall to want to speak in the first place.

It's frustrating because we know how simple it would be to put it all to bed.

We've already called for the points at every club to be made public. Lay it all out there. Then everyone can see in black and white what every club is playing with.

Earlier this week, I spoke to Adam Devcich, the general manager of the Newcastle Rugby League.

The PPIS for the Denton Engineering Cup - Newcastle's first grade competition - is public. You want to know how the clubs there fit in so many ex-NRL players? Click this link here to find out.

Wasn't that easy.

Devcich was asked about the Newcastle points being public, and while he seemed to be surprised the PMP was private, he went on to play it with a straight bat.

"What we do, is we have all the player point values of every player, at every club, on our website that anybody can go to, any minute of any day to look at how we've assessed a player," Devcich said.

"You can see their value and why their value is what it is.

"Whether or not that's the right way, that's for others to judge. But that's the way we do it."

We're not saying this because we think any club is doing anything untoward. Far from it.

But transparency is needed. It would put any rumours to bed and makes organisations - whether its the PMP or NSW Rugby League - more trusted.

Plus, if we make it public then we can stop talking about Mudgee's points and get to the real questions about the Dragons. Can Clay Priest go the full season without being suspended? Can Mudgee break the hold Dubbo CYMS seems to have over them? Can these ex-NRL players lead them to this premiership they crave so much?

That's more like it.