congratulations to craig stapleton.

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DoGz Of WaR

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:grinning: Hard work pays off for Stapleton
July 3, 2006

YEARS of struggle and sacrifice have finally paid off for Penrith battler Craig Stapleton after he signed a six-figure deal to join Sharks next season.

While the NRL's elite can command in excess of $500,000 a season, Stapleton has been struggling to feed his family of six on the league's minimum wage of just $37,500 this year.
Such has been the financial hardship on the journeyman prop that he has been forced to work alongside his father on the rail yards on his day off training.

"It's hard for a family man to be on that sort of money," Stapleton said today.

"It's not too bad if you're a single bloke, you can get by, but when you have a family to feed it's really hard.

"There's no way (we could do it for another season), there's not a chance we could have and I wouldn't want to put my family through that either.

"We knew this year would be tough and I spoke about that with my family.

"They said it was my last chance (in rugby league) and stood by me, so I didn't want to put them through it again."

The two-year deal with the Sharks will allow the Stapleton family to move back into their house at Shellharbour after renting in Penrith during his stint with the Panthers.

The durable 27-year-old said it would be a luxury to be able to concentrate exclusively on football and not have to supplement his income with another job.


"It can be hard sometimes, but it's not too bad," he said of his days driving freight company trains.

"At least now it's not a necessity, if I want to work I can and if I don't have to I don't have to."

The former Parramatta and St George Illawarra bookend, described by coach John Lang as his best forward this season, applauded the NRL's move to increase the minimum wage to $50,000 and said the latest contract justified his decision to return to the NRL.

"Playing for a club that was coming last every week, I was pretty close (to quitting) last year," he said of his ill-fated stint with English second division side Leigh.

"We've had to move around a little bit and this year was more about getting reinstated in the NRL.

"It has done its job."



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i honestly applaude this bloke for never giving up. youd think he wouldve thrown in the towel but he didn't and because of that and his hard work he has been repayed. i have seen him play a few games this year for penrith and he plays with such heart and character and i congratulate him on his new club and good on the sharks for seeing this and buying him as he is a consistent performer.
 

MP4 - Eedz

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Congrats to him, I hope he plays well and further extends his career later on :D
 

.PARANoIR.

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Good on him ay. I couldn't be happier for the bloke. I was just thinking the other day how much he has improved. He's deserved it heaps.
 

Pup_Ingham

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wait on... both my parents work fulltime and only earn about 30 000 p.a and i cant say were struggling, craig has to spend money on the right things he couldnt have been that bad off, and now he laughing earning 100 000 a year.
 

Özil

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Pup_Ingham said:
wait on... both my parents work fulltime and only earn about 30 000 p.a and i cant say were struggling, craig has to spend money on the right things he couldnt have been that bad off, and now he laughing earning 100 000 a year.
tbh with you... im suprised that he is on a munimum wage... this guy is talented and i thought he is worth more than 100k so i am happy that he is erning that much
 

DoGz Of WaR

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Pup_Ingham said:
wait on... both my parents work fulltime and only earn about 30 000 p.a and i cant say were struggling, craig has to spend money on the right things he couldnt have been that bad off, and now he laughing earning 100 000 a year.
both ur parents work earning $30,000 so thats $60000 and im pretty sure ur parents dont have 6 children. imagine around 35000 and havin to put 6 kids through school thats aroung $1700 each a year for school fees. thats around $10000 a year on school fees. wats left for food, clothing, bills. etc
 

Özil

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nxt_best_thing said:
both ur parents work earning $30,000 so thats $60000 and im pretty sure ur parents dont have 6 children. imagine around 35000 and havin to put 6 kids through school thats aroung $1700 each a year for school fees. thats around $10000 a year on school fees. wats left for food, clothing, bills. etc
seriously... whats $32,000 these days? its nothing compared to say 6 or 7 years ago
 
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