PETERO CIVONICEVA has moved to shift the focus of the player payments debate to those at the bottom of the income spectrum who earn the NRL minimum salary of $52,500. The newly re-signed Penrith captain, who found himself made an informal spokesman for the senior players this week, said too much focus had been placed on the calls by international stars for ARU-like representative top-ups to help NRL clubs compete with offers from rival codes. Civoniceva met Rugby League Players' Association chief executive David Garnsey for four hours on Tuesday and revealed yesterday that their major talking point was the meagre salaries of the game's lesser names and rookies. http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...n-to-bat-for-nrls-battlers-20100512-uy2g.html
