Billy Slater calls for calm over NRL's 'bit extreme' 10-year bans for R360 defectors

League great Billy Slater believes the NRL's 10 year ban for players who switch to R360 could be seen as a "little bit extreme", arguing the game shouldn't be worried.

NRL players face 10 year suspensions for defecting to R360, while accredited agents who enter negotiations with the rebel league will face an equally harsh penalty after Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys announced the policy on Wednesday.

The ARLC took the decisive step after receiving legal advice, deciding in favour of imposing heavy sanctions on players and agents who sign with R360.

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"The commission has a clear duty to act in the best interests of rugby league and its fans and we will take all necessary steps to protect the future of the game," V'landys said.

The NRL announced that any NRL player that "negotiates or enters any form of agreement, verbal or written," with an unrecognised competition will be banned from participation in any ARLC-sanctioned competition for a period of ten years.

This includes the NRL.

"This policy reflects the united stance of the commission and NRL clubs. We will not allow unrecognised competitions to undermine the integrity, professionalism, and future of rugby league," NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.

They will also apply the same decade-long ban to accredited agents that act for, assist, represent or advise a player in any capacity in dealings with the R360.

"Unfortunately, there will always be organisations that seek to pirate our game for potential financial gain," V'landys added.

"They don't invest in pathways or the development of players - they simply exploit the hard work of others, putting players at risk of financial loss while profiting themselves.

"If it all goes wrong it's the players who suffer most. Every stakeholder must be accountable to the standards our fans expect. We've listened to our clubs, and we've acted decisively."

Slater doesn't think there should be this level of concern.

"I think our game's in a really good position to be honest and maybe our game's a little more worried about this competition than I am," he said on Nine's Today Show.

"TV ratings are going through the roof ... you only have to look at the grand final and Origin series this year and how exciting and entertaining our game is at the moment.

"I think that's always been our main attraction, not just to play the game but also be a part of it and to watch our game.

"Me personally, players come, players go, you look at Mark Nawaqanitawase this year, he was playing a different sport two years ago and he's entertaining in our game now. For the handful of people that might go and look at options overseas and play different sports, it probably seems a little bit extreme."

The main part of the attraction for players to switch to R360 will be the riches on offer, with some contracts inevitable too much to refuse.

The prospect of player basing themselves in cities with tax-free incentives has also been discussed.

Slater suggested players should have the ability to take care of themselves.

"As a former player myself, players put absolutely everything into the sport and sometimes that's to the detriment of long term health," he said.

"We've got to respect our players as well, they are our sport at the end of the day.

"Like the great Tina Turner always said, it's simply the best game in the world. I think we lean on that attraction rather than anything else."

The ARLC has said that they will look at each ban on a "case-by-case" basis and retain the sole discretion to review or lift a ban only in "exceptionally extenuating circumstances".

The R360 competition is promising to kick off next year and planning to have six men's teams and four women's.

Franchises are set to be based in London, Miami, Tokyo, Dubai, Boston, Cape Town, Lisbon and Madrid.

The International Rugby Players Association has also told their members to be wary of the competition, fronted by ex-England star Mike Tindall.

The rugby world last week gave a strong condemnation of the rebel league with Australia joining other major nations in telling players that signing up would make them ineligible for international selection.

-- with Lachlan Harper.