Salary Cap increase in the next few seasons?!

[tigerstu]

Interesting article to read:

http://www.bigpondsport.com/news/tabid/281/newsid/42395/mortimer-to-cash-in-on-tv-rights-bonanza/default.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Basically the salary cap might be increased in the NRL gets some good money on television rights… so will we see a lot of players not signing long term contracts this year? Maybe Benji didn't read about this before signing for 6 years. I wonder how this will effect some clubs and the trading of players this year.

 

[Mrs_T]

According to the story on the front news page, Benji has a clause in his contract regarding any salary cap increases.

 

[Chris]

I don't think the amount of money available in a club's salary cap is wrong I just think the whole salary cap structure is the issue. I've been saying for years that clubs should be rewarded for developing their juniors. I strongly believe that any player who plays for a club that brought them through their junior ranks should be excluded from the salary cap. Imagine how hard clubs would fight in their local area for junior players. I doubt the AFL would stand a chance with them.

 

[Juro]

Couldn't agree more about the salary cap concessions for juniors. It would do wonders for developing the game at the grass roots. Don't know how it would work with players from the country though. And I shudder at how dominant teams like Brisbane would be under that structure.

The other change I would suggest is a discount for long serving players. That would increase the number of players who only play for one club. It would encourage clubs and players to show loyalty to one another. Us fans are loyal. We want the clubs to be loyal too!

Oh, and while I think of it, there should be transfer fees for players changing clubs. That way, clubs could make a bit of money from developing younger players, even if they don't get the benefit of that development on the field.

 

[tigerstu]

Couldn't agree more about the salary cap concessions for juniors. It would do wonders for developing the game at the grass roots. Don't know how it would work with players from the country though. And I shudder at how dominant teams like Brisbane would be under that structure.

The other change I would suggest is a discount for long serving players. That would increase the number of players who only play for one club. It would encourage clubs and players to show loyalty to one another. Us fans are loyal. We want the clubs to be loyal too!

Oh, and while I think of it, there should be transfer fees for players changing clubs. That way, clubs could make a bit of money from developing younger players, even if they don't get the benefit of that development on the field.

Good points!

I have always thought salary cap concessions for certain players… not even exemptions, just a concession which would help clubs take a certain percentage of payments off their cap.

My thoughts are: concessions for juniors, senior players who have played at one club for more than say 6-8 years and I would even go so far as to say players who are over a certain age could even get a concession. This might help encourage clubs/players to stay in the NRL and not skip off to the UK, France or Japan.

 

[Juro]

Another way to keep the top players in the NRL would be for the NRL to pay rep players an extra amount directly rather than through the clubs. It gets messy though with New Zealand being in the NRL too.