Call for salary caps exemptions to
clubs for injuries

State of Origin casualty Justin Hodges' manager has called on the NRL to allow clubs salary cap exemptions as compensation for players injured in representative games.

Jim Banaghan says it is unfair clubs have to shoulder the burden for players injured in the State of Origin series. He says salary cap exemptions would assist clubs to fill the void left by injuries to leading players in non-competition games.

Banaghan has ruled out any legal action against Suncorp Stadium despite Hodges suffering a season-ending injury on the sandy playing surface last Wednesday night.

The young Sydney Roosters star will undergo a full knee reconstruction next Thursday after damaging his cruciate ligament. Brisbane chief executive Bruno Cullen also supports the call for the NRL to consider some creative options during the representative season.

But he does not support salary cap exemptions.

Instead, Cullen believes the NRL should take over player payments for representative games.