Carting it up with Stevo

Most rugby league fans could write a 200 page book on their thoughts on, and improvements to, the salary cap. Like many I can see the benefit of the cap, but also understand that for it to be a success there must be constant scrutiny and regular tinkering. Just like any budget or law it has to move with the times.

My most recent concern with the inner workings of the cap involved the Newcastle Knights. A newspaper article on the weekend discussed the clubs concern that the salary cap is starting to impact on team selections. They explained that the large number of players they have required for first grade this year has led to them reaching their cap limit. If they were to select a player that has yet to play first grade this season his payment would be then have to come from the First Grade team cap and not the Premier League cap. With nothing left there, the Knights claimed they may have no choice but to select players that have already played first grade this year whether they are in form or not.

The Knights of course could simply creep over in this years cap, but after many years of doing this, Operations Manager Steve Crowe has said the club is trying to play fair and stay under the 2007 cap. The result is that players such as Premier League winger Akuila Uate, who have been waiting for their opportunity to play first grade, may not get their chance this year simply because their club doesn