Salary Cap under
scrutiny

The National Rugby League Chief Executives have agreed that the NRL should continue to examine options to introduce salary cap amendments in the area of third party agreements.

Clubs agreed that the proposal which was outlined in a document circulated earlier this week should be considered over the next 10 days and that formal club responses be submitted to the NRL.

The amendments flagged at today?s meeting would see each club allowed to designate two players who could receive financial benefits from club sponsors over and above the salary cap.

The benefits must reflect genuine commercial rates for the services being offered by the players and must be declared and substantiated by written contracts from the relevant company.

Currently, the game encourages players to maximize their earning potential through external sponsors but payments from sponsors already associated with a club are included in the salary cap.

In taking advantage of the eligible player status, a player would also commit to being a part of Rugby League for three seasons.

Also included in the proposal is a licensing plan which would see 7.5% of the agreement contributed to the NRL players? retirement fund and 7.5% to the player?s club.

To be defined as an eligible player, a player must be one of the club?s highest paid players in the top 25.

Clubs will not be permitted to artificially reduce contract values in terms of the salary cap.

?It?s a concept that will need to be policed very closely if it goes ahead,? NRL Chief Executive, Mr David Gallop, said today.

?The salary cap has helped create the most intense years of competition we have seen and the record crowds of the last two years endorse that fact.

?We are trying to maximize the opportunities for players to grow their earnings without putting the salary cap at risk.?

The CEO?s today also agreed to overturn a decision to limit season pass access in 2005.

An earlier meeting had decided that junior passes and volunteer?s passes issued by a club or district should only gain access to matches involving that team.

?Quite frankly people at the grass roots of the game have not accepted the rationale behind the decision,? Mr Gallop said.

?Clubs wanted to ensure that the passes assisted in building an association with their local teams but there were clear exceptions to that which were understandable.

?We had already offered provisions for country volunteers but some people have misread the intention.

?As such we will remain with the current system in 2005, despite what is printed on the passes, and discuss the matter with junior and regional associations before next year.

?In some ways it?s a back down but it is important to listen to the people at the grass roots of the game.?