The Roosters are on course to be given salary cap relief following their acquisition of Wallabies winger Mark Nawaqanitawase but they won’t get any favours if they lure Joseph Suaalii back from rugby.
Granting salary cap exemptions for rugby recruits was discussed at the ARL Commission meeting on Thursday and is set to be rubber-stamped in March.
That could mean the majority or all of his salary could be exempt from the salary cap when he makes the cross-code leap in 2025.
However, the Roosters will not be given cap relief if they succeed in their plan to convince Suaalii to return to the NRL following his three-year contract with Rugby Australia.
Nawaqanitawase has reportedly signed a two-year deal with the Tricolours worth $900,000 in total.
Mark Nawaqanitawase. (Photo by Mackenzie Sweetnam/Getty Images)
Waratahs prodigy Max Jorgensen is also in the crosshairs of NRL talent scouts but any club who signs a rugby player for 2024 will not be granted salary cap exemptions.
“The discounts were never going to be in place for 2024, but there is still an appetite for it,” ARL chair Peter V’landys told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“We’ll discuss it at length next March. It was raised at a board meeting a few years ago, but I want to stress it was never about targeting Rugby Australia. The idea was about giving clubs a discount for signing any top player from another code who would add another dimension to rugby league.”
On the prospect of Suaalii potentially returning under an exemption down the track, V’landys was adamant “that won’t happen”.
“The discount will only be for new players,” he told the SMH. “If we allowed for that to happen, it would only encourage players to join rugby knowing they can come back at a discounted rate for clubs. That has already been ruled out.”
The ARL Commission is also advancing with its plan to expand the competition in 2026 with a decision to be made in the first half of next year about whether to go ahead with an 18th team.
A Papua New Guinea side, with the financial backing of the Australian government, is the favourite to get the nod while there is also interest from South-East Queensland and Perth following the successful introduction of the Dolphins last season.
qwetzen
Roar Rookie
Harris had the worst nose in history Gavin Miller had to get his hankies tailor-made.
mushi
Roar Guru
Why? Seriously if we think beating union will save the game long term versus figuring out the niche vs sports globalisation we are more unintelligent than the union fraternity believe us to be.
Owen Rees
Roar Rookie
— COMMENT DELETED —
Pickett
Roar Rookie
Played for the Randwick Galloping Greens alongside Russell Fairfax I believe.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
But played 12 for the Wallabies
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You’ve lost the plot. Bitter and twisted over a professional player changing codes when out of contract.
Tony
Roar Guru
:laughing:
Tony
Roar Guru
And before Harris, there was Peter Dimond :happy: If there's one player I would have liked to play outside it's John Brass. Hard to believe he only played half a dozen games for Australia.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
I’m just glad that others can also finally see things , with a little more clarity. For the most part, I’ll just ignore replies that I feel aren’t worthy of further comment.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Was wondering where you were.....thought I may had offended you or you were on a pilgrimage somewhere offshore
Panthers
Roar Rookie
If I commented what you just did? Many would say that I’m seeing another conspiracy, or that it’s the same stuff yet again. Yet you can see the bias as well. :thumbup:
Pickett
Roar Rookie
Mark Harris...before Eric Grothe, before Jonah Lomu, there was Mark Harris. Arguably the greatest centre combo that complimented each other. Silky smooth and magic hands Brass and the bludgeoning, impossible to tackle Harris who could torpedo punt as well as Roger Gould.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Oh FFS, what is the justification for this? Accounting for the number of rugby players ready, willing and able to come across, there are not enough worth targeting for each team to get a crack at signing one. It will just be an advantage for certain clubs.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
Blake Ferguson says "Hi!"
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :shocked:
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Harris was great until little Kerry B smoked him. Harris had the worst nose in history
Footy Franks
Roar Rookie
The wallabies backs might be the feeder club to the Rooosters
Ben Pobjie
Expert
Good to see the Roosters finally catch a break
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Same height and weight as Mark Harris, the roosters can sniff out a good winger
Tony
Roar Guru
At least he'll play in a side capable of actually winning something....anything... :laughing: