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Transfer windows, transfer fees, player loans and getting rid of the second tier salary cap could be part of a revolutionary new-look NRL in 2015.
In one of the most significant shake-ups to the game since Super League, NRL chief operating officer Jim Doyle is aiming to roll out a new salary cap arrangement in November.
He hopes it will address some burning issues which have affected teams this season.
A major bone of contention is clubs losing star players who are still under contract but seek an early release, without receiving any compensation in return.
Canberra got nothing from St George Illawarra when Josh Dugan signed with them after the frustrated Raiders sacked the misbehaving fullback with two years left on his deal.
The same club also face losing fellow backline stars Blake Ferguson and Anthony Milford to rival clubs next year despite still being contracted, while Canterbury are likely to lose Ben Barba to Brisbane with two years to run on his contract.
Doyle confirmed he will put forward the idea of a transfer window when club officials meet next month.
"We're looking at what issues have been coming up for a while and what needs to be addressed," Doyle told AAP.
"One of those is that if clubs or players want to break contracts how do we deal with that?
"We're looking at what other sports do ... like for example a transfer window.
"It could be that if a contract is to be broken it would have to be during a certain window.
"We would also look to see if a player breaks a contract, can a fee be paid to his club and vice versa.
"If a club want to take a player for a certain amount of dollars ... then the money received by the selling club wouldn't form part of their (salary) cap.
"It would be compensation for the time spent on development."
Doyle is also hoping to scrap the second-tier salary cap due to the problems generated this year when injuries have hit a club's top-25 squad hard.
Last week Wests Tigers had to seek special permission to breach the cap so Holden Cup players Luke Brooks and Nathan Brown could play NRL against the Dragons last Saturday.
Doyle said that decision was a one-off and could only be taken because neither side had any chance of affecting the finals, but he accepted the system's flawed.
"The cap's been in place for the last 15 years and we want to make significant changes to how it operates," Doyle said.
"At the moment we have the second tier cap and we're looking to go forward and make that one cap not two.
"Wests Tigers applied for dispensation and it was good for the game and it was good that it could happen.
"But it's not an ideal situation to deny players the chance to play."
In addition, a player loan system is used by clubs in Europe's Super League to good affect and Doyle believes there's merit to bringing it into the NRL.
"It is certainly something we will look at," he said.
"If you have a player injured and you don't have adequate replacements in your own ranks ... and there's a first-grade standard player not playing in a top team a club can give him some experience.
"It could potentially benefit both parties.
"We've looked at what works in other sports and what we might be able to take from them."
And B. Barba is a Bronco.
- NRL.COM
In one of the most significant shake-ups to the game since Super League, NRL chief operating officer Jim Doyle is aiming to roll out a new salary cap arrangement in November.
He hopes it will address some burning issues which have affected teams this season.
A major bone of contention is clubs losing star players who are still under contract but seek an early release, without receiving any compensation in return.
Canberra got nothing from St George Illawarra when Josh Dugan signed with them after the frustrated Raiders sacked the misbehaving fullback with two years left on his deal.
The same club also face losing fellow backline stars Blake Ferguson and Anthony Milford to rival clubs next year despite still being contracted, while Canterbury are likely to lose Ben Barba to Brisbane with two years to run on his contract.
Doyle confirmed he will put forward the idea of a transfer window when club officials meet next month.
"We're looking at what issues have been coming up for a while and what needs to be addressed," Doyle told AAP.
"One of those is that if clubs or players want to break contracts how do we deal with that?
"We're looking at what other sports do ... like for example a transfer window.
"It could be that if a contract is to be broken it would have to be during a certain window.
"We would also look to see if a player breaks a contract, can a fee be paid to his club and vice versa.
"If a club want to take a player for a certain amount of dollars ... then the money received by the selling club wouldn't form part of their (salary) cap.
"It would be compensation for the time spent on development."
Doyle is also hoping to scrap the second-tier salary cap due to the problems generated this year when injuries have hit a club's top-25 squad hard.
Last week Wests Tigers had to seek special permission to breach the cap so Holden Cup players Luke Brooks and Nathan Brown could play NRL against the Dragons last Saturday.
Doyle said that decision was a one-off and could only be taken because neither side had any chance of affecting the finals, but he accepted the system's flawed.
"The cap's been in place for the last 15 years and we want to make significant changes to how it operates," Doyle said.
"At the moment we have the second tier cap and we're looking to go forward and make that one cap not two.
"Wests Tigers applied for dispensation and it was good for the game and it was good that it could happen.
"But it's not an ideal situation to deny players the chance to play."
In addition, a player loan system is used by clubs in Europe's Super League to good affect and Doyle believes there's merit to bringing it into the NRL.
"It is certainly something we will look at," he said.
"If you have a player injured and you don't have adequate replacements in your own ranks ... and there's a first-grade standard player not playing in a top team a club can give him some experience.
"It could potentially benefit both parties.
"We've looked at what works in other sports and what we might be able to take from them."
And B. Barba is a Bronco.
- NRL.COM
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