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Relaxed NRL salary cap rules help Parramatta launch raid for Quade BRAD WALTER
August 18, 2010
ANALYSIS
It has been well known for some time in league circles that Quade Cooper was interested in switching codes, but it was not until recent changes to the salary cap rules that NRL clubs have been in a position to make him the first Wallabies recruit since Garrick Morgan joined the South Queensland Crushers in 1995.
With corporate support for the 15-man code in Australia dwindling, the ARU has decided that the big-money contracts afforded to the likes of Lote Tuqiri and Matt Giteau are now a thing of the past and want to put the country's top players on largely incentive-based contracts whereby their income is supplemented by Test match appearances.
But at the same time, the NRL has loosened its salary cap rules so that players can earn guaranteed third-party payments of up to $300,000 and an unlimited amount from non-club sponsors. Further changes enable clubs to offer cars and players to take advantage of tax breaks for the use of their intellectual property rights.
As a result, Cooper will be able to earn more than $850,000 per year if he accepts Parramatta's three-year offer whereas the deal tabled by the ARU guarantees the Wallabies playmaker just $360,000 per year.
While the offer represents a $100,000 increase on Cooper's current rugby deal, it is less than half the money that Giteau - the player Cooper supplanted for the Australian No.10 jersey - receives, but the ARU can no longer afford such lucrative contracts.
Coincidentally, it was the ARU's role in blocking a possible move by Cooper from the Queensland Reds to the Western Force - where a $110,000 ceiling salary Australian Super 14s franchises are permitted to pay players would have been topped up by third-party deals from Perth businesses - that first prompted him to consider a switch to league.
Officials from other NRL clubs yesterday told the Herald they had been sounded out about their interest in Cooper a month ago, and after missing out on Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk the Eels opened negotiations with the Wallabies five-eighth last week.
Cooper had wanted to join good mates David Pocock and James O'Connor at the Force, but the QRU is jointly administered by the ARU after suffering financial problems earlier this year. The 22-year-old is the Reds' biggest drawcard so he could not be allowed to leave for the riches on offer in Perth.
Apart from his $110,000 Super rugby contract, Cooper receives a car and accommodation allowance from the QRU that takes his deal with the Reds to about $150,000. He has signed with the QRU for a further two years but that is subject to his finalising a deal with the ARU, which pays him $110,000 and has offered to increase that to $210,000 next year.
But with the NRL having recently doubled the marquee player allowance for each club from $150,000 to $300,000, the Eels have at least $150,000 they can offer him in guaranteed third-party sponsorship deals with club sponsors on top of his base contract. In addition, Parramatta officials have told the Herald that other corporate backers are lining up to do deals with Cooper if he signs with the club and it is now believed he could earn up to $1 million by making the switch.
Such deals enabled the Broncos to snare Greg Inglis from Melbourne last week on a $300,000 playing contract and it was revealed that Justin Hodges is on the same money, while captain Darren Lockyer is listed at $250,000 under the salary cap and Sam Thaiday at $240,000.
After reading this, it got me thinking that we must have some room to move under the salary cap. I wonder if we're actually looking at chasing anybody, whether it be a UK based player such as Jamie Graham, or if we are keeping our powder try and looking to tie up our existing players on longer term deals. Maybe after next years rugby world cup, we might look at a Kurtley Beale type aquisition as a replacement for Miniciello. Any thoughts?
Relaxed NRL salary cap rules help Parramatta launch raid for Quade BRAD WALTER
August 18, 2010
ANALYSIS
It has been well known for some time in league circles that Quade Cooper was interested in switching codes, but it was not until recent changes to the salary cap rules that NRL clubs have been in a position to make him the first Wallabies recruit since Garrick Morgan joined the South Queensland Crushers in 1995.
With corporate support for the 15-man code in Australia dwindling, the ARU has decided that the big-money contracts afforded to the likes of Lote Tuqiri and Matt Giteau are now a thing of the past and want to put the country's top players on largely incentive-based contracts whereby their income is supplemented by Test match appearances.
But at the same time, the NRL has loosened its salary cap rules so that players can earn guaranteed third-party payments of up to $300,000 and an unlimited amount from non-club sponsors. Further changes enable clubs to offer cars and players to take advantage of tax breaks for the use of their intellectual property rights.
As a result, Cooper will be able to earn more than $850,000 per year if he accepts Parramatta's three-year offer whereas the deal tabled by the ARU guarantees the Wallabies playmaker just $360,000 per year.
While the offer represents a $100,000 increase on Cooper's current rugby deal, it is less than half the money that Giteau - the player Cooper supplanted for the Australian No.10 jersey - receives, but the ARU can no longer afford such lucrative contracts.
Coincidentally, it was the ARU's role in blocking a possible move by Cooper from the Queensland Reds to the Western Force - where a $110,000 ceiling salary Australian Super 14s franchises are permitted to pay players would have been topped up by third-party deals from Perth businesses - that first prompted him to consider a switch to league.
Officials from other NRL clubs yesterday told the Herald they had been sounded out about their interest in Cooper a month ago, and after missing out on Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk the Eels opened negotiations with the Wallabies five-eighth last week.
Cooper had wanted to join good mates David Pocock and James O'Connor at the Force, but the QRU is jointly administered by the ARU after suffering financial problems earlier this year. The 22-year-old is the Reds' biggest drawcard so he could not be allowed to leave for the riches on offer in Perth.
Apart from his $110,000 Super rugby contract, Cooper receives a car and accommodation allowance from the QRU that takes his deal with the Reds to about $150,000. He has signed with the QRU for a further two years but that is subject to his finalising a deal with the ARU, which pays him $110,000 and has offered to increase that to $210,000 next year.
But with the NRL having recently doubled the marquee player allowance for each club from $150,000 to $300,000, the Eels have at least $150,000 they can offer him in guaranteed third-party sponsorship deals with club sponsors on top of his base contract. In addition, Parramatta officials have told the Herald that other corporate backers are lining up to do deals with Cooper if he signs with the club and it is now believed he could earn up to $1 million by making the switch.
Such deals enabled the Broncos to snare Greg Inglis from Melbourne last week on a $300,000 playing contract and it was revealed that Justin Hodges is on the same money, while captain Darren Lockyer is listed at $250,000 under the salary cap and Sam Thaiday at $240,000.
After reading this, it got me thinking that we must have some room to move under the salary cap. I wonder if we're actually looking at chasing anybody, whether it be a UK based player such as Jamie Graham, or if we are keeping our powder try and looking to tie up our existing players on longer term deals. Maybe after next years rugby world cup, we might look at a Kurtley Beale type aquisition as a replacement for Miniciello. Any thoughts?
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