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The cap fits
By PAUL SUTTOR
March 4, 2005
http://www.illawarramercury.com/articles/2005/03/04/1109700639790.html
THE National Rugby League's proposed salary cap overhaul could mean mixed fortunes for the Dragons.
While they may end up with cash to chase a high-profile recruit, star prop Luke Bailey could be targeted by rival clubs.
St George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust was one of the driving forces behind the new scheme, where two players from each team can supplement their income via sponsorships from club sponsors.
The clubs will vote on whether to adopt the plan next Friday.
When asked if he thought it would be approved, an adamant Doust said: "Yes. I think there's a willingness from the NRL and a majority of the clubs to say it can work because they can see there are benefits for the game."
Due to their star-studded roster, the Dragons have had to release several players in recent years because they could not make them a competitive offer and stay under their $3.25million wages limit.
Doust said that even though there was a long way to go before they could calculate sums for next year, the red-and-whites might be able to pursue a big-name player for the first time since the joint venture club was formed in 1999.
The season doesn't start for another week but already there has been major speculation about player signings, headed by Penrith internationals Craig Gower and Tony Puletua, and Bulldogs trio Willie Mason, Braith Anasta and Sonny Bill Williams - a player the Dragons chased two years ago before he was the game's hottest property.
But the flip side of the equation is that Kangaroos prop Bailey, who is St George Illawarra's most notable free agent at season's end, could be offered big dollars to leave by a rival club keen to make him one of its two "sponsorship friendly" marquee players.
"You could argue that this is enhancing the talent equalisation process because it will allow clubs to have less chance of keeping their one and two marquee players from other clubs," Doust said.
Doust said the revamped salary cap would mean businesses which already sponsor a club wouldn't be disadvantaged if they wanted to use a player from that team in an endorsement role.
"I've had circumstances where existing sponsors of our club may have been interested in developing a promotional delivery with a player but I couldn't support it," he said. "It's about trying to keep pace with what's happening in the sporting world in relation to returns for intellectual property."
Doust warned that claims of player salaries skyrocketing under the proposal weren't necessarily accurate because sponsors already had considerable use of players and their images for promotions.
"Every player has a name and a signature and they want to attract returns for those properties," he said.
"If it keeps a player in the game longer and a player in a club longer, and gives them a reasonable return for a short lifespan in the game, that's in the interests of everybody."
By PAUL SUTTOR
March 4, 2005
http://www.illawarramercury.com/articles/2005/03/04/1109700639790.html
THE National Rugby League's proposed salary cap overhaul could mean mixed fortunes for the Dragons.
While they may end up with cash to chase a high-profile recruit, star prop Luke Bailey could be targeted by rival clubs.
St George Illawarra chief executive Peter Doust was one of the driving forces behind the new scheme, where two players from each team can supplement their income via sponsorships from club sponsors.
The clubs will vote on whether to adopt the plan next Friday.
When asked if he thought it would be approved, an adamant Doust said: "Yes. I think there's a willingness from the NRL and a majority of the clubs to say it can work because they can see there are benefits for the game."
Due to their star-studded roster, the Dragons have had to release several players in recent years because they could not make them a competitive offer and stay under their $3.25million wages limit.
Doust said that even though there was a long way to go before they could calculate sums for next year, the red-and-whites might be able to pursue a big-name player for the first time since the joint venture club was formed in 1999.
The season doesn't start for another week but already there has been major speculation about player signings, headed by Penrith internationals Craig Gower and Tony Puletua, and Bulldogs trio Willie Mason, Braith Anasta and Sonny Bill Williams - a player the Dragons chased two years ago before he was the game's hottest property.
But the flip side of the equation is that Kangaroos prop Bailey, who is St George Illawarra's most notable free agent at season's end, could be offered big dollars to leave by a rival club keen to make him one of its two "sponsorship friendly" marquee players.
"You could argue that this is enhancing the talent equalisation process because it will allow clubs to have less chance of keeping their one and two marquee players from other clubs," Doust said.
Doust said the revamped salary cap would mean businesses which already sponsor a club wouldn't be disadvantaged if they wanted to use a player from that team in an endorsement role.
"I've had circumstances where existing sponsors of our club may have been interested in developing a promotional delivery with a player but I couldn't support it," he said. "It's about trying to keep pace with what's happening in the sporting world in relation to returns for intellectual property."
Doust warned that claims of player salaries skyrocketing under the proposal weren't necessarily accurate because sponsors already had considerable use of players and their images for promotions.
"Every player has a name and a signature and they want to attract returns for those properties," he said.
"If it keeps a player in the game longer and a player in a club longer, and gives them a reasonable return for a short lifespan in the game, that's in the interests of everybody."
