Rothfield: Cronk was going to sign with Eels last Wednesday

[junior009]

Just because Rothfield says so - doesn't make it fact. :roll:

Cronk isn't going anywhere. He has said he doesn't want to be released and is happy to spend the next three years in Melbourne. If you follow the link you can even see him smiling:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...eep-their-hands-off-cronk-20100729-10y0g.html

Oh, he smiled????

Well that changes everything then

 

[84 Baby]

Actually - no, I wasn't misreading things there, and that's not what I was asking.

Firstly, both contracts did NOT count against the cap, only the second 'larger' one counted for the cap breach. Had the NRL just looked at the 'legal' ones then they would've been fine (why cheat if you can't even get that right). The players weren't getting paid 2 contractual amounts, just one.

example: sign for $650k and lodge a $400k contract at NRL HQ. Player isn't getting $1050k - and the amount that they are over the cap for that contract is $250k (not $650k).

The question I'm asking is: HAS the NRL come out and said that the 'lodged' contracts are the binding ones going forward? Ie, the players 'fake' $650k contract will be thrown in the bin and they will get paid the $400k one. This is a problem for the Storm still since they also arranged 3rd party deals (eg $100k for this hypothetical player) and that amount puts them over the cap and must be counted now. But it'd be a damn shame if they were only over by that amount rather than the full whack.

The way I've understood it isn't that (we'll stay with Cronk) Cronk signed a contract for say $400k as his NRL playing contract paid by Melbourne Storm. He would then sign a contract for $250k with the 3rd party (can't remember it's name, the marquee hire one) to receive sponsorship from them if Cronk stayed in Melbourne. The 3rd party & Storm told Cronk it was all above board and wouldn't count to their salary. In fact Storm were just paying the 3rd party who would pass on the money to Cronk.

NRL has deemed the 3rd party payments to count under the cap rules along with Cronk's NRL contract so $650k all up. What I reckon the NRL should now do to nudge the Storm into getting rid of players is telling them that the illegal 3rd party payments won't count against their cap if the player it relates to isn't in the Melbourne Storm squad for the remainder of that player's current contract.

 

[parra-matters]

if the storm keep more than 2 of the big 4 then the salary cap is not working IMO.

 

[SDM]

Just because Rothfield says so - doesn't make it fact. :roll:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...eep-their-hands-off-cronk-20100729-10y0g.html

BLASPHEMY!! The man is a future immortal, just via his journalism.