How could they get to such a shit situation? ..
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...g/news-story/4f4503f482d3af00d241ce43abf128d2
How the Canterbury Bulldogs threw their salary cap into disarray with reckless spending
Michael Carayannis, Exclusive, The Sunday Telegraph
August 13, 2017 6:00am
IT is the multimillion-dollar spending spree which has left Canterbury’s salary cap in disarray with their failure to heed multiple warnings by the NRL leaving the game’s governing body unsympathetic to their plight.
It could also cost the club star recruits Kieran Foran and Aaron Woods, whose contracts are yet to be fully ratified by the NRL.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the Bulldogs have been in constant discussions with the NRL about strategies surrounding their salary cap dilemma with fears they could have overspent by up to $1 million.
But the NRL has little sympathy for the Bulldogs who have blatantly disregarded a stack of warnings to curb their spending spree.
Canterbury’s poor on-field performances have not helped with the players they were hoping to move on now becoming less attractive.
Rival clubs are also aware of the Bulldogs overspending, so they hope they can capitalise by securing a bargain buy.
On March 30 and again on April 20, the NRL gave all club CEOs salary cap guidance of $9.14 million for 2018 — this despite suggestions the cap could be as high as $10 million at the end of last year.
Since these warning the Bulldogs have added almost $2 million worth of talent after signing Woods (approximately $700,000), Foran ($900,000) and Fa’amanu Brown ($150,000).
The trio were announced in May. Negotiations with Foran and Woods were well advanced when the NRL shocked clubs with their original salary cap offer of $8.3 million.
That same month the Bulldogs also offered contract extensions to William Hopoate ($500,000), Marcelo Montoya ($100,000), Kerrod Holland ($150,000), Reimis Smith ($100,000) before re-signing Danny Fualalo ($100,000) and Adam Elliott ($150,000) in June.
It is understood some of these players are on back-ended contracts.
The Bulldogs declined to comment on Saturday.
Woods and Foran have only been provisionally registered by the NRL’s salary cap auditors after the Bulldogs provided the NRL with a plan to be under the proposed salary cap by round one.
There is no guarantee the contracts of Woods or Foran will be fully registered by the NRL — meaning they may not be free to turn out for their new club next year.
The NRL required a salary cap plan for the duo to be provisionally registered, which included off-loading a host of players, but poor form coupled with rivals knowing Canterbury must shed players has made the task of moving players on more difficult.
While the Raiders are another club which has overshot the NRL’s proposed salary cap their only new arrival for 2018 is Warriors rookie Erin Clark, who joined the club midway through this season.
The squeeze on the Bulldogs cap comes with the likes of Greg Eastwood and James Graham receiving big pay rises next year because of back ended deals.
While the Bulldogs have added internationals Woods and Foran, they have shed just one contracted player — prop Sam Kasiano who will join Melbourne.
But even then it is understood the Bulldogs will contribute some of Kasiano’s Storm wage.
Favourite son Josh Reynolds will depart the club for the Tigers but he was not contracted beyond this season while hooker Michael Lichaa won’t be retained.
On June 15 there was a meeting of club chief executive’s and chair people where the Bulldogs proposed introducing a “soft” cap for next year while the prospect of “grandfathering” payments has also been suggested.
This could allow the Bulldogs — for example — to be $400,000 over the salary cap for next year but play under a reduced salary cap of $100,000 per year for the following four seasons.
The NRL are unlikely to show any leniency to those clubs which are not compliant by the start of round one.
Bulldogs chairman Ray Dib is manoeuvring behind the scenes to gather support to ensure the NRL’s salary cap is raised to at least $9.5 million.
He will host a lunch for select rival club bosses on Monday to try and gain support.
Clubs do have plenty of power. All that is needed is five disgruntled clubs to stick together and they could block any salary cap agreement struck between the NRL and the Rugby League Players Association which has the potential to send the game into further chaos.
But at this stage it is unlikely Dib would “have the numbers” to force the stalemate.
It could also cost the club star recruits Kieran Foran and Aaron Woods, whose contracts are yet to be fully ratified by the NRL.
