My idea is a 3 stage system. I haven't done calculations yet so don't hold me to numbers
1st stage - player salaries, allowances & other payments from club. There are set tiers of contracts, you must have set number of each and it's the same at every club. Example 3 players get $700k, 4 get $500k, etc. Perhaps there may be allowance if club doesn't want 3 top tier players, they can have an extra tier 2 and upgrade tier 4 to tier 3, whatever it is, as I said haven't done calcs, but there has to be enough disparity between the tiers to encourage distribution of talent, but not so much to cause player group issues. The cap could be the same as it is now, less or more but should probably be tied to broadcast deal. So players' overall salary is the same at every club.
2nd stage - "TPAs" sourced from anywhere except can't be guaranteed by club & can't be in a direct relationship with club e.g. Rusty can't fork over his own money to Burgess. Other than those rules if Dyldam want to sponsor the club & Norman, they can. Player can introduce their own, sponsors can choose their sponsoree or clubs can direct sponsorship to certain players. This is also where NRL exemptions & allowances are included for long term juniors, etc. There would also be exemptions for certain sponsors, commonly the larger corporations who are sponsoring the player regardless of where they play. There has to be a limit set high enough to encourage increased pay to the entire playing group, but low enough that it doesn't just become a 'who has the wealthiest fans' battle. Also there'd be a determination from the NRL if a player is getting substantial sponsorship then his player salary tier suggest he should.
3rd stage - The above the "TPA" limit payments. So if you go above the 2nd stage limit, you aren't breaching, instead the club gets taxed dollar for dollar the amount it goes over the cap by and that money gets distributed to every player at clubs who didn't go over limit, based on player salary up to their respective club's 2nd stage limit. There would then be a hard cap at this stage, which would be breach for going over, automatic fine plus tax plus potential points deduction.
It's probably not too far distant except the last stage to what is effectively happening at the moment, but I reckon having it set, known to the fans & stupidarse media will make it more transparent and do a better job of evening talent than it currently is
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