SMH: Roosters finally bitten by the cap

[Hurriflatch]

Wages bill puts cap on Roosters' new players
By Brad Walter and Steve Mascord
July 14, 2004

Premiership favourites Sydney Roosters are unable to use any more new players in the NRL this season because of the salary cap.

Roosters chief executive Brian Canavan last night confirmed the competition leaders had reached their $300,000 ceiling on payments to players outside the club's top 25-man squad.

St George Illawarra, who play the Roosters on Friday night, suffered the same problem last season and were forced to stand down Ryan Powell, and the Herald has been told the Dragons are again in a similar predicament.

While there is no suggestion either club is in breach of the $3.25 million salary cap, Canavan said the Roosters had been prevented from selecting Lopini Paea and Iosia Soliola.

"We were entertaining using those two players in our round-17 match against North Queensland two weeks ago, but we discovered that we had reached our $300,000 limit for the second-tier salary cap," Canavan said.

"We're full. It's disappointing that we couldn't blood another player but they are the rules. We can re-use the players we've already used this season, it just means that we can't bring up any more juniors."

With injuries and State of Origin commitments, Canavan estimated the Roosters had used 33 players in 16 matches so far this season - two more than the club did in the whole of last year.

The Dragons used 36 players last season and were advised by the NRL after naming Powell for the round-24 clash with Melbourne that they would exceed the cap by $20,000 if he played.

Canavan said the issue had recently been discussed at a meeting of NRL club chief executives, but it had been agreed that there would be no increase in the second-tier salary cap.

A collective bargaining agreement to be put to a vote of players after NRL CEO David Gallop and Rugby League Players' Association president Tony Butterfield yesterday signed a heads of agreement is also unlikely to result in an immediate increase in the salary cap.

The two parties finally reached agreement after more than three years of negotiations at a meeting attended by player representatives from most clubs.

Bulldogs officials will meet goalkicking winger Hazem El Masri today in a bid to re-sign him amid speculation linking the Australia and Lebanon international to St George Illawarra.

Jamie Feeney's agent, Steve Robinson, said the former Country Origin second-rower was still likely to leave the Bulldogs at the end of the season after being told to look for another club before Steve Price's signing with the Warriors.

Melbourne, Newcastle and Wests Tigers are believed to be interested in Feeney.

The Knights are also looking at Storm forward Kirk Reynoldson and Brisbane's Carl Webb.

Canberra players say an emotional team meeting on Monday has allowed them to put the disappointment of player departures behind them.

Players and officials have admitted the departures of Luke Davico, Ruben Wiki and Joel Monaghan have proved a major distraction and disappointment.

But skipper Simon Woolford said: "We had a team meeting and established that all our goals are for 2004, not 2005.

"We are going to do our best to achieve those goals and it is time to get on with things."

Fullback Clinton Schifcofske said: "I've never seen the guys as close as we were at that meeting."

Schifcofske's agent, Steve Gillis, yesterday met coach Matthew Elliott to discuss extending his contract.

 

[OVP]

Its a shame that someone like Jamie Soward cant taste first grade this year, but there's always next year. OH well dems da breaks. At least we stick to the rules tho ... well done Roosters management !! ;-)

 

[OVP]

p.s. your headline is VERY misleading.

 

[supermario]

goes to show how many players we bring up through the ranks to first grade !

 

[Hurriflatch]

or how many injury prone overpriced players you have

 

[supermario]

or how many injury prone overpriced players you have

your getting us confused with the dragons !

 

[I Bleed Green]

Its a shame that someone like Jamie Soward cant taste first grade this year, but there's always next year. OH well dems da breaks. At least we stick to the rules tho ... well done Roosters management !! ;-)

Yeah I feel for poor Jamie, especially considering you bred him as a junior.

Oh wait. ;-)

 

[Hurriflatch]

Isn't this bloke meant to be better the Lockyer? ;-) :lol:

 

[pennywisealfie]

LOL every day i come onto this forum and i see so many posts about the roosters. i dont see whats so wrong with them, just because they are a good football side, the most professional club in the league and better then your club. jealousy is an ugly thing. im not a roosters fan but i respect them.

 

[Coaster]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ok i took some stats down based on the 30/33 players they had selected at the start of this year: read for yourself!
Only 7 teams included

1.players in thier roster
2.players that havent played for anyone else before
3.players that havent played 1st grade before(this season or any)

Broncos
1. 30
2. 25
3. 1

Bulldogs
1. 27
2. 14
3. 3

Dragons
1. 33
2. 27
3. 6

Cowboys
1. 30
2. 19
3. 5

Parramatta
1. 33
2. 15
3. 6

Penrith
1. 30
2. 15
3. 5

Roosters
1. 33
2. 21
3. 10

Roosters surprised me, when i noticed 21 players were juniors, thats why i included if those players had played first grade, i think its relevent.

My simple calculations would be delete the player from there junior list if not a 1st grader, you would end up with

1. Broncos
24 out of 30

2. Dragons
21 out of 33

3. Cowboys
14 out of 30

4. Bulldogs
11 out of 27

5. Roosters
11 out of 33

6. Panthers
10 out of 30

7. Parramatta
9 out of 33

Judge for yourself

 

[Johns Magic]

Nice stats.

But you've got to remember that the Roosters buy alot of their players before they reach first-grade.

 

[Coaster]

Trust me mate im not a roosters supporter,
but what you said would come under development wouldnt it?

 

[Johns Magic]

In a way.

But they only purchase the players that they know are going to be superstars. For example Anthony Tupou, Jamie Soward, and Albert Hopoate have all been purchased from other clubs, as they have been superstars at a junior level. It's not like they pick from the bottom of the barrel and turn them into great players. They take the picks of the crop and stick them in their Flegg side.

So sure, they probably improve at the Roosters, but they would have improved at their original clubs anyway. The Roosters purchase them at the age of 17, after 12 years of development, and then develop them themselves for a further 2-3 years.

 

[OVP]

In a way.

But they only purchase the players that they know are going to be superstars. For example Anthony Tupou, Jamie Soward, and Albert Hopoate have all been purchased from other clubs, as they have been superstars at a junior level. It's not like they pick from the bottom of the barrel and turn them into great players. They take the picks of the crop and stick them in their Flegg side.

So sure, they probably improve at the Roosters, but they would have improved at their original clubs anyway. The Roosters purchase them at the age of 17, after 12 years of development, and then develop them themselves for a further 2-3 years.

You forgot to add that WE along with the Broncos and the knights, actually turn these kids into first-graders. Anyone can throw a jersey on a kids back and call them a junior, but how many clubs out there actually turn these great,young kids into first graders ? Not many.

 

[Coaster]

A couple more teams added to this list have to slot them in yourself but:

Going on the same principle:

Newcastle
1. 34
2. 29
3. 8 adjusted score of 21 out of 34

Canberra
1. 31
2. 24
3. 7 adusted score of 17 out of 31

Warriors
1. 32
2. 24
3. 8 adusted score of 16 out of 32

 

[reladith]

Knights WIN!!!

 

[thickos]

In a way.

But they only purchase the players that they know are going to be superstars. For example Anthony Tupou, Jamie Soward, and Albert Hopoate have all been purchased from other clubs, as they have been superstars at a junior level. It's not like they pick from the bottom of the barrel and turn them into great players. They take the picks of the crop and stick them in their Flegg side.

So sure, they probably improve at the Roosters, but they would have improved at their original clubs anyway. The Roosters purchase them at the age of 17, after 12 years of development, and then develop them themselves for a further 2-3 years.

You forgot to add that WE along with the Broncos and the knights, actually turn these kids into first-graders. Anyone can throw a jersey on a kids back and call them a junior, but how many clubs out there actually turn these great,young kids into first graders ? Not many.

Hardly. Kids like Jamie Soward and Todd Carney would make the grade anywhere. Todd Carney already has

 

[legend]

Canberra never get the recognition they deserve for developing players.

We have developed some of the best players in the NRL which include:

Ben Kennedy
Joel Monaghan
Michael Monaghan
Brett Finch (altough I disagree)
Luke Priddis
Todd Payten
Luke Phillips

and some of the best up and comers including:

Trevor Thurling
Todd Carney
Jamie Soward
Michael Weyman

 

[Fibroman]

I'm glad you added those few words in brackets next to the name Finch.

 

[supermario]

the dally M ladder and his performance this year proves that canberra didn't do enough to help finch grow as a player !