A rookie draft "is being considered" by the National Rugby League and "will be discussed further by a new panel set up to review the salary cap each season," according to Brad Walter of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD.
The draft for players with limited or no NRL experience "is one of several key proposals on the table after a wide-ranging review of the cap which has already led to the establishment of an appeals process, changes to the long-serving player allowance and increases in third-party agreements and the second-tier salary cap." Others include "the introduction of a transfer window for signing players from other clubs and a salary cap for coaching staff." A draft "would not neccesarily help clubs that produce large numbers of juniors to retain them, but they would save money on development and it is expected that the NRL would take over much of the cost and responsibility for doing so." NRL officials "declined to discuss how the system they are considering would work until an announcement on salary cap changes next month" (SMH, 3/24).
