National Rugby League Looks At AFL, A-League Salary-Cap Systems To Fix Own

The National Rugby League "is set to take a closer look at the inner workings" of the Australian Football League and A-League salary caps "as part of a sweeping review of its own system of player payments," according to Brent Read of THE AUSTRALIAN. NRL COO Jim Doyle "has already announced plans to review the salary cap and, as part of that inquiry, the game will incorporate analysis of the way other codes operate." Doyle also confirmed that "all previous proposals would be put back on the table, meaning the game is likely to again revisit concepts such as the marquee-player system." The system, which has been used successfully in the A-League and allows clubs to sign big-name players exempt from the salary cap, "has previously been discussed by the NRL but failed to receive widespread support from its clubs." Clubs "would require convincing," even though they "could have significant ramifications for some of the country's biggest sporting stars," most notably Sonny Bill Williams and Israel Folau (THE AUSTRALIAN, 7/2).