The NRL will allow players to challenge the market value ascribed to them by head office in a move that could revive the PNG Chiefs’ pursuit of NSW and Canberra star Hudson Young.
The governing body initially placed a notional value of $1.1 million per season on Young, in line with the offer tabled by the Raiders to retain their gun back-rower.
That valuation helped placate existing clubs, who were concerned the Chiefs – armed with tax-free dollars – could seek to stretch their advantage even further. Their offer of $900,000 a year would have given Young a huge increase in his take-home pay when compared with the taxable wages on offer at Canberra.
Under the NRL’s initial valuation, the Chiefs would have had to carry Young in their salary cap for $1.1 million, even if he accepted the $900,000 deal. The salary cap auditor subsequently revalued Young at $1 million, but the Chiefs are adamant that is still $100,000 more than they are willing to pay for a player coming off a serious Achilles injury, and at a time when other back-row options are available.
Young had been poised to tour the Chiefs’ facilities in Port Moresby before deciding whether to join the expansion franchise or remain at the Raiders. However, the Chiefs pulled their offer when the NRL signalled they would be required to pay “market value” for all of their recruits.
Canberra, meanwhile, extended their offer from three years to four in a bid to take Young off the market. Regardless, the NRL will accept submissions on behalf of any player who wants to challenge their market value.
“The salary cap applies to everybody and requires the market value of a player,” said NRL executive chairman Peter V’landys.
“In saying that, we’ve discussed it with the RLPA – and we both agree – there can be exceptional circumstances. We will always look at exceptional circumstances.”
The Young situation is a timely case study for the game. On the one hand, the NRL wants to make sure the Chiefs don’t sign players for “unders”, a prospect raised by clubs concerned at the newcomers further stretching their tax-free advantage.
The other consideration is if a player is prepared to accept less money from a club for other reasons, such as a family situation or the belief they are more likely to experience on-field success at a different destination. That echoes a theme in recent Rugby League Players’ Association polls, which suggest money isn’t one of the biggest drivers for players changing clubs.
V’landys said there had always been a provision for players who want to challenge their value.
“They can make submissions to the salary cap auditor, and we always look at the circumstances,” he said.
“Let’s say a player wanted to be with his family or there are other specific reasons. We just don’t want the salary cap rorted. However, we know that at times there are exceptional circumstances, so we take those exceptional circumstances into account.
“We won’t have a situation where people manipulate the salary cap. The unfortunate thing is with the tax-free status of PNG, we have to be extra cautious with the market value of the players there.”
The development leaves the prospect of further representations being made on behalf of Young, which may result in a further reduction of his market value.
Discussions between the RLPA and the NRL on the issue have been constructive. RLPA boss Clint Newton, in a meeting with V’landys, raised his own experience of rejoining Newcastle from Penrith in 2014 after the move was initially blocked by the NRL.
He had wanted to return to the Knights despite then-coach Wayne Bennett making a much lower offer than the Panthers for his services, but the NRL initially frowned upon it before he contested its stance.
Newton said he recognised the intent and purpose of market value figures but believes they can put unreasonable restraint on players’ freedom to decide where they want to play. The RLPA had made a submission to the NRL outlining its concerns about the policy and was waiting to hear back, Newton said.
“I certainly believe that if PNG want to pay him $900,000, that shouldn’t be stopped,” Newton said of the Young situation. “I understand if something doesn’t smell right from an integrity perspective, but that’s not the case here.
“I said to Peter, ‘I don’t want us to go down the legal path here, but my greatest concern is clubs are trying to put the genie back in the bottle’. Everyone has been very aware of the tax-free money and no one batted an eyelid.
“Now it seems as though because PNG are doing well from a recruitment perspective, these things are being put up as roadblock.
“I’ve spoken to Hudson and [his manager] Sam Ayoub and met with Peter about it, and he’s committed to reviewing any submission that a player wants to make if there’s a challenge about market value.
“It’s now resting with Sam Ayoub as to whether they want to make a submission to Peter. I’ve offered to be there with Hudson and Sam [in a meeting] with Peter to work through it.”
V’landys added: “We have due process and natural justice with everything we do. Hudson will absolutely be given that.
“The last person we want to affect is Hudson, I personally have a lot of time for him. But we have to keep the salary cap objective.
“We have discussed it with the RLPA, and we both agree that if there are exceptional circumstances, they will be front and centre.”