Tigers seeks to exploit cap loophole

[DeeGan]

Tigers seeks to exploit cap loophole
By James Hooper
October 5, 2005

WESTS Tigers are planning to exploit a salary cap loophole to re-sign star halves Scott Prince and Benji Marshall.

The plan involves offering lucrative "sign-on" bonuses to the two hottest players in the game, to ensure they re-sign immediately.

In a calculated business ploy designed to entice the creative duo to stay at the club long-term, the Tigers will table extended deals with the sign-on bonus to come out of this season's salary cap.

The move is possible after Wests Tigers powered to premiership glory with a playing budget of only $2.8 million, leaving $500,000 left for 2005.

The Daily Telegraph understands the club will use the leftover funds by suggesting Clive Churchill medallist Prince and Kiwi Test star Marshall accept "sign-on" bonuses.

NRL officials confirmed such bonuses could be placed in this year's salary cap.

Wests Tigers chief executive Steve Noyce last night confirmed the club intended to meet Marshall's management next week.

"We just have to sit down with both guys and work out what suits both of them, and also what suits the club," Noyce said.

"We have still got some money under the salary cap so we can look at ways of making that work for us.

"At this stage we haven't spoken to Scott Prince's manager but we will be looking to in the near future."

Prince is expected to be in high demand after a man-of-the-match display in the grand final saw him catapulted into the Kangaroos touring squad.

Prince will join the squad on Sunday, but Marshall withdrew from the New Zealand Tri-Nations team yesterday, in order to have surgery on a shoulder injury.

Prince, named Dally M Captain of the Year last month, has already been linked with the NRL's newest team Gold Coast Titans for the 2007 season.

And his manager, Steve Robinson, has admitted Wests Tigers may struggle to maintain both star playmakers.

"The task of keeping both Scott and Benji appears to have gotten a whole lot harder now after the grand final," Robinson said.

"They're both young and they're both in sensational form, so it will be interesting to see what the Tigers can come up with.

"People might say under the circumstances why would you want to leave but it's not always as simple as that."

However, the Tigers remain confident of securing Prince and Marshall beyond 2006, and the club is keen to have the deals completed well before June 30 next year.

Four-time premiership-winning coach Tim Sheens, who has won four grand finals from five attempts in a career spanning 20 years, is the other key signing for Wests.

Sheens is off contract at the end of next season but Noyce is confident the pair can reach a new agreement.

"Tim and I will sit down in the near future and work through what our terms and goals are moving forward," Noyce said.

"He's a good guy to work with, Tim, and we'd like to think we've got a fairly healthy understanding with him."

The Daily Telegraph

The Tigers are running scared a little here and I do not blame them given I believe one of their star halves will move on.

IMO, Scott Prince is the most likely given he has a homesick partner wanting to head back to QLD. Money will more than likely talk in perhaps his last NRL contract, being the innaugral Gold Coast Titans captain must be of huge appeal to the Dally M Medal winner as well.

I know Michael Searle has not hidden his desire to perhaps speak to Scott Prince after the anti-tampering deadline in 2006, I think Prince will be interested in what we as a club have to say and I don't see him signing anywhere until mid 2006.

DeeGan

[Queenslander]

The salary cap is there for a reason, and is not to be exploited. But at least they are telling us that they are doing this, unlike some other team *cough* bulldogs *cough* :D

[DeeGan]

Mr Ian Schubert will be interested in the developements of the above report at the Wests Tigers club ;)

DeeGan

[Dakink]

Havent NRL official conceeded that these payments would be allowable under the current system? No grounds for Mr.Schubert to get involved.


NRL officials confirmed such bonuses could be placed in this year's salary cap.

[Steelers]

I think to exploit things like that is wrong. You have struggling teams like South Sydney scrounging around for quality players and the Tigers are going to go through a loophole so that they can cheat the cap.

[Dakink]

If it is in the rules how is it cheating the cap?

[Steelers]

If it is in the rules how is it cheating the cap?

it is just morally cheating the cap IMO

[League Freak]

I knew they would do this.



Its IS NOT cheating. Look at it as the Tigers giving Prince and Marshall a raise this year for their outsanding performances.



I think its a good move by the Tigers. Secure your two most important players on long term deals (Marshall is one of the few players in the game I'd be willing to hand a 5 year deal to).


Forwards, hookers, outside backs....you can replace them. Two top class halves.....thats not as easy.

[[BroncosGirl]]

Id do everything I could to keep them too, they're a class halves combo.

[Steelers]

I knew they would do this.



Its IS NOT cheating. Look at it as the Tigers giving Prince and Marshall a raise this year for their outsanding performances.


The Dragons are doing this for some of their players and now they are being forced to release sum1

[Coaster]

Its not cheating the cap,

They have a cap of $3.3mill dollars for the year.
They spent 2.8mill leaving 500k
They cant use that 500k next year, so they are offering it to current players this year as an incentive to sign longer.

Sounds pretty straight forward to me.

[[BroncosGirl]]

The Dragons are doing this for some of their players and now they are being forced to release sum1

I thought the dragons were just plain and simple over the cap though?

[Steelers]

']I thought the dragons were just plain and simple over the cap though?

they have paid bonuses to some of their younger guys for good form and that has tipped them over the cap

[[BroncosGirl]]

they have paid bonuses to some of their younger guys for good form and that has tipped them over the cap
Ok but isn't that diff to the TIgers situation, because the Tigers aren't going over the cap, they've got money left, whereas if you say the Dragons are over the cap, then its diff.

[Inferno]

they have paid bonuses to some of their younger guys for good form and that has tipped them over the cap

Actually thats wrong, its nothing to do with form.

Some players had it written into their contracts if they play rep footy they get bonuses, which the club has to contractually pay.

Exactly the same thing happened to Penrith earlier on in the year.

Nothing to do with form.

[J-Storm]

I have no problem with it at all personally. I think Melbourne should have looked at doing the same thing in reference to Orford, Bell or both.

And din't Prince say on tv during the week leading up to the GF that he and Benji had talked about being a 1/2s combo for the upcoming future? I'm sure they would both be willing to stay and take a signing bonus to keep the team together and successful (was the impression I got from what Prince said at least)...

[DeeGan]

(Marshall is one of the few players in the game I'd be willing to hand a 5 year deal to).

I am like most a huge Benji Marshall fan, though there is no way I am giving Benji any five year deal with two suspect shoulders where in 2005 he is once again having off-season surgery.

If your a CEO of a NRL club, does that not concern you at what only 20-21 y.o?

The talent is there for all to see, though as a long term investment, at the moment, I want to ensure he is going to be enjoying his off-season getting away from the game and not spending the majority of his time rehabilitating an off season injury and/or operation.

[Super Cronk]

I dont know who said about signings benji on a 5 year deal but those kind of contracts are very rare these days. Not many players like to sign long term contracts.