http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...h/news-story/6dd9d238054fc3124dd51a14c4211590
CLUBS FURIOUS NRL HAS ENDORSED TESTIMONIAL FOR THURSTON, SMITH
Paul Crawley, The Daily Telegraph
September 1, 2017 7:20pm
MANLY are one of several clubs furious at the NRL about being kept in the dark over being able to stage a salary cap-exempt testimonial game like the one being offered to Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston.
The NRL claims it started to formulated the policy a year ago but clubs were not made aware of the decision.
Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett said if they were aware of the loophole, they would have explored the possibility of giving club favourites Brett Stewart, Jamie Lyon and Steve Matai a testimonial game.
Rival clubs were furious following revelations in The Daily Telegraph that NRL boss Todd Greenberg has endorsed a deal that will allow Melbourne and North Queensland to exploit next year’s salary cap by a combined $1.5 million.
In what is seen as another blatant salary cap inconsistency, a trial is being planned at Suncorp Stadium in February where Smith and Thurston, two of the game’s highest paid players, will pocket all gate takings, sponsorship, merchandise and potential TV rights.
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said the revelations opened up “a can of worms” but the NRL responded by saying it had formulated guidelines to outline who would be eligible for a testimonial game — a player must have been at a club for at least 10 consecutive years, racked up 250 NRL appearances, already be contracted for the season of the testimonial game which must be a trial with a charity component.
The NRL will also consider the player’s standing in the game and whether they have “had off-field and integrity issues” before giving its approval.
Manly have been wearing the salary cap pain from Stewart and Matai’s departure this year, carrying the final year of their salaries on the cap despite the fact neither player has taken the field.
Coincidentally, Sea Eagles fans will be given the chance to say goodbye to Stewart at Saturday’s blockbuster final round clash against Penrith at Brookvale.
Club stalwart Matt Ballin will also be in attendance, although Matai won’t because of family commitments.
Barrett has no doubt Manly fans would have turned up in droves to honour their former greats if the club had been made aware of the loophole being offered to Smith and Thurston.
“It would have been nice for us to be able to do that for a Matai, a Snake or a Lyon,” Barrett said.
“It doesn’t seem like a level playing field to me. I am sure our administration will want clarification on how this is possible.”
One rival club boss revealed how there was genuine shock recently when Melbourne and North Queensland agitated for a lower salary cap during negotiations with the NRL.
The timing is also not a good look for Smith, given he is the Rugby League Players’ Association’s general president and has been a vocal critic of the NRL during the ongoing pay dispute.
“If you play 15 years and 350 games and JT’s played about 300 and it’s got the OK by the NRL good luck to them,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.
“It’s out of my hands but to me it’s pretty hard to begrudge those guys after what they’ve done for the game.”
Clubs could potentially pay less for veteran players in their final years but top up the money with “testimonial” earnings, that would not be included in the cap however the NRL says a club must already be paying a player “market value” before they’d agree to a testimonial game.
Now the match for Smith and Thurston has been revealed, South Sydney could do the same for John Sutton once they sign him for next year while Brisbane could do likewise for Sam Thaiday, another tremendous one-club servants.
Minimum Criteria for NRL approval to stage a testimonial match:
1. The player must have been contracted and completed 10 or more consecutive years with the club as a top 25/30 player
2. He must have played at least 250 first grade games for the club
3. Player cannot have left the NRL (e.g. Contract overseas or played another code professionally)
4. The player must already have a contract registered for the year in which the testimonial will be held. This means the club is already paying the player market value for that year
5. The testimonial can only be held as a trial game
6. There needs to be a charity component to the testimonial
7. The match will form part of the existing broadcast agreement
Further Considerations
8. Player’s standing within the game (e.g. Origin player, international player, seniority)
9. Whether the player has had off-field and integrity issues
(Proven salary cap cheat, Coffs Harbour/Brisbane Casino)
10. Whether the player has contributed to the game outside his NRL club duties
