Oh aye didnt see the Link.

The irony of people at Parra asking to made Premiers because Melbourne were over the cap.

Same old aussies.

Don't want to ignore it.......just budget around it. If say, Thurston can earn a total of "x" if he plays every SOO, International and his club side win every game and the grand final, then x is what is entered into his column on the budget sheet........and "x" is deducted from the running total........therefore, if he doesn't play every SOO or his club don't win every game, then he gets his salary and the club will have a surplus to do with as they please.........but they won't go OVER THE CAP......

DO you think first graders get paid for wins? It ain't A Grade.

I remember at least two being fined in recent years.

OK.....let's say that a club, any club, has assembled a squad of 30 players for a season and let's say there is a salary cap of $6,000,000. If there are 5 "star" players on $500,000 each, then the remaining 3.5 mil can be split between the other 25 at 140k each.

However, if there are bonus payments available to SOO players or internationals, then it is the responsibility of the club to budget for these. Let's say the 5 stars are all bolted on for SOO (3 games) and internationals (6 this year if they get to the final of the 4 nations) and let's say that the bonus figure is $10k a game, then those 5 players will receive another 450k...reducing the pot to $3,050,000 to be shared between the other 25 players. ($122,200 each)

Furthermore, if say 2 of these 25 players shine and get selected unexpectedly for SOO and/or Internationals....another $180,000 comes of the salary pool.($114,800)

The solution is simple.......if the club budgets for 7 players to receive the full $90,000 in bonus payments at the start of the season, the chances are they will not breach the cap as a result of SOO or International bonuses......and, if by some freak of nature that they had more than 7 called up, they could be open about it at the time the players are called up and explain that they had made provisions for 7....and ask for a temporary exemption.

I still say that any breach of the cap that isn't reported to the NRL immediately should result in a loss of competition points, a fine and a suspended points deduction that hangs over the club for 5 years......it is the responsibility of the club to manage itself and keeping a tab on salary payments shouldn't be too difficult for them. I bet you thay know exactly how many pints they sell, shirts they sell, pies they sell and I bet they know exactly how many tickets they sell.....so why can't they keep a record and by that I mean an accurate record of salary payments?