NRL salary cap third party system ‘not transparent’ and ‘too complex’

THE man entrusted with reviewing the NRL’s controversial third party scheme believes the current scheme is “not transparent enough and too complex”.

Former Storm CEO Mark Evans has the unenviable job of trying to fix the process.

THE man entrusted with reviewing the NRL’s controversial third party payment scheme believes the current system is “not transparent enough” and “too complex”.

Former Melbourne Storm boss Mark Evans was hired by the NRL to review third party payments during the off-season, well before Parramatta’s salary cap scandal broke.

His short-term appointment came after the NRL grew increasingly concerned at the growing disproportion club’s are spending via third party payments. Evans “defied anyone” to know the five different types of third party payments, which equate to more than $10 million spent each year.

Evans examined every lodged third party arrangement for every player at every club.

“[The current system is] not transparent enough and too complex in terms of different type of third party arrangements,” Evans said.

Part of Evans’ proposal lodged to the NRL differentiated between different types of players in terms of their commercially.

Evans said he was not shocked to learn a club had been accused of cheating the current system.

“But I am surprised at the level if what I have read is accurate,” Evans said. “If you want to pay people in cash in brown envelopes no set of regulations will stop that.

“It is not easy to rort the regulations for a sustained time on a significant scale and the proof of that is the lack of a back to back premier since 1993. Over time there will be a whistle blower, an email going astray or a disgruntled player/manager/coach/employee.

“Things could be improved further but the fact you can’t go outside the top 25 to pay more than the minimum wage is the key element that makes the cap work reasonably well overall.

“More transparency and openness regarding the key information is important.

“Some of the stuff written and said about third parties is woefully ill informed and totally inaccurate but that is what happens if too little information is put in the public domain.”

The NRL are in the midst of reviewing the current third party system, as part of their ongoing discussions regarding the collective bargaining agreement with the Rugby League Players’ Association.

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Originally published as NRL salary cap third party system ‘not transparent’ and ‘too complex’