NRL Market Watch: Calls for Roosters to get salary cap relief in pursuit of Mark Nawaqanitawase

The Roosters are in the hunt to land another superstar signing – and there’s push for the NRL to give the green light on salary cap exemptions as the Bondi club prepares to hit the open market.

Wallabies star Mark Nawaqanitawase has met with Sydney Roosters powerbrokers as the NRL prepares to give the green light on salary cap relief for clubs to poach rugby’s brightest prospects.

It’s understood the talented winger met with head coach Trent Robinson and Roosters supremo Nick Politis on Tuesday in Sydney as the Bondi club edges closer to striking back at Rugby Australia’s $5 million raid on Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.

It comes as the football manager of a rival NRL club endorsed the idea of a salary cap discount for rugby players who want to jump ship to rugby league.

Parramatta’s general manager of football Mark O’Neill said the move to ratify salary cap relief for cross-code players would help neutralise the ‘threat’ of any more rugby raids on NRL talent.

“We have an attractive game. It’s worth exploring to make sure our game stays as strong as it possibly can be,” O’Neill said.

“I think it’s definitely a threat and we need to consider that accordingly. There’s a level of threat that comes with it, the level of threat at the moment might be low now that Suaalii is gone and there doesn’t appear to be anyone following but that will change from time to time and the threat will increase.

“I do support any innovative way and ideas that improve this scenario for NRL clubs.”

Planned salary cap exemptions could help the Roosters land rising Rugby star Mark Nawaqanitawase. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Nawaqanitawase was one of the Wallabies’ best players at the recent Rugby World Cup, which was an otherwise shocking campaign for the Australians, and his defection to the NRL will only add fuel to the cross-code battle for the country’s best talent.

It’s understood the introduction of a salary cap allowance to help NRL clubs lure players away from the 15-man game would play a key role in getting Nawaqanitawase’s over the line at Bondi.

With Suaalii to join rugby in 2025 and veteran winger Daniel Tupou expected to call time on his career in 12 months, Nawaqanitawase is seen as a key recruitment target for the Tricolours.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo revealed salary cap measures, like allowances and exemptions, are under serious consideration for clubs to poach “one or two talented players” from rival codes.

“Would salary cap relief be potentially used? Yes,” Abdo said.

“There will be parameters and caps. It won’t be a free for all.

“It will be delicate and it will be about making sure there’s an opportunity for all clubs on an equal basis to have one or two potential talented players that they recruit potentially from other codes around the world.

“We want the best athletes playing our game, whether that’s the men’s or women’s competition. Growth is on our agenda, so while our primary focus is developing rugby league talent through our own pathways, we’re also open to attracting and potentially in some cases returning to league from other codes.”

Max Jorgensen could command up to $1 million per season on his new deal. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

This masthead can also reveal neither Rugby Australia or the Waratahs are currently in contract talks with Nawaqanitawase, who RA CEO Phil Waugh declared was a key to the future of rugby in Australia, bolstering the Roosters’ chances of snaring the 23-year-old from 2025 and beyond.

The defection of Nawaqanitawase would be a huge blow for Rugby Australia ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour in 2025 and a home World Cup in 2027, which were used to entice the Roosters star to the 15-man game.

The introduction of salary cap relief is also likely to make boom Waratahs fullback Max Jorgensen, the son of former Roosters and Penrith winger Peter Jorgensen, a key target for NRL clubs.

The 19-year-old had been on the radar of the likes of the Roosters and Canterbury before signing a two-year deal with the Waratahs and Rugby Australia until the end of 2024.

The prodigious talent, who was named in Eddie Jones’ train on squad but was ruled out of the World Cup with a fractured fibula, is expected to command close to $1 million per season on his new deal from 2025.

Jorgensen’s agent Steve Gillis said the youngster was in no rush to make a decision about his playing future or any potential code switch to the NRL.

“We’ll see what unfolds in the future but I know Max is very happy with the pathway that has been presented to him so far,” Gillis said.

“Max was very grateful that he had the opportunity to go to the World Cup because he was under an injury cloud with his knee when the team was being selected, they gave him time to get himself good. Rugby has been good to him in that sense and I’m sure he’ll keep that in mind when negotiations do commence.”

Originally published as NRL Market Watch: Calls for Roosters to get salary cap relief in pursuit of Mark Nawaqanitawase