Salary cap squeeze forces Penrith Panthers to bench Matt Moylan for remainder of season

MATT Moylan has become the face of a farcical rule robbing fans of the chance to see their emerging stars.

MATT Moylan has become the face of a farcical rule robbing fans of the chance to see their emerging stars.

When Moylan made his first-grade debut against Parramatta, club great Mark Geyer was comparing him to Brad Fittler.

But instead of running on to CUA Stadium Sunday, Moylan will be in Parkes playing NSW Cup for the Windsor Wolves after the NRL told the Panthers they would be fined for breaking the second-tier salary cap if he took his place in the top grade.

Panthers director Greg Alexander joined the club's general manager Gus Gould in slamming the out-dated rule that sees clubs penalised for using non-NRL contracted players after exceeding a second-tier cap of $375,000.

Moylan said he was extremely disappointed with the ruling but declined to comment further after being gagged by the club.

Penrith great Alexander labelled the second-tier salary cap as stupid.

"It is just ridiculous, isn't it?" Alexander said.

"How stupid does it sound when a player can't take the field because of a rule like that. "Fans aren't aware of how the second-tier salary cap works and how it can affect their team, and in a situation like this where you have to stand down a player like Matt Moylan, they are being robbed.

"Matt is a young player outside the top 25 who has been fantastic for the club.

"He has had to be put back down to NSW Cup because of a ridiculous rule. It makes no sense and it has to change.

"It is penalising both the club and Matt himself."

Gould has been in negotiations with the NRL to have the restrictions on players outside of the fulltime NRL squad removed.

But it has come too late for Moylan, who is at risk of losing up to $50,000 in bonuses in his 2015 contract - on top of $3000 a game in match payments - according to his manager Alan Gainey.

"It is a restraint on trade," Gainey said. "And I don't think that would have too much trouble holding up in a court of law. He is on a minimal contract now and this is really going to hurt him. He is also wary that another player could take their NRL chance and that he might not be able to get back into the side.

"He has been picked to play first grade but he can't. It is a crazy rule that makes no sense."

The NRL has confirmed it is reviewing the second-tier salary cap after receiving a submission from the Panthers, however that is no comfort to Ivan Cleary who will be without the exciting youngster today.

"Matty is shattered and so is the rest of the team," Cleary said. "We did everything we could to keep him in the side.

"The NRL has granted him exemptions to play in previous weeks and I'm not sure why they couldn't do it this week.

"I know the NRL has started reviewing the salary-cap issue for lower grades, and hopefully the situation will be sorted out soon"