Cameron Smith wants 300-game players to be exempt from the salary cap

Queensland Origin legend Cameron Smith has a radical idea to overhaul the NRL’s salary cap system, proposing that 300-game players should be exempt.

MACKAY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 02: Cameron Smith of the Storm passes the ball during the NRL Trial match between the Melbourne Storm and the North Queensland Cowboys on March 02, 2019 in Mackay, Australia. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

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Queensland Origin champion Cameron Smith wants 300-game players to receive full exemption from the salary cap under a radical idea to reward the NRL’s most senior servants.

At a time when the NRL has been rocked by off-field scandals, Smith believes the code should look to generate goodwill and loyalty by effectively allowing triple centurions to play for free under the salary cap.

Smith, a 384-game record holder, was caught in the crosshairs of a salary cap saga last week when Melbourne faced offloading a teammate to ensure their skipper could play in Round 1 against Brisbane on Thursday night.

Melbourne had exceeded the payment ceiling by around $200,000. Smith faced being sidelined until the Storm became cap compliant because he was the last player in their NRL squad to have his deal registered in January.

A nervous Smith made some internal inquiries before Melbourne released Sam Kasiano to French club Catalans – finally clearing the Storm captain to face the Broncos at AAMI Park.

Smith has a radical idea for the salary cap. Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images.

The scenario of the NRL’s most-capped player sitting on the sidelines would have been an embarrassing look for the code and Smith believes there is a viable solution to look after rugby league’s most experienced stalwarts.

“If you develop a player and he plays 300 games for a club, is he fully exempt from the cap?,” Smith said.

“One thing I would like to see to be fair, and it’s probably something to consider, looking at my position at the moment (with the salary cap saga), is giving clubs exemptions in some instances.

“I’ve played 380 matches for the Melbourne Storm yet there is no exemption nor reward for our club.

“I don’t think that (a full exemption) is unreasonable (for 300 gamers). That would be a positive story for our game to see one-club players playing 300 games (getting a full salary-cap discount).

“It’s great for our fans, our clubs and great for the game. Why not give some (salary cap) relief to clubs who can achieve that feat?”

There are currently four 300-gamers in the NRL – Smith, Cronulla’s Paul Gallen, Souths’ John Sutton and former Storm halfback Cooper Cronk, who has played just one season with the Roosters.

Under Smith’s plan he would be exempt from the salary cap. Picture by Peter Ristevski.

The NRL provides an allowance of $200,000 for players with at least eight seasons of service for one team, but that amount is minimal if a team has four or five veterans.

Smith also pointed to Wests Tigers’ 227-game veteran Chris Lawrence, who is off-contract at season’s end and could be forced overseas due to salary cap pressures.

“Chris Lawrence is a perfect example,” Smith said.

“He is going to be forced out of his club or get sent overseas (to the Super League) – out of the NRL entirely.

“It might one or two clubs every four or five years (which receives the full exemption).

“The Storm have a player in myself who has played my entire career there, yet the club is not rewarded for finding me and developing me as a player and not looked after in the cap.

“We should be trying to retain the 300-gamers in our game and help players achieve their goal of being a one-club player. That was my goal.”