Wayne Bennett rejects salary cap relief for rugby union converts

Dolphins super coach Wayne Bennett has responded to NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo’s suggestion that clubs may receive salary-cap concessions for poaching rugby union stars.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 23: Coach Wayne Bennett is seen during a Dolphins NRL training session at Suncorp Stadium on March 23, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Dolphins super coach Wayne Bennett has blasted a push for salary-cap concessions on rugby targets as NRL rivals the Sydney Roosters move to poach Wallabies star Mark Nawaqanitawase.

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has flagged the prospect of clubs being given salary-cap exemptions for signing players from rival codes, with the idea to be discussed at next month’s ARL Commission board meeting.

Abdo’s stance comes as the Roosters ramp-up plans to lure boom winger Nawaqanitawase from the Waratahs and Wallabies in the wake of Australia’s disastrous World Cup campaign in France.

Roosters chiefs have met with Nawaqanitawase and it is understood the club is prepared to table a deal of up to four years to snare the 23-year-old, 100kg flyer with Fijian blood.

But Bennett slammed the notion of salary-cap discounts for Rugby Australia targets, saying the Dolphins received no assistance when they were admitted to the NRL as the code’s 17th club this season.

“It’s ridiculous, it’s not necessary,” Bennett said.

Wayne Bennett isn’t happy about the push for cap exemptions. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

“Salary caps are designed to be equal for the NRL competition, where we have parity across the board.

“We lost Lote Tuqiri, Wendell Sailor, Karmichael Hunt, Israel Folau, Mat Rogers to rugby union … there’s five straight off the top of my head.

“They were tremendous players, but we didn’t make any concessions at the time to keep them and there shouldn’t be any concessions now for guys coming the other way.

“If this bloke (Nawaqanitawase) wants to come to rugby league to play for the Roosters, that’s fine – they (the Roosters) get no discount.

“Put him in the cap for $700,000 or whatever the amount is … simple.

“The Dolphins didn’t get any concessions at all and we were a new club coming into the NRL.

“If anyone deserved concessions, it’s the Dolphins, but we got on with the job and signed 30 players with the same salary cap as everyone else.”

Bennett fears salary-cap relief for rugby recruits could trigger widespread rorting, pointing to the Roosters leaving the door ajar for Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to return to Bondi when his three-year Wallabies stint ends in 2027.

“This would open up a loophole for all sorts of salary-cap rorting,” the NRL’s greatest coach said.

Mark Nawaqanitawase has met with the Sydney Roosters. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

“For example, lots of kids now at GPS schools are under contract to NRL clubs.

“So you can tell them to play rugby for 12 months when they leave school, then we get them back to rugby league for a reduced amount under the salary cap.

“Joseph Suaalii is a great example.

“The Roosters can say, ‘OK, Joseph, go to rugby and if you want to come back, we don’t have to pay $1 million to get you back, we only have to pay $500,000 in the cap.

“It’s nonsense.

“Suaalii is going to rugby and the Roosters are saying he could come back.

“To think they could get him back at cut price … it’s simply not right.”

Abdo believes there can be a sensible solution to offering salary-cap dispensation to lure rugby’s elite stars to the NRL.

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

“That’s an absolute possibility that the commission will consider and consider in due course.

“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.”

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is on his way to rugby but for how long. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Bennett believes the NRL has enough talent without offering inducements to sign Australian rugby players from a 15-a-side code in crisis.

“It’s a dangerous precedent,” he said.

“Why would we make some concessions to bring some rugby players into our game when we don’t even know if they can play the game.

“Seriously, who is really worth signing in the Wallabies right now? There’s probably a handful of blokes who could do well in the NRL anyway.

“Clubs are trying to hedge their bets.

“If you sign a guy from rugby and he doesn’t make it, the mistake is mitigated with a discount, so you can cover for your stuff-up by buying another quality player from an NRL club.

“If any club wants to take a punt on a rugby player, go for your life. We all have $12 million in the salary cap.

“There’s plenty of money to spend, but pay the price everyone else has to pay for an NRL talent.

“You can’t have it both ways.”