Sydney Roosters Poasa Faamausili could solve Cronulla’s salary cap dilemma
Cronulla have eased their salary cap pressure by releasing Josh Morris to the Sydney Roosters, but speculation remains that they may still raid their rivals’ ranks to land another player.
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He’s the unheralded Sydney Roosters forward who could make way for the club’s new signing, Josh Morris.
With revelations Cronulla will release veteran centre Morris to the Roosters after Saturday night’s game against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the Sharks suddenly have two roster spots to fill.
Sharks coach John Morris has identified 24-year-old Auckland-born prop Poasa Faamausili as a player who could potentially help Cronulla, both on the football field and in balancing their salary cap.
While Faamausili wasn’t included in a swap deal to get Morris to the Roosters, there is speculation he could still head south and join the Sharks for the 2020 NRL season.
Listen in to our brand new The Daily Telegraph NRL Podcast every Thursday. In episode one Phil Rothfield, Dean Ritchie and Adam Mobbs discuss the Cronulla Sharks’ salary cap mess, Todd Greenberg’s future and expansion.
Speaking on The Daily Telegraph NRL Podcast, sports editor-at-large Phil Rothfield revealed the Sharks were interested in landing one of the NRL premiers’ exciting young forwards in return.
“He’s a middle forward at the Roosters. He played 12 first grade games in the middle last year,” Rothfield said of Faamausili.
“Cronulla have said ‘you’ve got to give us something back if you’re going to have Morris’. Cronulla are a little bit light in the mids with Gal (Paul Gallen).
“He is the player who could solve the puzzle.
“He’s a really big, energetic forward, makes metres.”
The Sharks will be without Josh Dugan, Matt Moylan and Bronson Xerri for the start of the season and coach John Morris was reluctant to let Josh Morris go before some players were fit to play.
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But Dugan has since returned to training and could feature in the early rounds of the season.
“He wanted to medically retire because he’s got a bung knee. Cronulla wanted to sell him to another club but as soon as that was revealed, his bung knee, no one will pay him $150,000, let alone the $900,000 he’s on.
“John Morris is in a holding pattern right now because he’ll be without Dugan, Moylan and Bronson Xerri in round one.
“It would be suicidal to let Josh Morris go now without those three key players.”
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The Daily Telegraph’s Dean Ritchie questioned why players were afforded so much power on the transfer market, potentially forcing lesser-known players like Faamausili into changing clubs.
“I find the whole thing unsavoury,” Ritchie said.
“These young kids just get pushed around like pawns.
“Even the Morris brothers. We all love the Morris brothers, I’ve dealt with them for a decade — they’re polite, they’re well-mannered, they’re easy to get along with, but you need to ask the question ‘should Josh be allowed to go just because he wants to play with his brother?’”