NRL release statement on back-ended contracts

The NRL will restrict clubs from handing players back-ended contracts in the wake of recent salary cap issues, via a statement on NRL.com.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said club CEOs agreed earlier today that restrictions needed to be put in place to so stop back-ended contracts

A new model is set to be finalised to implement the necessary changes for next year, restricting how much a player's payment can rise between seasons

Greenberg was supportive of the new model, intending to make it fairer for the competition and protect clubs against winding up in a salary cup crisis.

"These deals can also give clubs an unfair salary cap advantage in the early years of a contract," he said.

Greenberg added that approval would be given to a rising player whose value significantly rises.

"We are not going to stop any player receiving what they are worth on the open market," Mr Greenberg said.

"But we have to stop clubs pushing payments to later years to reduce salary cap pressure in the short term.

"Our salary cap keeps the competition close and we want to ensure no club gets into salary cap problems because they have back-ended contracts."

The club CEOs also discussed the possibility of setting up a panel to review the prospect of a trade window for players and the rules surrounding coaches' contracts.

Any changes would first need to be ticked off by the NRL commission.