The NRL is preparing to undertake its most significant salary cap review in more than three decades, with sweeping reforms on the table including reduced squad sizes, international player exemptions and a structural rethink ahead of the next wave of expansion.
ARLC chairman Peter V'landys confirmed that a new taskforce will be assembled to conduct the review, with representatives drawn from across the rugby league ecosystem, including the Rugby League Players' Association, player agents and club coaches.
While the idea originated from a club CEO, the initiative has since gained the full backing of both V'landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo.
โWhat we'll do is commit to a review and put a team together from all parts of the game โ the RLPA, the agents, the coaches and a few others โ to have a look at the whole salary cap situation,โ V'landys said, speaking with SMH.
โIt hasn't had a proper review for a long time.โ
The review will explore a wide array of proposals.
Chief among them is the potential reduction in squad sizes from 30 to 25, a move that would free up player depth for incoming franchises in Perth and Papua New Guinea, slated to join the competition in 2027 and 2028 respectively.
Exemptions for international signings are also on the table, a shift that could make it easier for clubs to recruit marquee players from overseas without eating into their standard cap allotment.
Incentives for loyalty, clearer trade mechanisms and tighter compliance models are expected to form part of the discussion.
The current salary cap stands at $11.8 million for top-30 squads and is set to rise to $12.1 million by 2027.
Yet questions persist over whether the system is delivering the parity it promises. Penrith's recent dynasty and the prolonged mediocrity of sides like the Wests Tigers suggest the ceiling is high for the strong and stubbornly low for the weak.
Still, despite speculation, the league insists there will be no artificial recruitment advantages for the new expansion teams, and no resurrection of the long-discussed โwar chestโ concept aimed at poaching athletes from rival codes.
โNo, it will be the first of November,โ V'landys said when asked if any new clubs would receive early cap benefits.
โWe won't disadvantage any of the current clubs. The NRL won't be paying for any players, that won't be happening. That war chest is long gone. The beauty of our competition is that every club is treated the same. They will naturally think you have a bias if you give your war chest to one club over another club.โ
PNG's entry presents unique challenges.
While players contracted to the Port Moresby-based side will be tax-exempt under local laws, the club will still be governed by the same salary cap rules as the rest of the competition.
Final terms of reference for the review have not yet been locked in, but V'landys said once approved by the commission, the process would begin โstraight away.โ
โEverything will be looked at โ squad sizes, do we give exemptions to international players โ all of these different things will be looked at,โ he said.
โIt could form part of that; we haven't finalised the terms of reference. Once we finalise those, we'll get it going straight away.โ
