The Rugby League Players’ Association (RLPA) make the following statement in relation to the NRL’s salary cap investigation at the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles:
The RLPA has been supportive of the NRL’s comprehensive salary cap investigation at the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. Maintaining the integrity of the sport and the NRL competition itself is vital to public trust and confidence.
The preliminary findings of this investigation have outlined potential salary cap breaches, with the Sea Eagles now being afforded a reasonable opportunity to respond. We do not hold any view in relation to the preliminary findings and respect the Sea Eagles right to due process.
What the preliminary findings do highlight is the need to review the current Third Party Agreement system. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that salary cap breaches have been exposed which have a direct link to the negotiation and agreement of third party arrangements.
As part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations, the NRL and RLPA have agreed to undertake a review of the TPA system. Whilst we do not have any fixed views on the system or how it could be improved, we look forward to working with the NRL and other key stakeholders to review the current arrangements.
We stress that the review is not a direct consequence of the preliminary findings in relation to the Sea Eagles. However, the findings do reinforce the need to discuss improvements to this space.
