The salary cap was first introduced by the NSWRL back in 1990—and it’s fair to say Phil Gould has been criticising it on a steady basis ever since.
But now, the outspoken Canterbury Bulldogs boss and media figure has been officially recruited into a select taskforce of senior NRL figures, tasked with plotting the future direction of the system that predates the NRL itself.
As reported in the Sydney Morning Herald, NRL CEO, Andrew Abdo, provided details around the move yesterday, explaining the time was right to review the current salary cap model with two new teams set to enter the competition in coming seasons, along with a with a new collective bargaining agreement and critical broadcast rights deal on the horizon.
“The salary cap hasn’t been reviewed for at least a decade and the game has changed quite significantly,” Abdo said.
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“This is a check in to find ways to make sure that it’s still contemporary, it’s still fit for purpose, and if there are ways we can modernise it.”
Known for his uncompromising opinions on all matters relating to rugby league—the salary cap included—Gould’s new role will see him transformed from being an unsolicited critic of the cap into an architect of its future.
In one memorable spray in 2022, Gould expressed frustrations over the uncertainty clubs were facing around the salary cap and collective bargaining agreement negotiations, describing the situation as ‘blackmail’ on the Six Tackles with Gus podcast.
“As a professional game we don’t even know what the salary cap is going to be for next year,” he said.
“We should know for the next five years.”
“I dont know how they expect clubs to plan and do their work when we are held up by this ridiculous process. It’s blackmail.”
Gould joins Cronulla first-grade coach, Craig Fitzgibbon, Broncos CEO, Dave Donaghy, Rabbitohs CEO, Blake Solly, player manager, David Riolo, and Dragons chairman Andrew Lancaster on the taskforce.
The NRL salary cap currently sits at $11,800,00 for a club’s top 30 players—rising to $12,100,000 in 2027.