NRL and NRLW teams can finally breathe easy after the league announced the salary cap for the 2023 season on Thursday, with a record number for both male and female players.
In a statement, the NRL confirmed the salary cap would rise from $9.6 million in 2022 to $12.1 million in 2023, a 25 per cent increase. The cap for the top 30 players will also increase to a record $11.45 million, up 22% from 2022.
He also confirmed that the salary cap for the developmental roster will increase from $240,000 to $650,000.
Watch every game LIVE and commercial-free during the game on FOX LEAGUE with Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Talatau Amone accused of assault | 00:42
For the Women’s Premiership, the salary cap will increase by 153 percent to $884,000.
“To ensure players share in this unprecedented increase, the NRL has announced that the minimum salary for all male players on the roster of a club’s top 30 NRL teams will increase to $120,000,” added the NRL in its statement.
“As a result of today’s announcement, players who have the standard ratchet clause in their playing contract will receive an 18% increase in their playing fee, with the increase taking effect from 1 November, giving rise to a well-timed year-end bonus.
“While the RLPA and NRL continue negotiations, the parties had extended the current amended CBA. The above increases will be in addition to the players’ rights under the current amended CBA while the parties continue negotiations in good faith” .
Dragons consider shock name change? | 00:39
Prominent sports journalist Phil Rothfield was among many other big names in the world of rugby league to voice their concerns over the NRL’s delay in finalizing the salary cap.
“Nathan Brown is like a lot of players in the NRL, Marty Taupau is another, who are waiting for the salary cap to end and it’s causing huge problems for the whole game,” Rothfield said. Sky Sports Radio ‘Big Sports Breakfast’ earlier this week.
“A player like Matt Lodge at the Roosters has signed a contract with the Roosters but he can’t be registered because they would be over the salary cap and it hasn’t been raised yet.
“The Wests Tigers are also waiting for the completion of the salary cap before they can make their real offer to Nathan Brown and what Nathan Brown does will have an effect during the game because I think Marty Taupau will end up at Parramatta one time. they have the space to Nathan Brown’s cover, so it’s still very, very messy.
“It’s not right for a lot of these players to be held back by these ABC negotiations.”
Rabbits sign long-term contracts for duo | 02:37
Fellow reporter Dean Ritchie echoed similar sentiments, revealing a conversation he had with Panthers CEO Matt Cameron about the difficulties of finalizing a roster without salary cap figures.
“I spoke to Matt Cameron, the general manager of the Panthers yesterday and they’ve only got 26 players on their books, they’ve got four and they want to sign a couple but they can’t do anything,” Ritchie said.
“He said, ‘I can’t do anything until we know what that final number is’ for the salary cap.
“So there’s a lot of people out there locked into a holding pattern until this damn CBA is over, it’s been going since February and I’m afraid it won’t be done until the new year.”