ARL Commission chairman John Grant’s deteriorating funding negotiations could trigger a war within NRL clubland, Cronulla veteran Paul Gallen is warning.
The premiers have much to lose if a deal between the league and clubs over funding and the salary cap is not finalised soon, with rival clubs circling the Sharks’ long list of off-contract stars.
The saga looks no closer to resolution with Canterbury chairman Ray Dib reportedly telling Grant he is refusing to attend any further meetings while he heads the commission due to a loss of confidence.
“I can certainly understand the frustration of the clubs,” Gallen told Sky Sports Radio on Monday.
“Our club’s trying to sign the majority of our team. I reckon 75 per cent of our team will be off contract next year.”
Last week, Grant and NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg refused to sign off on agreement to fund each franchise at 130 per cent of the salary cap from 2018.
The funding model, which was agreed to by both parties last year, was set to deliver an extra $100 million to the 16 clubs per year.
However Grant argued that they could no longer afford it – with a number of other issues taking precedence, including grassroots funding, taking over the NRL’s digital arm from Telstra in 2018 and a sinking fund to support struggling clubs.
The Sharks, like most clubs, have a crop of stars off contract at the end of the 2017 season, including premiership players Valentine Holmes, Jack Bird, Ricky Leutele, Wade Graham, Gerard Beale, Sosaia Feki, Chris Heighington, Sam Tagataese and Chad Towsend.
“They (Cronulla) are trying to extend guys out like Valentine Holmes, Jack Bird and Ricky Leutele and all these young guns in the game and they don’t know where the cap’s going to be,” Gallen said.
“They don’t know where the funding’s coming from. It’s very hard at the moment, because other clubs can poach players now.
“It’s really difficult for clubs at the moment and you don’t want to see a war in the game, so to speak.
“But I hope they get it sorted out soon and we can all move forward and clubs can start signing players and we know what direction we’re headed in.”
Grant is set for a showdown with a NRL clubs at a meeting this week after refusing to apologise or backtrack over the funding impasse.
