SALARY CAP INEQUALITIES

I might sound like a winger because the St George Illawarra Dragons are having a woeful start to the season. With injuries to key players, the loss of Trent Barrett and the impact of the salary cap, the Dragons just don’t have depth or experience on the field to be competitive in the NRL.

In the Round 7 clash against the Roosters, the Dragons had no Mark Gasnier, Simon Woolford, Jason Ryles or Dean Young and Matthew Head is out of sorts playing Premier League. Add the loss of Shaun Timmins, Trent Barrett, Luke Bailey and some of the up and comers Daryl Millard, Aaron Gorrell and Clint Greenshields on the back of the 2006, so whats left and who is playing?

Josh and Brett Morris are doing a sterling effort as only twenty year olds, but the exposure of Richard Williams, Tony Ellis, Rangi Chase, Tom Hewitt, Chase Stanley and the like have people wondering who are these kids?

Sure they have ability and promise but they are too young to be playing first grade and be expected to perform. Nathan Brown has no experienced players or older heads to lift the boys around them.

Once these kids have exposure to the top grade a club will the struggle to keep them the following year. Because of the injuries to key players, i.e Mark Gasnier and Simon Woolford then youngsters are exposed to first grade when they shouldn’t be.

While they are exposed to the top grade they now demand that they stay there, get paid more money and consequently leave, go to another club and play first grade becoming regular players. Daniel Holdsworth and Daryl Millard are now at the Bulldogs who came through the Dragons ranks.

Why is it though that some teams can continue to be successful and the salary cap does not affect their performance?

The Broncos have been a dominant team, in/or around the fringes of the premiership for fifiteen seasons. Maybe its lifestyle, maybe the Dragons have deep rooted problems attracting players.

Why would you want to train in two locations an hour and a half apart on alternate days?

A base needs to be established and possibly the salary cap needs to be revisited…