Cowboys one of several clubs interested in Brisbane’s Dale Copley; Courier Mail
DALE Copley has been told by the Broncos to find a new club so they can fit James Roberts within the salary cap and Cowboys coach Paul Green has already voiced an interest. Copley has been advised Brisbane cannot remain within their salary cap by including the last year of his contract because they signed another centre, Roberts, for the next two seasons. Several NRL clubs had expressed an interest in Copley, including Parramatta and Melbourne, before Wednesday’s announcement of Roberts’s contract which effectively ended Copley’s service to a club for which he made his first-grade debut in 2009. It is understood Copley, an Aspley junior, wants to stay with a Queensland club if he can, but his most important consideration is to go to the strongest club possible. Gold Coast would have salary cap room to pay Copley more than he would have earned at the Broncos, but on the downside they placed 14th out of 16 clubs this year. Green said he had not approached Copley, 24, or his manager, but had noted media reports that the tall centre would will be shipped on by the Broncos to accommodate Roberts, a NSW Origin hopeful. Copley seems to be the odd man out for the Broncos. Asked if the Cowboys could fit Copley within their salary cap next year, Green said: “Not just yet. “We’d be interested in Dale. I have had a bit to do with him as a kid when he was in the Broncos development squad as a 14- or 15-year-old. “He’s had a disrupted career. This has all only happened today really, but he’s a good young bloke and has a lot of good football in him.’’ When a player is moved on for cap reasons, his team often pays some amount towards his salary at his new club. When Roberts knocked back a revised offer from the Titans after it was discovered a Titans staffer, since sacked, had written the player’s initials on a contract, the Broncos moved to secure the Dally M centre of the award winner in the face of a Rabbitohs offer. The Broncos have surged into premiership favouritism off the back of Roberts’ signature, shortening to $4.25 with UBET ahead of the Cowboys ($7). A week ago they were $5 co-favourites with North Queensland. While Roberts’ manager Jeremy Donovan said he had taken less money than he could have earnt at another club, the Broncos have still to satisfy the NRL that their valuation of him towards the salary cap is realistic. The Broncos believe no contracted player other than Copley will need to be moved on to satisfy the NRL. Play 0:00 / 0:41 Fullscreen Mute Up Next Dally M number five for Johnathan Thurston in 2015? “The Broncos need to submit any contract within five working days,’’ an NRL spokesman said. “The salary cap auditors will consider the contract in the New Year.’’ Donovan said a major consideration for Roberts, 22, was that he could continue to live at the Gold Coast rather than move to Sydney. Roberts has placed his trust in fourth NRL club will improve him after he was sacked by South Sydney and Penrith before he kicked major goals at the Titans. “James was incredibly impressed by the humility shown through the whole process by (Broncos CEO) Paul White, Wayne Bennett and (recruitment chief) Peter Nolan,’’ Donovan said. Broncos coach Bennett ultimately decided he was more likely to win a premiership with the strong, fast Roberts in the centres rather than Copley. On October 28, Bennett said there would be “no more waiting’’ for Copley for a regular Broncos centre spot due to the retirement of Justin Hodges.
Replies
Haha too funny.
So the runners up cant afford Copley but the premiers can. Hahaha what a farce the NRL is.
lol spot on Frank, don't know why we bother. This is getting like the AFL where only a few chosen clubs have a hope in hell.
Don't worry you will get a few knobs on here soon attempting to explain to us uneducated Neanderthals how the NRLs fair salary cap system works.
To those dickheads I say wake up boys and girls. The NRL isn't a fair comp, forget the front office, it could be run like Microsoft and we still couldn't compete with the NRLs favourites.
As I said earlier if it fails the pub test then its no good. Fark it off NRL the cap is badly broken.
Frank, at the risk of being called a Neanderthal, please allow me to explain how the salary cap works.
Clubs cannot exceed $6.8M, clubs need to manage the cap as sensibly as possible to remain competitive. Overall, the playing field should be even, the better a club can manage their cap, the more likely they will win a competition.
The salary cap alone restricts corruption so the NRL allows unlimited TPA's.
TPA's virtually nullify the salary cap, one town teams and well connected clubs can spend whatever the fu*ck they like while the remaining dumb arse clubs are forced to fight fire with water pistols.
Without unlimited TPA's, Russell Crowe, Nick Politis, the Bulldogs mafia, the Broncos PTY LTD and the NRL's very own love children, the Storm and the Cowboys would not be able buy themselves at the very least a competitive team each year and at best, they take turns at winning a premiership.
I don't need a crystal ball to know the Broncos are earmarked to win the next comp and the Bulldogs will have their turn in 2017.
I don't have the answers, I don't think the NRL is looking for a solution to a fair playing field, where's there is money, fairness has no home.
And lol, go figure, the runners up can't afford Copley but the premiers can.
Thought you were going to slap me around with that first paragraph, you had me going.
How others can not see the ridiculousness of the cap in its current state is just amazing.
lol, don't worry Mick we still have Morgs.
Say Copley doesn't want to leave. He's signed a contract that say he has another year on his contract if he doesn't leave can they still sign Roberts?
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