NRL blocks Hudson Young's PNG move over $50,000 salary gap
The NRL set Hudson Young's market value at $1 million, leaving PNG's $950,000 offer $50,000 short.
Hudson Young is a NSW State of Origin second-rower for Canberra. He wants to join PNG's new NRL team, the Chiefs.
PNG offered $950,000 per season. The NRL's salary cap auditor set Young's market value at $1 million, leaving the Chiefs $50,000 short.
Canberra had previously offered $1.1 million to keep Young, who is recovering from an Achilles injury. NRL chief Peter V'landys defended the rule.
Players cannot be signed below market value even if tax advantages reduce their cost to a PNG employer. The Chiefs cannot offer less on the salary cap just because players take home more after tax breaks.
Young has consulted the Players Association and is expected to decide his future after November 1.
- $1 million
- NRL market value set
- $950,000
- PNG Chiefs offer
- $50,000
- Salary cap shortfall
- $1.1 million
- Canberra's counter-offer
Why it mattersThe dispute reveals how the NRL's salary cap rules limit PNG's ability to exploit their tax-free contract advantage, which matters to clubs trying to compete for top talent.
AustraliaPNG's push to build a competitive team in Australia's NRL is being slowed by salary cap enforcement that treats the Chiefs like any other club.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 d ago
