Rugby League Clubs Cry Out for Salary Cap Reform Amid NRL Raiding Woes
Wigan Warriors CEO Kris Radlinski has sounded the alarm on the current state of the Super League’s salary cap, admitting that clubs are powerless to stop the NRL from snatching up their top talents.
Radlinski’s comments come on the heels of several high-profile player departures, including St Helens half-back Lewis Dodd signing with South Sydney Rabbitohs from 2025, and Warrington Wolves’ Matty Nicholson joining Canberra Raiders. Wigan themselves lost forwards Morgan Smithies and Kai Pearce-Paul to NRL clubs last year.
With the Super League’s salary cap remaining stagnant at £2.1 million for the past five years, while the NRL’s cap soars to £6.32 million by 2027, Radlinski acknowledges the stark financial disparity. “It’s going to be a challenge because we’re unprotected really to a degree as clubs,” he told Love Rugby League. “The reality is you’re unprotected and with our salary cap being what it is there’s not much you can do.”
Advocating for Salary Cap Reforms
The Warriors CEO has advocated for discussions around potential “salary cap tweaks, adaptions, dispensations, or even getting rid of it all together.” He recognizes the broader financial challenges facing the sport, but believes the current system is unsustainable if the league hopes to retain its top domestic talent.
Radlinski pointed to the uncertainty surrounding the 2025 salary cap limit, with most clubs already finalizing their recruitment plans for the upcoming season. “We sit here now, at the end of May, we don’t know what the salary rules for next season are,” he lamented. “It’s crazy.”
A New Era Under IMG’s Stewardship
As the sport enters a new era under IMG’s stewardship, Radlinski believes the time is ripe to re-evaluate the salary cap and align it with the governing body’s long-term vision for rugby league. “What’s IMG’s thoughts on adapting the salary cap, in line with their projections and hopes and aspirations for the sport? That’s all I’d suggest.”
“It’s going to be a challenge because we’re unprotected really to a degree as clubs. The reality is you’re unprotected and with our salary cap being what it is there’s not much you can do.”
- Kris Radlinski, Wigan Warriors CEO
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