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The exodus of stars from the NRL will become history under a new television rights deal that will lift the salary cap to $7 million for the 2013 season and provide minimum $100,000 pay-rises to senior players.
At least 80 new "jobs" will be created for stars who have been lost to the English Super League and rival codes in recent seasons under the plan which will also double the NRL's annual grant to the clubs from $3.65 million to $7.5 million. The bonanza will ensure league never loses players of the calibre of our list opposite again.
The money from the soon-to-be-negotiated TV deal, worth an estimated $1 billion over five years, will allow clubs to increase their current 25-man NRL rosters to 30 to address the serious issue of player burnout in a season crammed with 26 rounds, finals, Origin, Tests and City Country.
The analysis is a result of an investigation involving discussions with NRL management, club chief executives, coaches and player managers.
For the first time in the game's history, the grant to the clubs will be higher than the salary cap and should ensure the long-term survival of all 16 clubs. Likely expansion into Perth, Central Coast or Brisbane would not impact on the handouts to the clubs because of extra television revenue that would be generated from an additional game every weekend.
Even with the huge club grants and the player payment windfall, the NRL would have enough money left over to build a war chest of up to $20 million a year for the game's future development.
Read more: http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/b...-1226053009463