Anyone know what the NRLs stance is on front loading contracts?
You can still front load contracts and every club does it. Gus and co would be doing this more than most clubs considering we finally have a tonne of cap space and no one to spend it on.
So re-signings for players on upgraded deals like Burton, Preston, Kiraz, King etc or even new signings like Crichton would be the types of deals that we're likely front loading to make sure we pay the 97.5% of the cap for 2024 while giving us more cap space and flexibility for 2025, 2026 etc..
The problem with front loading is that it can leave you with insufficient Cap space when a player/s that you want/need become unexpectedly available. The club would look pretty stupid and be greatly inconvenienced if we missed out on a player that we desperately needed. When that happens you end up asking an existing player to give up their contract to make the Cap space available and they don't have to say yes.
Plus there is no timing requirement on spending the required 97.5% of the Cap aside from the end of season compliance. You don't have to be at 97.5% at the start of the season or in the middle of the season. just by the end of season audit. Which won't happen for another month or so for last season.
Combining the above, it's not very smart to front load contracts before the pre season has even started. In fact it's not very smart to front load existing contracts anytime before 30th June. Being the date by which all of the Top 30 need to be registered with the NRL.
The NRL also won't allow "big" front loading so their effect is minimal anyway. How much is "big", the NRL decides that on a case by case basis depending on the reason for front loading. Cap compliance on its own isn't one of the acceptable reasons.
Always a Bulldog