People don’t seem to understand the difference between two scenarios:
One where a player plays in competitive games and gets injured either for the rest of the season, or a long period of time with a chance of returning. In both scenarios, the exemption would be unavailable because the player has played in a salary cap game, eg the Challenge Cup or Super League.
Gale is out for the season. To all intents and purposes he’s nothing more than a club employee. He may as well be sat in the Media department. He will not participate in any club game at all in 2019. Therefore, his salary shouldn’t (and rightly so for any player who doesn’t play in SL/CC that year) count on the salary cap until he can make a playing return. Otherwise you would argue that all clubs should be counting all reserves and academy players outside the top 25 on the cap too because they are being paid by the club.
The only way that Gale could return this season to account for his salary is if they make and clear the appropriate space to accommodate his salary. Given his injury is likely to be 6 months plus 2 months rehab for a pre-existing injury to his knee last year, it takes us to September. It’s unlikely Cas will risk him returning with no match fitness and preseason and 12 months spent on the sideline, and even then we would have to be both in the top 5 and playoffs for him to have a chance, albeit pointless.
Therefore in the same vein you wouldn’t count a signing for 2020 in 2019, Gale’s salary shouldn’t count. Not only does it put any club, not just Cas, at a disadvantage by having money tied up in a player who can’t do anything, it also means that the clubs do not have the flexibility to be able to get cover in should further injuries occur during the season. Even if they did, it’s likely the exemption would be granted anyway so what’s the difference?
For those suggesting Gale shouldn’t still count because he’s still employed, wow. Where’s the moral compass? Cas should terminate his contract to get rid of his salary? The bloke has just suffered a serious injury that could potentially not only affect this season but jeopardise his entire career. He has a family and mortgage to pay just like the majority of us on here. You get sick pay when you are ill from work. Cas should do the right thing by their employee and that is stick by him and support him both financially and mentally.
We aren’t having an advantage over any other club. We are still spending the same salary cap on players who can play as any other club, and can only pay the same amount as others. Gale’s salary is nothing more than an off-field salary now until he is ready to return, which probably be January 2020.
Personally I see no issue with exemptions for season-long injuries providing they are season-long and occur in pre-season. Those that happen in season have still contributed to the club’s season, even if it happens in the first game. That’s unfortunate but they have still played. This is more than likely come out in the wash because of the high profile nature and speculation, and because Cas have confirmed it. I find it incredibly difficult to believe that no other club hasn’t ever used such exemptions in the past and even it would be their choice not to exercise it.
Cas have clearly justified sufficiently that Gale will play no part through medical evidence and with specific rules about any return too placed on them.
