Daly Cherry-Evans, Lachlan Galvin and Jamal Fogarty have really shone a light on how flawed the current NRL transfer system is.

Every year, fans are left scratching their heads when star players announce mid-season that they’re leaving but not for another 12 months.

It’s awkward, sparks questions about how much player’s want to show up for their current team and overall, just makes the league look like a bit of joke if I’m honest.

I don’t believe a US sport style draft and trade period would work for the NRL. There’s nowhere near enough coin in our competition to convince a teenager from Western Sydney to pack his life up and move away from his life and family if he were drafted by let’s say the Cowboys.

What I do believe could work however is a transfer system like European football.

Allow me to break down my thoughts.

What Would an EPL-Style Transfer System Look Like in the NRL?

Transfer Windows

Rather than this very bizarre system that we currently have of players sneaking off to other leagues clubs for secret lunches with CEO’s.

Clubs could only sign or sell players during two dedicated windows — one during the off-season and another mid-season.

This would:

• Prevent drawn-out distractions
• Stop players signing a year in advance
• Create drama and urgency for both clubs and players
• Keep Rugby League in the headlines (for good reasons) in the offseason

Transfer Fees Introduced

If a player is under contract, rival clubs would need to buy them out just in majority of football leagues around the world teams pay a transfer fee for players mid-contract and then negotiate salaries.

For example, the Broncos might pay the Raiders $500,000 to sign Corey Horsburgh if he had two years left on his deal.

This adds a new economy to the league one where talent is a true asset and gives teams the ability to generate revenue off developing players rather than memberships and pokies revenue in the leagues club.

Contract Negotiations Remain Salary Cap Compliant

The transfer fee is paid between clubs and sits outside the salary cap.

However, once the deal is done, the player still negotiates a new contract with their new team and that contract must fit under the cap.

Example:

Storm pay $400k to the Bulldogs for a player (outside the cap)

The player signs a 3-year deal at $350k per season (inside the cap)

Youth Development Becomes a Revenue Stream

Clubs with strong junior development pathways such as the Broncos or the Panthers could begin to profit from their development systems.

Rather than losing stars for nothing when cap pressure hits.

This would create a new and nuanced aspect to roster building, one that CEO’s, coaches and fans alike could really sink their teeth into.

Could we see a Moneyball inspired Parramatta finally win a comp?

Not to mention, that coin could be reinvested into further creating youth development pathways, giving the game more talented up and comers in an era where expansion is happening rapidly.

A Transfer Market Evolves

Media coverage would explode.

Transfer rumours, valuations, and club bidding wars would become part of the weekly conversation.

Not that NRL 360 needs anymore ammo but transfer rumours would generate even more engagement, intrigue, and (positive) off-field theatre that the NRL lacks once the final whistle is blown.

The Pros: Why This Could Work

• Ends mid-season signing farces (no more “he’s staying this year but joining the Dolphins in 12 months”)
• Rewards clubs who develop players with financial return
• Creates buzz around transfer windows and trade periods
• Adds a new layer of strategy for recruitment and long-term planning
• Potential to boost the Super League by purchasing up and coming Poms from clubs like St Helens or Wigan
• Enables struggling clubs to cash in on talent rather than losing players for free

The Cons: What Could Go Wrong

• Salary cap loopholes would need strict regulation, third-party deals could become riskier
• Richer clubs or clubs with already established programs would potentially dominate unless transfer spending was capped or regulated initially
• Increased agent power (which may or may not already be an issue depending on who you ask) could lead to even messier negotiations
• Smaller clubs may become feeders initially (Which may prompt them to reinvest into development, may not be an actual con?)

Will the NRL Ever Do It?

It would be a massive shake up to the NRL but I don’t think it’s impossible.

The Super League in the UK already uses a hybrid model, where transfer fees exist outside the cap. If the NRL wants to grow its commercial footprint, attract global interest, and modernise. A transfer system overhaul is essential.

Letting go of awkward mid-season signings and moving toward a genuine player market could be one of the smartest reforms the game ever makes.

Until then, we’ll keep watching half the league announce their 2026 roster in the middle of Magic Round.