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 NRL salary cap: Fai Fai Loa may be forced out 

NRL salary cap: Fai Fai Loa may be forced out

07 Jul, 2010 12:00 AM
The 20-year-old who upstaged St George Illawarra's $2 million man could be a victim of the salary cap by the end of the year.

In just his second NRL game, winger Kalifa Fai Fai Loa made rival clubs take notice with a five-star, two-try performance for the Dragons on Monday.

It was one of few highlights for the premiership favourites in the 12-8 loss to Penrith, as former captain Mark Gasnier misfired in his first game since leaving for French rugby in 2008.

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    But after paying almost $2 million over five years for Gasnier, the Dragons are facing tough salary cap decisions.

    Fai Fai Loa and Michael Lett are both off contract at the end of the year and the Dragons are yet to offer them new deals.

    They may not see NRL game time again this season following the return of Darius Boyd and Brett Morris from State of Origin duty after this weekend's bye.

    The contracts of Kiwi international Jason Nightingale, young gun Kyle Stanley and 13-game NSW centre Matt Cooper are also due to expire at the end of next year.

    Injured backline pair Peni Tagive and Bronx Goodwin will also be playing for their futures in 2011.

    "There's no doubt clubs will come looking," a key official from a rival Sydney NRL club said.

    "It's a bit like Parramatta getting Poorey (former Dragons prop Justin Poore) last year. I mean I'm sure the Dragons have some plans in place, but there's going to be clubs able to throw more money at them.

    "Especially now Gaz is back there.

    "Nightingale and the young winger (Fai Fai Loa) will definitely be in demand. He's impressive, the kid - he likes to get involved.

    "Kyle Stanley's certainly another, I know their names have been mentioned around our club."

    While Bennett said Gasnier "has a long way to go" to rediscover his best form, the club has ruled out giving him extra game time in feeder team Shellharbour's NSW Cup clash on Saturday.

    Fai Fai Loa made an impressive debut against Canberra at WIN Stadium earlier this year, making two line breaks and running for 205m.

    But it was on Monday he announced himself as a future star, scoring a double and keeping the Dragons in the contest.

    St George Illawarra are expected to make Nightingale a priority signing next year. Coach Wayne Bennett is a fan of Nightingale, who made the sacrifice of shifting into the forward pack last year to accommodate Wendell Sailor during his NRL swansong.

    But keeping Nightingale leaves less room to keep injured 31-year-old Cooper, who is sure to attract huge offers from the English Super League when he comes off contract.

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    comments


    Date: Newest first | Oldest first
    You can't keep em all, unless you're cheating
    Posted by chipnchase, 7/07/2010 8:54:49 AM, on Illawarra Mercury
    This is why signing Gaz was a bad idea... He's a has-been. Now we'll lose two or three future stars to pay for his knock-ons...
    Posted by Scott, 7/07/2010 10:12:10 AM, on Illawarra Mercury
    there's always the big money if they go to rugby, but will have to toughen up a bit, and get use to playing a real mans game. Ouch!
    Posted by Count, 7/07/2010 11:40:22 AM, on Illawarra Mercury
    Count- Gasnier showed the other day what Rugby does to you, provides you with an inability to catch a ball. Scrappy, ugly game.
    Posted by Freddy, 7/07/2010 2:15:51 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
    nice one Scotty, Gaz is a waste of money. 200k maybe. Once again the Dragons are loosing top young player cause of this bloke. Go back to france, soccer a go :)
    Posted by crackers, 7/07/2010 3:16:41 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
    Yet again the Dragons have to loose player because of Gasnier. We could have kept like 4 young up and comings with that money but instead we have already lost 2 and in the process of loosing another. Before Gaz left he stuffed around and cost us Josh Morris. We got to the top of the table 2 years in a row with out him we dont need him Dragons wake up.
    Posted by rmn0611, 8/07/2010 9:03:51 AM, on Illawarra Mercury
    He's got the build for soccer these days... Must be all the snails he's been eating, trimmed him right down to a pencil.
    Posted by Scott, 8/07/2010 3:20:03 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
    The Dragons need to keep Nightingale. A great winger who can cover most positions. Gutsy, determined and tough. Matty "hammys" Cooper was a great player, but far to injury prone to justify his money. He missed about a month last season with a bruised heel! i mean come on...
    Posted by Nightingale4pm, 8/07/2010 6:01:27 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
    No, that was broken finger-nail coops was out for. Scott, soccer players run over 10klms a game, Gaz can only run 300m a game, and that's a good stat for thugby league. freddy, I have to agree with you for once, but all games of thugby league are scrappy at best. Netball is tougher and more exciting, and played by the same sex as NRL players. Go figure!!!
    Posted by Count, 8/07/2010 6:30:36 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
    Isn't Count starting to sound like the little boy who wasn't good enough to play League so went off to play the game where players too slow and with no talent head for. Rugby Union. Count, calling sportsmen of opposing codes, girls, stops when you turn seven. If you can't say anything intelligent don't say anything at all.For someone who derides League followers as "simple" you write the simplest comments in this forum. I am eagerly awaiting the next contorted reply about broken fingernails,netball,simple people etc. All very predictable. Get your stats right too The 300 mtres Gaz runs is metres gained with the ball. In ground coverage during a game League players cover almost as much as soccer players. Yet another example of your distorting of stats. No integrity at all.
    Posted by Rusty Nail, 8/07/2010 9:58:34 PM, on Illawarra Mercury
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    Dragons winger Kalifa Fai Fai Loa scored two tries on Monday night against Penrith. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI
    Dragons winger Kalifa Fai Fai Loa scored two tries on Monday night against Penrith. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI

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