NORTHERN Pride chairman Tony Williamson has hit out at Easts Tigers for launching a poaching raid on the club’s homegrown talent and called on the Queensland Rugby League to balance the unfair system enabling it.

The Tigers have signed Pride fullback Linc Port, including a five-week train and trial deal with Melbourne Storm, halfback Brayden Torpy and have offered a similar trial incentive deal to backrower David Murphy.

Jack Svendsen is also in the sights of rival clubs with the carrot of an NRL trial, Greg Miglio is off to Brisbane and the future of outside backs Justin Castellaro and Khan Ahwang is cloudy.

Williamson said the financial clout of rival clubs, rather than the perceived delay in naming a new coach, was the reason the Pride lost out in the marketplace.

He said the Pride was created to develop local talent on a pathway to the NRL rather than cashed-up Intrust Super Cup clubs, blaming the lack of a salary cap and the inconsistent NRL train-and-trial contract system.

The Pride have just the one train-and-trial deal to offer, while the Tigers, who also have the financial backing of a leagues club, have two through their link with Melbourne Storm.

“These clubs with bigger budgets are taking advantage of the fact the Pride are a regional club,” Williamson said.

“We’re developing outstanding talent to the NRL — we’re not a feeder club for Easts.”

He said since the Pride could not compete with such incentives, he could understand why players had been lured elsewhere.

“We wish our players all the best and we’d be first to congratulate them if they took their career through another level to the NRL,” Williamson said.

“I’m not bagging our players but questioning the moral compass of the league.”

He said a much-vaunted Intrust Super Cup salary cap, which would not come in until 2018, would help level out the playing field.

But it would be all too late for the Pride.

“As one door closes, another one opens and rest assured there’s going to be some damn fine footballers playing at the Pride next year,” Williamson said.

QRL CEO Rob Moore said a salary cap had been discussed in line with the NRL’s review of second tier rugby league.

“We are certainly considering it,” he said.

“But we must stress that it’s not a simple process given that it would have to be administered in conjunction with the NRL salary cap.”

Pride coach Joe O’Callaghan said all the club could do was move on, confident they could build on the success of the club’s portability program preparing local players for Intrust Super Cup.

He said regardless of player movements, he would be putting the best 17 on the park for the rest of the season.

Easts Tigers CEO Brian Torpy made no apology for recruiting the best talent available, saying the club had searched high and low throughout the Intrust Super Cup, interstate and overseas before offering contracts to Pride players.

“It’s just business,” he said.

“We’re always in the market looking for good players. Every club is in the same boat.”