“Clubs are required to have their list of 30 contracted players finalised by end of June as part of the revised model that has been introduced under the new CBA,” said RLPA chief operating officer Tim Lythe. “Beyond that, it is also compulsory that clubs spend at least 95 per cent of the salary cap on their top-30 list during the season. “This new system balances the interests of the clubs and players by providing flexibility to contract players up until June 30, while also providing a level of transparency and security for our members. “The contracting deadlines allow clubs to assess the make-up of their squad and which players they want to bring into their top-30 list. That is balanced against having a specific date by which contracting must be completed in order to provided players with certainty regarding where they sit within in a club’s playing roster.” Samoa makes a bold play for 'RTS'

Samoa has made an audacious attempt to bring Roger Tuivasa-Sheck into the fold for the upcoming representative round. Tuivasa-Sheck has made 16 appearances for New Zealand and is a certain selection for the Denver Test against England after being named to make his return against the Cowboys this weekend. However, the 25 year old was born in Samoa and has been given the opportunity to be the latest Kiwi defector after Jason Taumalolo, Manu Ma’u, Sio Siua Taukeiaho and David Fusitu'a pledged their allegiance to Tonga. “I’ve spoken to him,” said Samoa coach Matt Parish. “There’s always hope. He’s Samoan, and we would love to him him. But whatever way he goes, it’s his decision and we’ll respect it. “I’d imagine he would be considering it, but he’s represented New Zealand and nobody would begrudge him doing that again

“As much as we would like to have him, he’s been a great player for the Warriors and the Kiwis in the past and certainly wouldn’t hold it against him if he wanted to stay." Kiwis coach Michael Maguire will be naming a new-look side for the United States international after Ben Matulino, Simon Mannering and Russell Packer retired from representative football. Greenberg lets cricket job go through to the 'keeper NRL boss Todd Greenberg has distanced himself from the top job at Cricket Australia, declaring he has unfinished business in rugby league. Greenberg has been mentioned as a possible candidate to replace James Sutherland when he steps aside in a year's time, although the CA board has indicated it will likely hire from inside cricket. In any case, the former Bulldogs boss has told ARL Commissoin chairman Peter Beattie he isn’t going anywhere.

“What I’m saying is that I’m fully committed to my role here and I’ve made some commitments to both Peter and the commission that I will completely see through,” Greenberg said. “I’ll be here in rugby league. I haven’t put a timeframe on it but there is still a lot of work still to do. We’ve only just started the new broadcast deal. I want to make sure we set it up for the long-term future. It’s going to take a lot of years to do that.” Petero still hoping Fiji can make the grade Fiji is still holding out some hope they will stump up the cash required to enter the NSW Cup competition next year. We reported on the weekend that the odds are stacked against Fiji to produce the bank cheque to the NSWRL before Monday’s deadline, but bid chief Petero Civoniceva remains upbeat.

“I’ve got a couple of things on the go at the moment that can hopefully bring some positive news,” Civoniceva said. “We’re waiting to hear back. I’ve been at this for four years and I’m not going away. We’ll keep moving as the deadline approaches. We’re doing everything in our power to meet that deadline. “We’ve got a couple of [financial backing] candidates that are showing great interest and are close.” The legendary Brisbane and Australian prop is trying to get the Fiji government and private investors on board before Monday’s deadline expires. “The Fiji government supports a Super Rugby game that they pay $3 million for, for just one game,” he said.

“I’d like to think what we offer - 12 home games in Fiji - would create spinoffs and provide a return for investment. We need that corporate support that is heavily geared towards rugby union.” Tipping a winner has never been harder If you’re struggling to pick a winning in your tipping competition, you’re not alone. If in doubt, you can normally back the favourite, but this season has officially been the most unpredictable in more than a decade. According to the TAB, there have been 44 upsets from 108 matches so far this year, meaning the outsider gets up 41 per cent of the time. It’s the highest percentage ever, up from the 38 per cent mark set in 2015.