"And they say they got him at a bargain price because their's was the last import job going in the league"

The Tigers speaking of Ere. What's different about what they are paying Ere. Everyone of their players had to be obtained at a bargain price to fit under the salary cap. When you divide up the salary cap amongst all the Tigers, they have to be playing for a price that every team in the league could afford atleast one or two of them and even pay more. How do the Tigers recruit all of them legitametly? As I said before, none of us are privy to what these players are earning but you just have to do the sums. How else do you get a team that stands out so far ahead of every other team while they are adhering to the same salary cap?

31 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in his first game as a Tiger. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

Ebi and a large portion of the rest of that roster are getting their incomes (i.e. what's declared to the NBL) supplemented by other parties (think where the Tigers have pitched their tent over the last couple of years). It's common knowledge that Ere is on something approaching 500K a season, but as far as the NBL is concerned he's only on something like 100K.

Anon2, that's illegal according to NBL rules and therefore it doesn't matter where his income comes from, that is a breach of salary cap. A level playing field only exists where players are paid within the salary cap and nothing else. A salary cap means absolutely nothing if income can be obtained from other means, particularly when paid in house by the owner.

EC I think you will find that it is not illegal at all. Externally earnt income is not part of the salary cap and every team uses this to massage their cap space.

An ex sixer was employed solely to make sure the number of hot dog buns bought was equal to the number of hot dog sausages bought for each game.

Or another example if Darren Ng earnt 250k as a doctor and played for the sixers at 40k per year that does not necessarily mean that he takes up 290k of cap space.


You can not stop people breaking the salary cap without viewing their tax returns. Which i think is the only legit way of doing it.

I also think making players salaries public knowledge is beneficial to leveling the cap. If Ere is on say 80k per year at the Tigers why would say the Wildcats pay 120k for Victor ( not facts just an example)

This helps the teams in 2 ways. They know what they are up against and players cant hold team to ransom of ridiculous payment requests and others can be paid what they are worth because they can be scaled against similar talent.

It is bad enough to have to know that Tigers have dramatically blown the salary cap by massive proportions and NBL will do nothing about but for Tiger management etc and supporters to insult our intelligence by trying to indicate how they have kept under by key players getting paid 25% of what they can get elswhere like Ere .
Like I previously posted the lower teams supporters are not going to see these cheats.
Sydney Spirit 1500 + supporters wow.
Change of name was a big help as well wasnt it

Kent i totally agree....Tigers are a disgrace

"The NBL has already admitted it doesn't have the ability to police its salary cap properly, and the contrast between the Tigers and the Spirit was obvious."

This proves the NBL will never ever come down hard on these teams

Players salries should be public knowledge to allow a fair and consistant league

The only way it would be legal for someone to earn a certain amount is to be employeed at a business

Then that is there 2nd source of income

If Shamus "Big Boy" McPeake or anyone else is paying these guys under the table amounts and not declaring it then i would say the league should do an internal investigation into all clubs and the full amounts in which the players are being paid

EC, there are obvious ways around salary caps (as seen here)
Other teams just have to have the same type of creative accountants....

The issue isnt as much of creative accountants.... the issue is who has the funds to pay these ridiculous huge amounts. The tigers have got the cash and are spending it, just like Eddy Groves did with Brisbane. Its also the case with Cowan they have easily spent over the cap. The teams are aware the nbl wont police it and therefore dont play by the rules.

The nbl is a disgrace and they should police it. But please dont use this creative accountants crap.. they just have the money and the other teams dont.

Its pretty clear that the NBL doesn't have the money to police the salary cap, and probably never has done. It's a shame, because I like the concept of a cap, but there is just no point having one unless you can police it.

Like Kent says, you have to be able to view every players tax return and be able to compel them to explain where certain income is from. Not going to happen when the NBL can barely seem to afford a marketing budget, let alone find money to employ auditors each year.

I say scrap the cap!

Good thing teams do mess around with salary caps, imagine what the league would be like if everyone stuck to the rules! The quality of the players would be terrible!

How does money earnt overseas work with your tax return?

For example if Ebe Ere was 'employed' by a sofware company in Asia who just happened to be a sponsor of the Tigers. As soon as season ends he pops over too whatever country this sponsor is in - works for them under contract for a week or so - picks up his paypacket for the weeks work and then goes on his way?

Does money earnt working overseas - for an overseas company have to be declared to the ATO?

I would have thought that it has to go on the return of the country that you earnt the money as the tax would be payable there.

I have friends who do contract work in NZ and they have had to set up companies in NZ so that they can trade there and pay tax there.

There was an advanatage for some guys to play for Slingers for this reason as they got taxed less than they would have had they been paid in Australia.

Kent, I don't have a problem with external employment and earning additional income that way. I did it myself, worked in 2 jobs at the same time. What I do have a problem with is the additional income coming from the same owner who pays his players under the NBL salary cap. For some mysterious reason, if not a breach of salary cap, Melbourne has managed to recruit an enormously talented team. Why doesn't every teams roster look as expensive as Melbourne's? You don't have to play for Melbourne to enjoy an additional income from an external employer. What encouraged the cream of Australia's basketball talent to flock to Melbourne?

Good post EC it is not extra income as paid by same employer and McPeake is saying he got Ere for 100k which is bulls--t he hasnt even tried to say he is employing him.
Hey Anon how does Tigers buying a good team help NBL they only can fit in 3.5k into their stadium and no real Tv this year and other struggling teams suppporters will really flock to see them play like the 1573 Spirit supporters did . I guess you were not one of those to see this great NBL saviour team either.