ONCE again the murky world of third-party agreements (TPAs) is at the centre of another salary cap storm.

After the Eels’ five-year systemic rort was uncovered and punished in 2016, TPAs again became the hot agenda item for the NRL.

In July that year, CEO Todd Greenberg said it’s “something we’re going to look at and will form part of the negotiation with the collective bargaining agreement with the players”.

When the Sea Eagles were later found to be guilty of using illegal TPAs to bolster their roster over five years to the tune of $1.5 million, Greenberg held a meeting with club bosses in February, 2017.

The parties agreed to form a committee aimed at overhauling the system.

Now, here we are approaching the finals, and another club is in the crosshairs of the Integrity Unit over dodgy TPAs.

Cronulla’s alleged shady practises are understood to have taken place during 2015, and cast a cloud of uncertainty over their first ever premiership in 2016.

Both the Sharks and the NRL are claiming they are salary cap compliant for 2018, even coming in “over half a million dollars” under their $9.4 million cap.

In fact, Greenberg has assuredly told us that all 16 clubs are sweet.

But how can he be so confident when it’s the hidden, undeclared and misrepresented payments that are providing the unfair advantage?

When asked in Wednesday’s press conference what is being done now about the TPA situation, Greenberg said they will “relook” at it.

“We’ve said a number of times this year, we’re on the record as saying that we will relook at third party agreements and how they are being shaped in the game,” he offered.

“What I can tell you is they are scaling down the number of third party agreements being registered year on year.”

He said TPAs were important to the game going forward, despite calls from the Rugby League Players’ Association to scrap the TPA system altogether.

“TPAs have an ability for some of our marquee players to earn additional income outside their contracts and I support that, in fact I encourage that where players use the ability of their own brand and their profile in the game to earn extra income. That’s a good thing,” Greenberg said.

“What I don’t want it, is used as leverage in a negotiation with a player and a club.

“That negotiation with that player and that club should be wholly and solely about the fee that he’s paid inside his salary cap.”

RLPA CEO Ian Prendergast offered a solution in July last year.

“Our proposal is to introduce more transparency around third-party payments while also improving the commercial model for clubs,” he said.

“That includes replacing third-party arrangements with a marketing spend that clubs could use to leverage the commercial arrangements they are entering into in terms of player appearances and IP.

“They can sell into those sponsorship deals as well as using players more effectively and efficiently to market their club generally speaking.”

That advice must’ve fallen on deaf ears.

We’re at a point now where fans can’t just hope to win the premiership, they have to hope their club can hold on to it after they’re outed for historical cheating.