As Sonny Bill Williams edges closer to a spectacular return to the Sydney Roosters the age-old jabs at the club's seemingly limitless salary cap have cropped up, and Sydney Morning Herald chief sports writer Andrew Webster admits "it's got a smell about it".
The possiblility of Williams' return to Moore Park, where he was so influential in the club's 2013 premiership, has dominated headlines over the last week after his club the Toronto Wolfpack withdrew from the Super League.
Roosters boss Nick Politis had lunch with Williams' manager Khoder Nasser just days ago, leading the former All Black to admit he wouldn't make an NRL comeback without consulting the club. While there are still some legal hoops to jump through, the Roosters hope to have the situation resolved in the next seven days.
The biggest hurdle appears to be how Williams will ensure his $10 million Wolfpack paycheque is honoured if he is forced to relinquish his Super League contract to play in the NRL, which is a stipulation of the game in Australia.
It's also attracted interest as to how the Roosters will then be able to cram Williams' superstardom into their already stellar roster.
It was reported that the NRL had moved to set Williams' market value at around $400,000-a-year, which would see the cross-code star pocket around $150,000 for the four to five-month-long stint with the Chooks.
But fans are sceptical.
There is an age-old sentiment around the game that the Roosters seem to have a boundless salary cap considering the consistently talent-filled calibre of their roster. But while Webster assured there was a very logical explanation to fans' concerns, he was a little bit confused over how Williams would fit into the clubs' financial jig-saw.
"In terms of the salary cap and the Roosters, it's a nice old convenient joke about 'they don't have salary cap they've got the sombrero'," Webster told Nine's Sports Sunday.
"The Roosters are very good club and people are kidding themselves if they don't think that players go to that club for less money than they're going to get elsewhere.
"If you look at the Morris twins this year, they've gone for a smaller amount of money compared to what they could have got at other clubs. But they want to win a comp. If you go to the Roosters you're going to be a better footballer and you're a big chance every year of winning a competition.
"I agree though, it's got a bit of a smell about it.
"I think this shows the importance of the NRL showing what the salaries are for every player. The value of every contract for every player."
The return of Williams could hardly come at a better time for the Roosters, who have already lost Victor Radley for the season and Angus Chrichton indefinitely, after both suffered knee injuries.
The 34-year-old would have to serve a quarantine period, meaning it will still be some time before he takes the field for the Roosters.
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