League: Roosters coach warns big pay rises could kill NRL

SYDNEY: Veteran Sydney Roosters coach Brian Smith has warned players that the survival of NRL clubs is more important than handing out massive pay rises to the game's big names.

Smith said he understood the need for the best players to be rewarded accordingly, but admitted the prospect of teams going out of business filled him with fear, and would do more damage to the sport than losing stars to other codes.

"The underlying thing for footy players is if there is an opportunity to earn more money then I don't think too many people will deny them that," Smith said. "But at the same time, the league have the problem that nobody is going to earn anything if the competition crashes.

"In the past, clubs have gone under and people have not been paid and personally that makes me sick and I hate the idea of that happening again."

Highly paid Parramatta fullback Jarryd Hayne warned the NRL this week that he and others will walk away from the code unless the salary cap is increased.

Smith also revealed that bad boy hooker Jake Friend, sacked by the Roosters last December after being arrested for a drunken altercation with a taxi driver, could be in line for a return to first grade against North Queensland on Monday.

- AAP