NRL: No salary cap exception for Thurston

Johnathan Thurston

NRL chief executive David Gallop says he won't make any exemptions for Johnathan Thurston, despite the North Queensland star reportedly considering offers to leave the game.

Gallop, who met with Thurston, his agent Sam Ayoub and Cowboys chief executive Peter Parr in Sydney today, says the Queensland and Kangaroos representative is facing some "big decisions" over his future.

"We would love him to stay in the NRL however we're not in a position to bend the salary cap rules for any player," Gallop told AAP.

"We spoke about the opportunity to use his profile to promote rugby league particularly with his indigenous background.

"While the game will definitely have increased revenue in the next few years we need to balance the way that money is spent but clearly the elite players will share in that."

Thurston has been linked to a lucrative switch to rugby union both in Australia and overseas when his contract with the Cowboys ends at the end of the 2010 season.

But Gallop said he was hopeful of keeping Thurston in rugby league and reminded the halfback there were plenty of opportunities within the game for the 26-year-old.

"We're hopeful that he will (stay in rugby league) but obviously he's got to consider not only his financial position but also his life after football," Gallop said.

"I certainly think that with his profile, particularly in Queensland and his success at Origin level, there'd be plenty of opportunities for him to stay involved in the game and benefit from the networks rugby league has in Queensland."

- AAP