is this true?

Where did you get it from?

At the senior committee meeting the salary cap was passed. The recruiting rule was not (I think it lapsed) and there will be an 18 round season.

More info. Exactly what salary cap rule (strewth, Forestville must be sweating bullets) .... and what recruiting rule?

(strewth, Forestville must be sweating bullets)

Or ex Bullets for that matter :)

4 years ago a majority of the presidents decided there would be no transfer fees as it was killing the clubs financially and causing untold headaches when brought to the appeal committee.
3 years ago one club lost a promising junior to another club and when the transfer fees were discussed the only club who wanted to keep transfer fees was the one that lost the junior. So the prezes decided not to have fees, Except between that particular club that lost their player. Heat increased between the two arguing clubs and the prez of the losing club came up with the idea of a salary cap. That prez also came up with the idea of a recruiting rule - top club can have one new recruit and so on to the bottom club that could have four - the idea to stop good juniors going to clubs that had money. (Both ideas copied from country football)
The proposed salary cap eventually was disected, minced, tossed and finally the cap, as passed by the senior committee, was agreed upon - 25k per club with no more than 60% going to either male or female side.
Recruiting ruled waved as there is in the bylaws that no club can loose more than two players from their required list (required list has 17 players). Also not much thought was put into that rule, and before voting, too many flaws were found and ways to get around it.
By the way, the salary cap has no penalties (that are known, presented or exist)
Welcome to the brave new world.

What about less time worrying about recruiting/payments and more time spent getting people along to the games?

F.U.B.A.R

FUBAR??

So there's a $25K salary cap now, but there's no penalty for going over it?

Don't worry Forestville - everything should still be OK.

[To the Eagles' fans, yes, this is tongue-in-cheek.]

I agree with Isaac more promotion less worry about what other Clubs are doing. However just one comment on the recruitment rule if I may. All this is doing is lowering the bar for no matter how many rules you have in any competition some team will always will finish bottom. The rule if passed would not better the game in any way. Three examples Woodville this seasom lose their American, Puddifoot,Vandenberg, Whitmore, Marcus Ng and say Darren Ng decides to take the year off Woodville can only go and recruit one player to replace them. Take Forestville women two years ago went top lost Sporn, Boyd, Simons and Tredwell but would only be able to bring in one player. The third example is hyperthetical say Centrals decide to recruit heavily four to six new players have a great season finish top four then lose those players for one reason or another all they can recruit is one player to replace them so the following season they slip back down the table. I also think that the salary cap is flawed with lots of pitfalls re medical expenses travelling expenses etc but Isaac is correct more positive input on getting more people exposed to the ABL competition and basketball in general.

What has seemed to be overlooked in all of this is the lack of input from the ABL players. Perhaps now more than ever there is a real requirement for a Player's Union, or at least a body to represent senior players. If clubs are going to implement salary caps, and restricted recruiting, then the voice of the player should not only be heard, but taken into account.