Canterbury has reportedly lodged a request for salary cap relief with the NRL as young star Karl Oloapu faces an uncertain future after neck surgery. The 19-year-old is set to miss the entire season due to the injury, which saw him go under the knife in the off-season , making him unavailable for the Bulldogs. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the club is looking for exemption in their cap for Oloapu's salary, which sits at roughly $350,000 per season until the end of 2026. Oloapu moved to Belmore last year with plenty of promise, making seven appearances in the top grade in the halves and off the bench, but dealt with a bulging disc in his neck and ultimately was forced to withdraw from the Samoan squad at the end of the year. The club want to give Oloapu hope of returning to the field, but sources familiar with the situation not authorised to speak publicly warned various medical opinions have urged the teenager not to risk further injury, according to the Herald. St George Illawarra has faced a similar situation in regards to Cody Ramsey, who missed all of last season and won't play again this year as he recovers from illness. The club opted to split his 2024 salary across two years, but have removed him from their official top 30 roster and are footing the bill for Ramsey off their own bat. Oloapu and Ramsey both remain heavily-involved with their respective clubs, despite the chances of them not playing in the NRL again.
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