FORMER ARL powerbroker John Quayle has placed the onus of preventing an exodus of the game's leading players to French rugby squarely on the shoulders of former Super League adversary David Gallop.

"Put it this way, David should have plenty of experience dealing with players breaking contracts," Quayle said. "Now he has to handle it - like we had to. It is David's job now, as it was mine then, to make sure you do everything possible to protect your game. And if that means taking rugby on, take them on."

Gallop has been widely accused of hypocrisy for claiming Sonny Bill Williams had jeopardised the "sanctity" of contracts given he was the News Ltd lawyer who helped raid players from the established ARL for the News Ltd-backed rebel League. The comparisons have irked Gallop. "In those circumstances, players were released by their clubs and entered into Super League contracts" has been his mantra.

Quayle, however, believes Gallop's involvement in Super League was the perfect apprenticeship for his task now at hand as the NRL chief executive.

"The dates just change," Quayle said. "It's reminiscent of 12 years ago. The comment from Super League was that its players would be recognised as stars around the world. Well, they've got one."

The former ARL general manager is often loath to comment on the current administration but insists Gallop must take a hard stance and block Williams and others from returning to league in Australia should they defect to another code.

He said: "If he comes running back to the game, asking if we will take him back, you know what we're going to do? We'll take him back. As we have proved. Wendell Sailor went to rugby, criticised our game while he was playing it, then when rugby didn't want him because he was a drug taker, we took him back. Make a hero out of him. Jamie Lyon went to England, we gave him the greatest reward we can by letting him play for his country when he walked out on a contract."

Gallop said on Sunday that Williams would not be allowed to play in Australia again should he take up a two-year, $3 million deal with French glamour club Toulon. Quayle is adamant he must stay true to his word.

"Sooner or later, we have to stand up and ask if we're going to allow individuals to dictate to the overall interests of the game. Or set the policy that protects us. This player [Williams] has promised the world to his club and reneged on it. If that's the character of the guy I'd say, 'Well done, young man. That's what your character shows: you're not a very genuine person. You didn't have the decency to tell your fans, your club and your teammates.' Why worry about him, in my view? Our game should not be built around those players."

Under Quayle's watch, the game progressively implemented a salary cap from 1988 to 1990. By 1995, all teams faced an equal cap, set at $1.5 million. He was sticking by it yesterday as he sat on his tractor at his olive farm in the Hunter Valley despite a chorus asking for it to be abolished to keep the cream of the competition in Australia.

"The salary cap has always been a controversial issue but it is vital to rugby league's long-term future," he said. "If not, make it open slather and I can guarantee in four to five years, it will be a very short competition.

"We're always going to get people who come into the game for a short time with unlimited money. You can't criticise a player today for taking more money. That's what Super League created. But from an administrator's point of view, it's important the best interests of the game from a long-term point of view are protected."