Canterbury Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould believes the "stupidity of the market" is creating a player drain at clubs with big money being offered up to young players.
The Cowboys have recently upgraded the contracts of young stars like Tom Dearden, Jeremiah Nanai and Heilum Luki on rich deals but had to compete with rival offers.
They weren't able to keep everyone though, with Kulikefu Finefeuiaki moving to the Dolphins.
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It appears the retention tactics of the Cowboys has not reaped immediate rewards though having missed finals last year and sitting ninth on the ladder this season.
Gould believes the rich contracts the Cowboys have had to cough up to young guns is a reflection of the current system for retention and recruitment.
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"That's the stupidity of the market that we're in, that there's unrestricted movement of NRL players between clubs and the players and managers have all the hand in negotiations," he said on Nine's 100% Footy.
"It's not good, it's not a good system, the whole CBA (collective bargaining agreement) system is wrong.
"The whole development contract system outside the top 30 is wrong, I keep telling them it's wrong, they don't understand it and that's where you're going to get player drain on these clubs and where the top clubs can keep feeding on the other ones."
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Despite the dilemma facing the Cowboys over retention, Gould believes the club's roster isn't in bad shape.
The first grade side is littered with Origin and international representatives, namely players like Valentine Holmes, Reuben Cotter, Dearden, Reece Robson and Griffin Neame with Gould pointing to the senior players and a need to step up.
"With the Cowboys, they have got enough senior players there," he added.
"They shouldn't be going through what they're going through, you've got (Chad) Townsend, (Jordan) McLean, those blokes have got enough experience for that side, and (Jason) Taumololo, that they should be holding a little bit better together than they are.
"But they've certainly got some brilliant young talent in that side."
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