Andrew Abdo has said he does not want elite players excluded from the NRL, but stressed any reform to contracting rules after the Zac Lomax dispute would require careful consideration.
The contractual impasse involving Lomax is before the NSW Supreme Court and has made it increasingly unlikely he will be cleared to face his former club Parramatta for Melbourne in round one.
Eels skipper Mitch Moses publicly supported his club's position after Lomax was released from the final three years of his Parramatta deal last November to join the now-delayed R360 competition.
Storm hooker Harry Grant also voiced backing for his club's bid to secure Lomax, saying it would "definitely improve" the Storm's roster.
Parramatta have emphasised that when Lomax departed he agreed not to return to the NRL with another club before the end of the 2028 season without the Eels' "express written consent".
Melbourne have submitted two separate financial proposals to Parramatta to obtain clearance for Lomax to join them in 2026, but both offers were turned down.
The dispute was listed for court on Thursday and Friday, though the substantive hearing has been pushed back to commence on March 2, only three days ahead of the scheduled match between the two clubs.
Until the legal matter is resolved Lomax has been prevented from training with the Storm.
At the NRL season launch Abdo reiterated his desire to see "the best athletes in the world playing in the NRL and NRLW" while declining to comment on details of the Lomax case.