RODNEY Eade expects a trade "frenzy" this year following the new Collective Bargaining Agreement released earlier this week.

The Gold Coast coach says the 20 per cent pay rise for players will mostly go to the top-end talent, leaving middle-tier players either with smaller offers or scrambling for new clubs.

"I think 25 per cent will go the stars," Eade said of the pay rise.

"The bottom end will get more because that's the way it was scaled.

"It's the ones in the middle – and all teams will be like it. You cannot afford to pay C-pluses or B-minuses, however you rate them, 400 or $500,000.

"Those players will want their slice of pie too, managers will want their 20 per cent."

Eade said over-paying middle-tier players would blow the salary cap quickly.

He said it would no longer be perceived as just a problem for northern states clubs with players wanting to move, but an issue for the whole competition.

Eade said clubs would have to make smarter economic decisions.

"You're going to see a lot more trading, players will be disgruntled and managers will take them to other clubs," he said.

"Clubs will need to be better and be more vigilant about who they pay and players will just have to move.

"You cannot carry seven or eight or 10 players between 400 and $550,000. You won't be able to.

"Your top-enders now will get close to a million. It's (salary cap) gone.

"The rich will get richer.

"I think it's the middle-tier players that will suffer.

"We've got to make better decisions and not worry about perceptions about players being pushed out or going, that's the way the system's going to be now.

"We've got to make tougher decisions.

"If he (players) goes and people say 'another one wants to leave the Suns', it's more about the economics.

"Trading is going to be a frenzy."

Eade said with the CBA now finalised, he expected out-of-contract Gold Coast co-captain Steven May to finalise a deal shortly.