NRL contracts: Big money deals that will have every club sweating over Christmas
Huge uncertainty for one club may bring about a big opportunity for rivals. See the biggest contract questions facing every NRL team heading into 2023.
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Wests Tigers will head into the Christmas break with huge uncertainty surrounding three of the club’s biggest names.
While the recent focus has centred on Parramatta’s fight to keep off-contract halves Mitchell Moses and the freshly re-signed Dylan Brown, the Tigers’ chase for the Eels halfback has also left them vulnerable, and if they miss out on the No. 7, it could easily escalate into another failed contract circus.
It’s just one of the many unresolved sticking points that your club could exploit in the countdown to the 2023 NRL season.
At the Broncos, Herbie Farnworth’s future remains up in the air, while rival clubs are willing to pay Matt Burton in excess of $1 million-a-season to leave the Bulldogs, and the Cowboys’ Jeremiah Nanai, Penrith’s Stephen Crichton and Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona are other big ticket items creating huge interest.
BRONCOS
Who do Broncos fans believe here? While Kevin Walters keeps saying the race to wear the Brisbane No. 1 jumper remains wide open, Adam Reynolds has already stated the club didn’t buy Reece Walsh to play in the halves. What can’t be ignored is Farnworth is one of the game’s hottest talents still up for grabs, and has indicated he wants a crack at fullback. He would be enormous for a number of clubs, including the Dolphins, Knights and the Tigers.
BULLDOGS
The mail here is rival clubs have pretty much conceded they’ve got Buckley’s of tempting Burton away from the Bulldogs despite monster seven-figure offers that are coming his way. Phil Gould is also closing in on Stephen Crichton, after previously signing Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney on big money deals. It makes you wonder how Canterbury could possibly also fit in Moses under the salary cap. Although it certainly hasn’t stopped them having a crack.
RAIDERS
Ricky Stuart has made no secret the Raiders are going hard for David Fifita. But the other big contract situation that is flying under the radar down at Canberra surrounds Jack Wighton, given the star five-eighth also has a player option in his favour for 2024. Wighton is already on massive money, so it is hard to see him leaving, but he is certainly a player who would attract genuine big money interest if he puts himself on the market.
SHARKS
Some big decisions still to be made in the Shire with backline stars Will Kennedy, Jesse Ramien and Sione Katoa all free agents for 2024. Kennedy in particular is an interesting one with so much hype around young Kade Dykes. That battle could become a real talking point in 2023.
DOLPHINS
Wayne Bennett is still searching for a marquee man after Dylan Brown became the latest big name to reject the Dolphins’ massive offer. They are also interested in off-contract Broncos Farnworth and Tesi Niu, although it’s understood they did promise Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow first crack at fullback when the “Hammer” put pen to paper recently.
TITANS
Will go hard for boom North Queensland backrower Jeremiah Nanai if they end up losing Fifita, although it is hard to imagine why the youngster would quit the Cowboys for the Gold Coast at this stage of his career, unless it was a monster deal.
SEA EAGLES
Don’t have a lot of wriggle room with Tom and Jake Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans signed to long-term deals. But they are chasing Broncos’ prop Thomas Flegler, while the players still off contract at the end of 2023 include Josh Aloiai, Brad Parker, Ethan Bullemor, Morgan Harper and youngster Kaeo Weekes.
STORM
Having so much money tied up in the spine leaves the Storm extremely vulnerable as they attempt to keep the NRL’s most feared man, Nelson Asofa-Solomona. But while big Nelson would give instant respect to any pack in the game, his importance down south has never been greater following the recent exit of Jesse and Kenny Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi.
KNIGHTS
This is a make or break year for coach Adam O’Brien who is in desperate need of a fullback if Kalyn Ponga moves to five-eighth, while giant winger Dominic Young is in hot demand with as many as nine rival clubs expressing interest. Tyson Frizell, 31, also remains a free agent beyond next season. The other one to watch here is Bradman Best with youngster Krystian Mapapalangi on the rise. Both Best and Mapapalangi are signed until the end of 2024, and rivals are watching with interest.
COWBOYS
Todd Payten won’t want a situation like the Panthers had with Kikau when it comes to locking down Nanai to a new deal. The 19-year-old could command up to $850,000-a-season on the open market, but the Cowboys are still expected to find a way to get a deal done. It would be crushing for Cowboys fans if he left.
WARRIORS
Still recovering from losing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and now Walsh has gone back to Brisbane. So the Warriors really need to land a big name and Dylan Brown would have been a perfect fit. Factor in that Shaun Johnson, 32, is still unsigned beyond next season and the club will need to adjust its targets to secure another quality half after Brown re-signed with Parra this week.
EELS
The Eels have fought off the challengers to re-sign Brown and the significance of this should not be underestimated. Now it’s time to lock in halves partner Moses. What also can’t be ignored is that young gun Will Penisini is a free agent, as is Maika Sivo, Nathan Brown and Waqa Blake. But securing Brown is a great start.
PANTHERS
With Crichton expected to land at the Bulldogs, Liam Martin’s recent decision to extend by one-year has put his long-term situation on the backburner for the next 12 months. But it’s also worth noting that it now coincides with Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards and Moses Leota also coming off contract at the end of 2024.
RABBITOHS
Damien Cook was the first to confirm his future while Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker will follow. It puts the Bunnies in a great position heading into the New Year with Tom Burgess, Siliva Havili, Liam Knight and Blake Taaffe the remaining players off contract at the end of 2023.
DRAGONS
With Anthony Griffin’s future uncertain beyond next year, there are a lot of players also working hard this summer to prove they deserve a new deal. Aaron Woods, Blake Lawrie, Josh Kerr, Mikaele Ravalawa and Moses Mbye all have one season to run on existing deals, while new recruit Jacob Liddle is only signed for 2023. The fullback situation is the other issue that will create a lot of interest next season to see who Griffin goes with out of Tyrell Sloan and Cody Ramsey, given both are contracted until the end of 2024.
ROOSTERS
Have a stack of players coming off contract including Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Victor Radley, Connor Watson, Billy Smith, Daniel Tupou, Egan Butcher, Drew Hutchison, Fletcher Baker, Jake Turpin and Corey Allan. But the biggest interest undoubtedly surrounds the future of Joseph Suaalii who has an option for 2024. Will Suaalii be happy to bide his time in the centres until James Tedesco calls it a day, or will the Roosters have another Latrell Mitchell situation on their hands, with not only rival NRL clubs but rugby knocking down the door?
TIGERS
You have to admire Tim Sheens and Benji Marshall shooting for the stars trying to bring Moses back to the club, while still waiting to see if John Bateman gets a release from Wigan. But while this plays out, Adam Doueihi, Luke Brooks and Daine Laurie remained unsigned, with talks put on hold. You can only imagine how nervous the three of them might be feeling heading into Christmas following Jackson Hastings’ recent exit. In fairness to Sheens, the Tigers did finish last. So it is probably overdue they made some tough calls to try and get this club back up the ladder.
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