NRL news: Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu one of many players with rare ‘get out of contract’ clauses

A Wests Tigers prop is free to quit based on the club’s performance, while the Knights fixed the clause that almost lost them Kalyn Ponga. David Riccio examines the increasing trend of ‘get-out’ contracts.

The Wests Tigers will aim to ban get-out clauses in all future player contracts similar to that which has led to the real prospect of rising star Stefano Utoikamanu leaving the club.

The embattled Tigers have a cloud hanging over them for the next 12-months due to the rarely, if ever before, seen “club success” clause that is written into the 23-year-old prop’s contract.

It allows Utoikamanu to quit the club if the Wests Tigers don’t make the finals this season and next season.

The rare clause has sparked widespread discussion that other players and their agents will adopt the clause when signing with a struggling club, as a security blanket.

The NSW Blues prop is officially contracted to the Tigers until the end of 2025.

Yet if the Tigers flop this season, as they are on track to do, and again in 2024, one of the most promising props in the game could be walking out the door this time next year.

The Tigers do have some level of recourse, which it must be recognised, is equally as rare.

If Utoikamanu represents NSW on three or more occasions across 2023 or 2024, the exit clause becomes null and void.

Stefano Utoikamanu can leave the Wests Tigers if the club fails to make the finals in 2024. Picture: NRL Photos

Utoikamanu was selected for Origin II by NSW coach Brad Fittler before being ”rested” for game three. Negotiations for the contract were headed by head coach Tim Sheens and former head of recruitment Warren McDonnell.

At the time, the pair were confident that the Tigers would prove they were finals material.

The Wests Tigers flatlining season – facing a consecutive wooden spoon – has shone a light on the deal. Your columnist spoke to Wests Tigers senior figures on Friday.

They acknowledged the decision to include the clause was based on securing Utoikamanu’s future, but added it was a clause the club will be aiming to avoid in the future.

While Utoikamanu’s ‘success clause’ is rare, player contracts boasting a range of get-out options aren’t a new phenomenon.

Let’s have a look at the clauses that are both smart work by the agents and great for the player, and can also cost your club a superstar.

(L-R) Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita are now free agents as a result of the Titans parting ways with Justin Holbrook.

COACH CLAUSE

The most recent case of this clause is at the Gold Coast Titans where captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and gun forward David Fifita are currently free agents following the sacking of Justin Holbrook.

Officially contracted until the end of 2026, during their last round of negotiations both players insisted they would only extend their future at the club if their contracts included a clause connected to the future of Holbrook.

If Holbrook was ever dismissed, which he was last month, both players would then become free agents.

As of today, they remain up for grabs for next season.

Former Sharks and Raiders winger Blake Ferguson had the same clause in his contract that allowed him to become a free agent after Ricky Stuart was sacked by Cronulla and David Furner at Canberra.

Paul Gallen also had the same clause tied to Stuart at the Sharks, but never activated it.

Kieran Foran also had an exit clause tied to Eels coach Brad Arthur when the pair were together in 2015.

Kalyn Ponga dropped his ‘free to leave’ clause as part of a contract renegotiation. Picture: NRL Photos

FREE TO LEAVE CLAUSE

Like The Wests Tigers, the Knights are also on a mission to remove all player options similar to that which almost cost them superstar Kalyn Ponga.

Within the Knights current top-30 contracted players, only one player – rookie centre Dylan Lucas – has an option to leave at the end of this season in his contract.

Ponga had a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave two years before the expiration of his contract in 2024.

However, in a bid to erase any uncertainty, the Knights removed the clauses as part of an extension of a new deal until the end of 2027 and has made him the highest paid player in the game.

NUMBER OF GAMES CLAUSE

Champion Raiders centre Jarrod Croker is inching towards retirement due to a ‘number of games’ clause that will fall short of triggering another 12-months at the club in 2024.

Croker initially signed a four-year extension in 2020, however a clause in his contract stated he would only earn a player option for 2024 if he played a certain amount of NRL games within the three years- 2021, 2022, 2023.

One player who did trigger a similar clause was Aaron Woods during his stint at St George-Illawarra in 2022. Woods needed to play 75 per cent of games in 2022 – 18-matches – for an additional season in 2023 to be activated. He played 19, providing Woods with a new deal for 2023.

PLAYER OPTION CLAUSE

Star five-eighth Dylan Brown at Parramatta is the flag-bearer of this clause.

Brown re-signed with the Eels at the start of this season on a touted mega-dea through until 2031.

The reality is, Brown is only secure until the end of 2025. In 2026 he has a ‘player option’ clause in his contract that allows him to test the market.

If he wants, he can activate that clause which automatically locks him in at the Eels until the end of 2028. From there a second, potentially mutual, option can be activated to lock Dylan in for the final 3 years.

A host of other stars have player options in their current contracts, including Jack Bird, Ryan Matterson, Brandon Smith and Harry Grant.

Originally published as NRL news: Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu one of many players with rare ‘get out of contract’ clauses