NRL Rich 100 2023: How salary cap pain stripped $9m in talent from Storm and Panthers

While many NRL clubs struggle to recover from the loss of one influential member of their squad, the Panthers and Storm have had to deal with more than $9 million in talent walking out.

More than $9 million in talent has walked out of Melbourne and Penrith to join rival clubs. If ever there was an insight into the two club’s bombproof strength and model of success, this is it.

Ahead of a potential grand final precursor on Friday night, this masthead has uncovered the numbers that prove why each of the two clubs are the envy of the competition.

A staggering 13 members of the Rich 100 are former Storm or Panthers players, leaving the two clubs to rely on their culture, production line of talent and coaching to ensure they remain a premiership force.

While other clubs struggle to recover from the loss of one influential member of their squad, premiership-favourites the Panthers have let go of $4.8 million in talent over the past four years.

Playing for other clubs and who feature in the Rich 100 are former Penrith players, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak ($800,000), Reagan Campbell-Gillard ($750,000), Viliame Kikau ($750,000), Waqa Blake ($650,000), Apisai Koroisau ($650,000), Matt Burton ($650,000) and Kurt Capewell ($550,000).

Time and again, the Panthers have replenished their roster through their nursery of local juniors or bargain-buys like current halfback Jack Cogger.

The Storm and Panthers have lost plenty of top talent.

Equally, the Storm have let go of $4.26 million worth of talent over the past three seasons. Brandon Smith ($800,000), Dale Finucane ($760,000), Felise Kaufusi ($750,000), Jesse Bromwich ($700,000), Kenny Bromwich ($650,000) and Nicho Hynes ($620,000) are among the list of former Melbourne players now at rival clubs.

The need for both clubs to continually turn over their roster is due to their sustained success and the salary cap, which impacts the clubs who are not only consistent finals teams, but which develops players from $150,000 players into $700,000 players and in some cases millionaires.

The Storm have also been forced to make major calls on who they keep and who they cut.

When they let Jesse Bromwich leave to join the Dolphins, it meant they were able to usher Cameron Munster into the million-dollar club and help ward off the advances of the NRL’s newest franchise.

In coming seasons, Harry Grant is likely to join him in the seven-figure bracket.

The Storm finally have some breathing room at the end of this season after making a series of bargain buys that have turned into rolled gold.

Nick Meaney, Eli Katoa and Will Warbrick were all signed on modest deals but have found their niche at the Storm and been rewarded with extensions that reflect their improved form.

The Panthers, however, continue to feel the pinch.

In November, NSW centre Stephen Crichton will depart for the Bulldogs and prop Spencer Leniu is on his way to the Sydney Roosters.

The club is scrambling to keep fullback Dylan Edwards as they piece together a deal which is expected to catapult one of the game’s bargain buys into the upper echelons of the Rich 100. Edwards at the very least can expect to earn $850,000 a season, making him one of the game’s elite fullbacks. However, his retention may come at the cost of five-eighth Jarome Luai, who is off contract at the end of next season and in the sights of cashed-up rivals.

Originally published as NRL Rich 100 2023: How salary cap pain stripped $9m in talent from Storm and Panthers