Another James Tedesco Dally M win to make fullbacks worth as much as halfbacks
With James Tedesco on course to add the Dally M medal to his collection of silverware, new wage increase figures reveal how fullbacks have become the most valuable players in the NRL.
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NRL fullbacks are rivalling halfbacks as the most valuable players in rugby league.
As James Tedesco firms to become the shortest-priced favourite in Dally M awards history, The Sunday Telegraph can reveal benchmarking figures used by clubs to track the wages of players by position over the years have given fullbacks the biggest pay-rise over the past decade.
The skyrocketing value of fullbacks grabbed headlines in 2010 when Greg Inglis signed a contract with the Rabbitohs for almost $1 million a year. Nowadays custodians such as Tedesco, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Tom Trbojevic and Kalyn Ponga are all rated at more than $1 million a year, according to talent-spotting experts.
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“The good ones are among the most expensive players in the game,’’ a NRL recruitment manager said.
“They are certainly as valuable as the halves and, in some instances, more valuable.
“It began back with Greg Inglis and our benchmarking figures show that fullback is the position that has risen most in terms of salary.
“The sort of money they are earning now was once restricted to the best halves.’’
Despite having never played for his state or country, Clint Gutherson proved the worth of the No.1 this year when he dug his heels in at Parramatta to secure a deal worth almost $2.5m over three years.
The rise of the fullback is expected to continue this week with Tedesco priced at just $1.40 with the TAB to win the Dally M and be crowned the NRL’s best player.
It would make it back-to-back wins for fullbacks after Tuivasa-Sheck stormed the field to win in 2018 and would be the eighth time a No.1 has taken out rugby league’s most prestigious award.
The agent who brokered Gutherson’s Parramatta deal confirmed the escalating value of fullbacks in the game.
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“Top-of-the-line fullbacks are commanding the biggest deals in the game,’’ Sam Ayoub said.
“Depending on the club, they can be on more than the halves. You hear people talk about the “spine’’ a lot and the positions in the spine command the most.
“It is the halves, the hookers and the fullbacks that command the most money. They are always in a good position when it comes to negotiating a deal.
“Fullbacks certainly have been the big winners over the last 10 years or so, as have wingers. Traditionally not a high-earning positions, wingers have also gone up a lot in value as the position has changed.’’
Of the top six contenders in line to take out the Dally M awards at a ceremony in Sydney on Wednesday night, only Cowboys lock Jason Taumalolo ($21) does not play in the spine.
Melbourne hooker Cameron Smith ($4) is expected to be Tedesco’s biggest rival while Warriors fullback Tuivasa-Sheck ($17) is a chance of going back to back.
Tedesco would become the latest in a long line of fullbacks to win rugby league’s most top gong, with Mick Potter (1984 and 1991), Jarryd Hayne (2009 and 2014), Billy Slater (2009), Ben Barba (2012) and Tuivasa-Sheck previous winners.
Smith is in contention to bag a hat-trick of Dally M wins after winning the award in 2006 and 2017.
Originally published as Another James Tedesco Dally M win to make fullbacks worth as much as halfbacks