NRL 2020: The NRL’s highest paid coach revealed
He earns more than the highest paid player in the game and his contract even dwarfs that of Roosters coach Trent Robinson. Craig Bellamy’s mouth-watering Storm wage has to be seen to be believed.
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Anthony Seibold is having a bludger of a season at the Brisbane Broncos.
Yet he is on a wage that is $300,000 more than Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s $549,250 salary.
In fact, there are a dozen NRL coaches earning more than the PM.
Plus they get bonuses for making the finals and winning premierships.
The Daily Telegraph has obtained the salary estimates from an NRL study that was recently set-up as part of cost reduction planning for the future.
These salaries are one of the biggest issues facing the NRL administration moving forward.
We learnt during the COVID-19 shutdown that most clubs have unsustainable cost structures and have to slash spending.
That there needs to be a cap on football department expenditure from the head coach to his assistants, physios, doctors, dietitians and sports science experts.
Craig Bellamy is far and away the highest paid coach in the competition.
We are told Bellyache is earning around the $1.4 million mark. That he may even have third parties on top if that.
Storm’s rich owners were forced to bump up his salary when the Broncos tried to pinch him to replace Wayne Bennett during the 2018 season.
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Storm matched the offer and the Broncos had to settle on Seibiold.
No one can begrudge Bellamy being on the big bucks.
Apart from the salary cap scandal season of 2010, the club has never missed the finals under his watch. They haven’t finished lower than sixth in his 17 years at the club.
Yet should he really be on four times more than a rival coach?
You look at the work John Morris is doing at Cronulla.
He took on the job at a time when the Sharks were cash-strapped and had to accept only $350,000. As a rookie he had no bargaining power.
Morris not only steered the Sharks into the finals last year but has them on track again this season.
He has overcome enormous pressure of having his job scrutinised and credentials questioned when the Sharks were struggling earlier in the season.
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Whatever they are getting paid it is a tough gig.
No less than 17 coaches have been sacked in the last five years.
You look at their working conditions.
There’s no such thing as having a family weekend or even two days off.
Most would work a minimum 60 hour-week.
Some are awake half the night analysing video and planning for the next game.
Yet the clubs are facing huge financial challenges.
The 17 coach sackings have cost the game more than $12 million in payouts.
If the Broncos sack Seibold it will cost them $2.5 million.
The NRL has already slashed staffing numbers and will announce more job reductions at the end of the season.
Players won’t get the salary cap increase that was originally part of their collective bargaining agreement because the money just isn’t there.
At some stage, the coaches will need to take pay cuts across the board too.
COACH SALARY ESTIMATES
Craig Bellamy $1.4 million
Wayne Bennett $1.1 million
Ivan Cleary $1 million
Trent Robinson $900,000
Paul Green $900,000
Ricky Stuart $875,000
Anthony Seibold $850,000
Des Hasler $700,000
Brad Arthur $700,000
Paul McGregor $600,000
Justin Holbrook $575,000
Michael Maguire $575,000
Stephen Kearney $500,000
Adam O’Brien $400,000
Dean Pay $400,000
John Morris $350,000
Originally published as NRL 2020: The NRL’s highest paid coach revealed