NRL 2022: Redcliffe Dolphins prepare massive offer for Cameron Munster
Armed with the richest deal in NRL history, Wayne Bennett has upped the ante in the Dolphins bid to sign Cameron Munster. But Melbourne has made a formal complaint.
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Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins will table the richest deal in NRL history in a bid to blow Melbourne out of the water and make Cameron Munster the highest-paid player in rugby league.
News Corp can reveal the Dolphins are ready to offer Munster up to $1.3 million a season – and the NRL’s new franchise could cleverly use a salary cap strategy to ensure the $5 million mega deal does not blow their budget.
The Storm may have blocked any chance of Munster joining the Dolphins for their foundation season in 2023, but Bennett will not go away and has upped the ante to ensure he poaches the Queensland Origin ace for 2024.
Furious Melbourne have formally complained to the NRL about the Dolphins making illegal overtures to steal Munster, who is contracted to the Storm until the end of 2023.
But Bennett insists the Dolphins are not breaking any rules and the super coach is going for the jugular in a desperate bid to land his marquee signing for the 17th team’s second season in 2024.
Munster’s manager Braith Anasta confirmed the Dolphins’ interest. He insists there has been no formal talks or meetings with Bennett, but that will happen when Munster can be formally signed from November 1.
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That’s when the Dolphins will strike with a head-spinning offer Munster will find almost impossible to refuse.
Bennett was initially prepared to offer a four-year deal worth $1 million a season, but with pressure building on the Dolphins after missing a host of big guns – headlined by Brandon Smith, Harry Grant and Kalyn Ponga – the super coach will raise the bar.
The Dolphins have the scope to pay Munster $1.3 million annually.
No club in the NRL’s 24-year history has paid a player $1.3m a season under the salary cap.
It would eclipse Queensland Origin skipper Daly Cherry-Evans’ record $1.25 million deal at Manly, while Dragons halfback Ben Hunt ($1.2m), Roosters fullback James Tedesco ($1.1m) and Sea Eagles sensation Tom Trbojevic ($1.1m) are the NRL’s other top salary earners.
But Munster would be the NRL’s richest man at Redcliffe – and here’s how the Dolphins plan to fund the big-money poaching raid.
Under NRL rules, clubs must spend at least 95 per cent of their salary cap annually. The NRL’s payment ceiling for the 2022 season is $9.4 million, but that is expected to increase in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) currently being negotiated.
Given the Dolphins have had trouble landing a marquee player, they could underspend on their inaugural 2023 salary cap. That would give the Dolphins an extra $470,000 buffer in their 2024 salary cap to bankroll an irresistible $1.3m offer for Munster.
Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader said Queensland’s fourth team would operate within the NRL’s stringent salary cap rules to build long-term success.
“There are rules and regulations around how you can spend your salary cap,” Reader said.
“There will be a new number in the CBA for 2023 onwards and we will fall in line with whatever parameters are put in place.
“Our biggest focus is making sure we’ve got a squad, team and club that will be successful.
“That’s not about building a club for 2023, but also for the future.”
In recent months, Melbourne have retained their Big Three of Jahrome Hughes, Harry Grant and Ryan Papenhuyzen, but the upgraded deals will limit what they can afford under the cap to retain Munster.
There has been contractual tensions between Munster and the Storm.
In the wake of his white-powder scandal last year, the Maroons maestro was close to signing a two-year, $750,000-a-season extension with Melbourne on the eve of the 2022 premiership.
Anasta, who took over as Munster‘s new manager in March, stepped in at the eleventh hour and advised his client not to sign anything with anyone.
Former NSW Origin star Anasta believed Munster was being undervalued, and the 27-year-old’s scintillating form this season has since vindicated his agent’s assessment.
Melbourne are keen to seek clarity from Munster to plan their salary-cap and roster for 2023 and beyond, but Anasta indicated the two-time premiership pivot will test his value on the open market and will not accept less than $1 million-a-season.
“Melbourne want an answer but we’re not going to rush into anything,” he said.
“I’ve always felt Cam is worth at least $1 million a season and he is showing that in the way he is playing this season. He went through some tough times last year but he has fought back well this year and I won’t be undervaluing Cameron.
“The Dolphins are a genuine option. Despite what’s being said, I haven’t had any formal talks with the Dolphins, but it’s clear they have missed a few big fish and they will have a lot of money in the cap if they want Cameron for 2024.
“There’s a lot of factors to weigh up. The decision Cameron needs to make is what’s going to be the best for him, the best for his lifestyle and the best for his family.
“That will definitely come into it. Cameron has no issues with the Storm, he loves Melbourne and so does his partner, but he also loves Queensland, where he has family.
“We are in no hurry to sign anything at all, he is contracted to Melbourne for 2023 and he is locked in there.
“The rest will take care of itself.”
Storm chairman Matt Tripp has increased his offer to three years, but Munster faces a sacrifice of up to $2 million over four years if he rejects the Dolphins and stays loyal to Melbourne.
The Dolphins have been pilloried for their recruitment but Reader scoffed at suggestions the new club will be NRL whipping boys.
“We are comfortable with where we’re at. There’s still a long time before March next year,” he said.
“There’s a lot of thrills and spills to play out in the rugby league player market. It’s a very fluid market and things can change very quickly.
“Patience was always our virtue. We are not panicking or concerned at this stage.”
DOLPHINS MAKE SPLASH AS NRL’S NEW CORPORATE KINGS
The Dolphins have joined the Broncos as the financial kings of the NRL, amassing a staggering $10 million corporate empire ahead of their premiership debut next season.
The Courier-Mail can reveal the Dolphins have usurped big guns Melbourne, Penrith, South Sydney and the Roosters with a sponsorship portfolio that vindicates the NRL’s decision to include the much-maligned 17th franchise.
The sponsorship revelations come as the Dolphins slammed criticism of their recruitment and ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys blasted detractors of the Dolphins, backing super coach Wayne Bennett to deliver a finals campaign in their foundation season in 2023.
Dolphins boss Terry Reader confirmed the new franchise is already the second richest team in the league when it comes to corporate support, turning up the heat on Sydney’s posse of cash-strapped clubs.
“Our playing kit (sponsorship) is fully sold and we are travelling very well commercially,” Reader said.
“Our sponsorship book is very healthy and we will probably start next year at number two behind the Broncos in sponsorship revenue based on the last benchmarking results the NRL did.
“There is a good appetite for the Dolphins and we’ve built programs people want to be part of. Given Brisbane has been a one-team town for so long, a lot of companies have been locked out (of sponsorship opportunities).
“There is a lot of interest and we’ve signed some blue-chip companies from day one.”
A $10 MILLION POWERHOUSE
The Dolphins were never going to be short of cash when it came to entering the NRL.
With the $100 million Redcliffe juggernaut behind them – which boasts shopping centres and a leagues club as part of its assets portfolio – the NRL had few concerns about the Dolphins going broke.
But the NRL’s newcomers have been buoyed by the support of big-name brands wanting to jump on-board for their formative years in first grade and they will carry $10 million of sponsorship backing into their inaugural season.
“We always knew it was going to be strong,” Reader said of the corporate support.
“Having spent 16 years at the Broncos, and running the commercial program, I knew the interest and that this market was very different because the Broncos had such a big book of sponsors that have been around for a long time.
“A lot of categories have had no opportunity to get involved in the NRL in this market.
“During the bid process we had strong interest throughout. We signed Adventure Kings before we even won the bid, on the proviso we won.
“Our apparel partner, Classic, has been wonderful by allowing us to get merchandise in before Christmas. People don’t realise what a big effort that was.
“We were the third biggest selling NRL team over the Christmas period behind the Broncos and Panthers (2021 premiers), which is a great indicator of the excitement and appetite.”
THE RECRUITMENT JIBES
While the Dolphins are flying off the field, the club’s recruitment drive hasn’t enjoyed the same success.
Bennett recently admitted the Dolphins’ foundation hadn’t gone as smoothly as he hoped and they are still yet to sign a genuine marquee player to launch the club.
The Dolphins have earned the ire of reigning premiers Penrith for raiding their junior base, with the Panthers bemoaning the poaching of young guns Isaiya Katoa, Harry Hassett, Mason Teague and John Paul Donevski.
“We (Redcliffe) have been supplying NRL players to the competition for the last 35 years,” Reader said. “The Queensland halfback and captain (Daly Cherry-Evans) is a Redcliffe junior who started his career here as an eight-year-old at the Dolphins.
“We’ve got to sign 34 players in 12 months. We’ve already set up our academies and elite game development programs from Rockhampton to Brisbane. We had eight players in the Queensland under-15s side that played in the nationals and four in the opens.
“We haven’t just been worried about signing NRL players. We’re setting up the whole network and process from day one to make sure we are a strong club for many years to come.”
While the Dolphins have targeted Penrith’s junior base and rival NRL clubs, they have so far mostly ignored their local catchment when it comes to signing players for their top squad.
Reader said the Dolphins were bolstering their junior stocks with local products that would feed the NRL team for years to come.
“We have, most of those 15-year-olds are Redcliffe juniors from the Moreton Bay area,” he said. “We have got to sign 34 players that can play from next year so we’ll be taking the best we can get and players that can be part of our future moving forward.
“Those guys from our area and catchment can’t play NRL next year. It’s not just about 2023. It’s about building a club for the future with the right foundations that is also ready to go in March next year.”
SILENCING THE CRITICS
There is no doubt the Dolphins were going to be up against it given the time frame they were given to prepare for their launch.
With the turbulence of Covid impacting the NRL’s expansion process, the Dolphins were given just 12 months to prepare for their inaugural pre-season.
By the time they were awarded the NRL licence last October, many of the game’s biggest names had been re-signed by their current clubs beyond 2023, making recruitment difficult.
The NRL has come under fire for rushing Redcliffe into the competition and not offering the club special support or salary cap concessions, but V’landys hit back at critics and the Dolphins’ progress.
“The criticism of the Dolphins has been a total over-reaction,” he said.
“People keep doubting Wayne Bennett and they do that at their peril. His strategy of signing some experienced role models and players who have won premierships, to mix with the substantial junior base they have there, is very astute.
“I think Wayne Bennett can’t wait for the season to start because he will prove everyone wrong. They can make the finals in their first season.
“This is a long-term project. The Dolphins will have a new generation of Selwyn Cobbos and Payne Haas’ coming through, so the NRL is not concerned at all. I think the players Wayne has signed, coupled with their junior base, they are going to surprise people.
“What critics can’t see is their massive catchment of kids coming through. They can be the Penrith of Queensland.
“We never considered assistance for the Dolphins because we knew the whole strategy was around juniors, development and participation.”
DOLPHINS READY TO PUT ON A SHOW
Reader said the Dolphins knew what they were signing up for when they bid for an NRL licence and had no complaints.
“You’ve never heard the Dolphins complain or whinge,” he said.
“We knew what we were dealing with and we realised when you’ve got to sign 34 players in a 12-month period it was going to have peaks and troughs. We’re comfortable with where we are at.
“It’s going like we thought it would be. We’re just being patient. If we’ve got to wait 12 months to get the right player we will. We’re not going to spend marquee money on someone that’s not a marquee player.”
The Dolphins are growing exponentially from a one-man bid chief in Reader to 60 full-time staff when pre-season begins in November.
They have set up academies from Rockhampton to Redcliffe and appointed a full-time development official in the Wide Bay region to target Bundaberg to the Sunshine Coast.
With 26 players signed, their foundation squad is taking shape and Reader said there was more good news to come for Dolphins fans.
“There is a lot happening in a 12-month period,” he said.
“Our plan and strategy that we presented to the NRL is on track as planned. There is a lot to be positive about.
“It’s really important how you set up. You’ve got to start how you want to finish so we’re setting up those programs from day one.
“The reality is we don’t get any salary cap dispensation or special treatment. We have to make sure we’re ready to go and that’s what we’re doing.”
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