NRL market watch: The whopping $4.2 million offer for Jeremiah Nanai
North Queensland star Jeremiah Nanai gambled on himself when he signed a one-year extension earlier this year – now it’s set to pay off.
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Cowboys young gun Jeremiah Nanai has become the most sought-after teenager in rugby league with NRL rivals tabling $4 million deals for Australia’s World Cup rookie.
On the eve of Australia’s World Cup final against Samoa on Sunday morning, News Corp can reveal the Cowboys are facing a battle to retain Kangaroos sensation Nanai in the face of massive offers from NRL rivals.
The 19-year-old’s market value increased when he made his Test debut against Fiji last month and he will watch Australia’s quest for World Cup glory against Samoa from the stands at Old Trafford.
The fact Nanai finds himself at the opulent home of world football giants Manchester United underlines his meteoric rise this season – and why a host of NRL clubs are lining up to blow the Cowboys out of the water with mega offers.
Nanai only signed a one-year deal earlier this season, now making him a free agent.
Since November 1, he has fielded several monster offers, with one Sydney-based club tabling a five-year deal worth $800,000 for the first three seasons and $900,000 for the remaining two – a $4.2 million package.
If the decision was solely about money, Nanai would quit the Cowboys.
But North Queensland are confident they will retain the classy back-rower in the wake of a fairytale 2022 campaign that saw Todd Payten’s troops shock the league by qualifying for the preliminary final.
North Queensland football boss Micheal Luck says the Cowboys will look to begin extension negotiations with the off-contract Nanai when he returns home from the World Cup.
“We know there will be interest and we would like to think as soon as he comes back home we can begin discussions again about securing him long term,” Luck said.
“We understand other clubs will come in with big offers, but we would love him to see out his career here.
“We’ll put forward a package that makes Jeremiah and his family comfortable with his future here.
“We’re confident our offer will be competitive regardless of what other clubs are offering and we’d like to think at this stage of Jeremiah’s career he is confident in our club and the direction we’re heading in.”
A virtual unknown 12 months ago, Nanai was the poster boy of the Cowboys’ stunning premiership revival this season.
The skilful forward with a soaring leap scored 17 tries from 23 games to propel North Queensland from second last to the top four, in the process clinching his maiden Queensland Origin and Australian jumpers.
Nanai’s elevation to the representative arena has seen his price tag soar.
When Nanai was off-contract earlier this season, new expansion rivals the Dolphins expressed interest, but the Cowboys staved off super coach Wayne Bennett and they are backing their systems under Payten to repel fresh poaching bids.
“With any younger talent like Jeremiah there is always going to be interest in him and that is testimony to how well he played this year and how much scope he still has to improve,” Luck said.
“We love what did this year for us, he is a great squad member and he has had a remarkable year playing for Queensland and Australia.
“Jeremiah is a North Queensland kid and we’d like to think when he commits, he will commit to a time frame that makes both parties comfortable. We are happy to work with him and his family on what suits him best.
If it’s a one-year deal, it’s a year, if it’s a multi-year deal, that’s great, too.
“I know he likes Todd as a coach and how he was brought along this year. I would like to think Jeremiah will stay.”
Nanai, who scored a try in his World Cup appearances against Fiji and Italy, bought his first home in Townsville in August, suggesting he has no plans to quit the Cowboys.
“I’ve bought a home up here and I would love to stay at the Cowboys,” Nanai said last month.
“I have got everything I need here, my family, my partner and some friendships that have grown at the club.
“I would love to stay at the Cowboys and I hope another contract comes.
“I can’t believe the season I’ve had, it’s been one hell of a year for myself.”
HOW THE TERRIBLE TIGERS NEARLY BROKE AN NRL WARHORSE
– Travis Meyn
James Tamou has revealed the Wests Tigers’ 2022 season from hell nearly forced him into retirement before he set his sights on an NRL premiership fairytale farewell with the Cowboys.
Tamou appeared in North Queensland colours for the first time since 2016 on Tuesday when he reported for pre-season training with his beloved club.
Now a 305-game NRL stalwart, Tamou made his debut for the Cowboys in 2009 and played in North Queensland’s maiden premiership team in 2015.
Following a salary cap squeeze in Townsville, Tamou joined Penrith in 2017 for four seasons before heading to Wests.
After two torrid years at the Tigers, including this season’s wooden spoon campaign which yielded just four wins, Tamou was ready to sail off into the NRL sunset and play park footy in Sydney.
“It was all done,” Tamou said after scaling Townsville’s infamous Castle Hill.
“There were a lot of times (I considered retiring). The way we ended last year was tough, you have to look in the mirror and think ‘maybe that’s it?’
“There was about a month where I thought ‘I’ve got to find something else to do and get a job’.
“I’ve got a soft spot for the Tigers. It was a good group of boys and I got to know the fans who are passionate.
“Having a few conversations with Sheensy (new coach Tim Sheens) … he’s got them going in the right direction and Benji Marshall has a ton of respect in the club.
“I was trying to stay positive but with how some of the score lines were playing out there’s only so much you can take.
“That was playing into me hanging up the boots until the phone rang.”
On the other end of the phone was Cowboys coach Todd Payten with a career lifeline.
After his team was bundled out of the premiership race by Parramatta in the preliminary finals, Payten wanted Tamou to return to the Cowboys club he played 170 games for.
Payten thought Tamou could bring some experience and leadership to a blossoming roster comprising the likes of Kangaroos stars Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai in the forward pack.
Tamou’s only other professional option was the English Super League – a move he wasn’t willing to make – and he was ready to play amateur footy.
“There was offers and interest over there but I’ve got four kids at home and it would have been tough to pack them up,” he said.
“It would have taken them a few months to get settled over there, get through the season and then possibly come back.
“It (playing footy) was just going to be something locally in the area I’m from down south then my manager called up and said the Cowboys were interested so I took it.
“It wasn’t even about the logistics and numbers, I just said yes straight away because I knew I wanted to enjoy it and not have the weight of the team on my shoulders.
“I’m going to have to try hard to get into this team.”
Tamou turns 34 next month and will be the oldest current player in the NRL next season.
A former Kangaroos and NSW Origin star, he knows his best footy is behind him but hopes he can contribute to a club that’s seemingly in a premiership window after falling one game short of this year’s grand final.
“I said to the boys ‘I’m a fly-in with what you boys have done here’,” Tamou said.
“My role has significantly decreased and I’m happy with that. I am coming here to buy into what they’ve done.
“I know my role is to take that leadership role. Anything these young guys need help with, they can pick my brain.
“I don’t want to make it too much about me. I admire what the boys have done and their style of play, they never gave up. I don’t want to take the spotlight off what they’ve done.
“It is a bit of a last hurrah. We’ll see how we go. You’ve got to be realistic sometimes, fifteen years in the NRL is pretty tough.
“The young ones are still learning and I’ve got to show I’m still hungry to learn. As soon as you walk into a place and think you’ve done it all, it’s game over – you’re done.
“I’m not expecting to walk straight into the team. There’s genuine superstars, look at the amount of boys in the Kangaroos side and State of Origin.
“I’ll have to bide my time but I’ll put my best foot forward and bring my best every day.”
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