ARL Commission expected to hike NRL grand final prizemoney to unprecedented levels

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has fired back at the Panthers after being ridiculed over the size of grand final prizemoney, promising a massive cash incentive for next year’s winner.

Dylan Edwards celebrates after the NRL grand final. Picture: NRL Photos / Brett Costello

The NRL will move to implement massive prize money increases with the club that claims the minor premiership-premiership double poised to pocket an unprecedented $1m.

The expected pay surge comes as NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo fired off a jab at Panthers Group CEO Brian Fletcher, who described the $200,000 prize money for winning this year’s grand final as “just ridiculous”.

And The Daily Telegraph can reveal all 16 clubs will receive a combined total of $2.5 million in additional funding this week.

Abdo will recommend to the ARL Commission that all prize money be increased fourfold for next season, meaning the grand final winning club will stand to collect $800,000.

Winning the minor premiership was worth $100,000 but that figure may now double to $200,000 – a whopping $1m extravaganza for the side that can claim the dual titles.

Fletcher expressed frustration that his premiership-winning Panthers received just $200,000 for claiming the grand final with runners-up Parramatta given just $100,000.

Abdo hit back by claiming clubs agreed during Covid that prize money would be reduced to allow the governing body to issue all 16 teams with additional funding to remain financially viable.

“Of course, it’s a premier competition and we want prize money to be where it needs to be. Next year, it will be up by four times the current levels, subject to commission approval,” Abdo said.

“We halved it during Covid so it will go back to pre-Covid levels and then I’m putting a proposal forward to double those original levels. It would be the same principle for all prize money.”

The Panthers took home $200,000 for winning this year’s grand final. Picture: NRL Photos

Asked whether he was disappointed at Fletcher’s comment, Abdo said: “Yes. Brian’s argument is we have done better than we thought we would do and that is true but we need to rebuild the balance sheet and think about what the distributions are in the new world.

“We also said to the clubs that if there are no unforeseen, negative events – i.e. the competition doesn’t get disrupted again or we don’t have to relocate to Queensland this year – there would be a further $150,000 in additional payments to all clubs and will confirm that payment this week.”

With Covid now seemingly over, the NRL plans to shell out significant money in prize money and player payments and Abdo will advocate a whopping hike for all teams contesting the finals.

Prize money pre-Covid for being crowned premiers was $400,000 before that was figure was slashed during the pandemic. Abdo wants that figure to return to $400,000 before doubling it to $800,000. The NRL runners-up would receive $400,000.

The NRL spent $40m through a Covid relief package in 2021 when the competition relocated to Brisbane and set aside another $16m this year. Not all of the $16m was spent.

“Look, we are in a good financial position so we will certainly look at making it (grand final-winning prize money) the most it’s ever been. It’s definitely part of the whole review. We should look at the prize money and make it very attractive for the teams to get into the eight,” said ARLC chairman, Peter V’landys.

Fletcher told The Sunday Telegraph that the NRL “got millions extra from the government to play the grand final in Sydney. It’s just ridiculous.”

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has defended the low prize money. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Hitting back, Abdo said: “In 2020, clubs were in a lot of difficulty because they had been cut off from their gate revenues and the commission significantly increased the overall club financial allocation for all 16 clubs and prize money was reduced as part of that adjustment. It was the same with all stakeholders.

“Clubs were prioritised and financially supported by the commission and are now in a much stronger position due to the adjustments.

“The reason the prize money was held at 50 per cent was because that was the deal we cut so we were able to support all 16 clubs and relocate the competition during Covid. Part of the reductions in 2020, during an uncertain period, was to reduce the prize money but increase funding to all clubs.”

With extra money now available, the NRL last week approved a payment of $150,000 to every club. Player payments for State of Origin are also expected to increase to pre-Covid levels. The AFL premiers collect $1.1m with the runners up being issued $600,000.

“From 2023 we will see an exciting new era for growth. Growth in the number of teams for both NRL and NRLW and of course growth in club payments, player payments and prize money. It’s an exciting time for fans of rugby league,” Abdo said.