Cameron Munster rejected $5.6 million Dolphins deal to re-sign with Melbourne Storm

Cameron Munster sacrificed more than $1 million in turning his back on the Dolphins. Now Storm bosses have slammed “rumours, innuendo and rubbish” around the club’s huge offer.

The Dolphins offered Cameron Munster a massive deal to join the club.

Wayne Bennett has launched a stinging attack on Cameron Munster after the Queensland Origin star rejected an NRL record $1.4 million-a-season offer from the Dolphins to remain at the Storm.

Bennett famously won the 2020 Origin series with Munster but the super coach unloaded on his former Maroons protege, accusing him of being gutless for failing to notify the Dolphins he was staying loyal to Melbourne.

News Corp can reveal Munster rejected a massive four-year, $5.6 million offer to be the Dolphins’ main man in a crippling blow to Bennett’s hopes of finally securing a marquee star for 2024.

The Dolphins’ offer to Munster would have seen him unseat Penrith ace Nathan Cleary ($1.3 million) as the NRL’s financial top dog.

Wayne Bennett has unloaded on Cameron Munster.

Bennett was rated a huge chance of luring Munster from Melbourne, but the classy playmaker’s decision to ink a four-year extension to stay at the Storm leaves the super coach still searching for a franchise player.

Bennett had months of negotiations with Munster and his manager Braith Anasta.

The Dolphins coach says he can understand why Munster stayed at Melbourne, but what he can’t accept is the Storm pivot’s failure to personally inform him of his decision, especially given their State of Origin bonds.

“I knew the phone call (from Munster) wouldn’t happen,” Bennett told Triple M’s Brisbane Rush Hour show.

“It’s pretty ordinary stuff.

“I understand there are managers these days and there is a need for them, but what I struggle with, is all the tough conversations are missing.

“They (NRL players) don’t ring you up and say they aren’t coming.

“If you want to be a man, you have to behave like one and tell someone you aren’t coming.

“They miss out on a very important learning phase of their life … how do you say no to someone — not having someone carry a message for you.

“I remember when I was young I would get my mum to ask my friend to go to a game of football because I didn’t have the courage to ask. I hated myself for it and I taught myself not to ask my mum to do it, because I wanted to go and it’s up to me.

Wayne Bennett congratulates Cameron Munster for winning the Wally Lewis medal in 2020. Credit: NRL Images.

“These guys have tough calls to make, but that’s the price you have to pay so you can grow into the man you can be proud of.”

The Dolphins’ failure to land Munster is a crushing setback for the NRL’s 17th franchise.

Despite missing out on a number of other big names, Bennett was hopeful of landing Munster and viewed the Storm pivot as the perfect piece in the Dolphins’ premiership-winning puzzle.

The Dolphins went hard to blow the Storm out of the water. They initially offered Munster $1 million a season, but when Melbourne upped the ante themselves last month, Bennett raised the stakes again, finally tabling a $1.4m annual offer which many believed was too good to refuse.

Throughout months of negotiations, Bennett and Dolphins powerbrokers were allegedly assured they were “in the box seat” to snatch Munster from the Storm.

The decision went down to the wire.

Munster privately advised Melbourne he would relay his decision as soon as he cleared customs for Australia’s World Cup campaign to England to avoid a torrent of calls upon making his final call.

Sweating on his decision, the Storm incredibly had two press statements written – one lauding his signature, the other lamenting his departure to the Dolphins.

In the end, Munster stayed loyal, ensuring Melbourne’s comments about Munster joining the Dolphins never saw the light of day.

The 28-year-old stood to earn at least $300,000 a season more by playing under Bennett – an extra $1.2 million over four years — but the super coach insists Munster never made a formal commitment to the Dolphins.

Dolphins CEO Terry Reader and coach Wayne Bennett. Picture: Steve Pohlner

“I’m OK, I never had any great confidence in the end of getting Cameron,” Bennett said.

“I’m not disappointed. Initially I thought Cameron would come but as time went on I knew.

“I never felt we had him.

“I have changed clubs myself and Cameron never gave me an indication he was coming to the Dolphins.

“He wasn’t coming for next season anyway, so we will have a lot of money in the salary cap and we won’t spend it until we get that quality player.

“The opportunity is gone so I will look somewhere else.”

It is understood Munster sacrificed at least $1 million in total by inking a four-year extension to remain at the Storm until the end of 2027.

But Melbourne chairman Matt Tripp hit back at suggestions the club had flouted salary-cap rules as they staved off the Dolphins to win the prized signature of Maroons maestro Munster.

Melbourne were guilty of the biggest salary-cap rort in the code’s history in 2010, exceeding the NRL’s payment ceiling by $1.7 million, and Tripp said he was mindful of retaining Munster legally to avoid a repeat of the scandal that almost sunk the Storm.

“First of all, everything we have done in terms of getting Cameron on board is cap-related and 100 per cent above board,” Tripp said.

“I can’t be any clearer than that.

“The last thing I want to do is cause any drama by having our club, given what we have been through, dragged through the mud again.

“We just don’t operate that way.

“There are always going to rumours and innuendo and rubbish thrown at us, particularly from those that miss out on players like Cameron.

“I know where those rumours would be coming from. But that’s all they are – rubbish and rumours.”

Munster is staying with the Storm.

Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader insists the new franchise will not hit the panic button.

“We have no hard feelings, we wish Cameron and his partner Bianca all the best and we move on,” Reader said.

“We found out from Braith (Anasta, Munster’s manager) just before it was announced by Melbourne (on Thursday night).

“We still have plenty of firepower in our salary cap to make sure we bring in more quality players.

“Despite this news, it’s still been a positive week for us. We’ve been able to sign Hamiso (Tabuai-Fidow) from the Cowboys for 2023 and he is a massive signing for the club.

“He will change the whole dynamic of our foundation squad.

“The best thing about this process now is that it’s all over. We are happy now that Cam has made a decision, good luck to him and we’re not concerned, we’ll move on.”

Originally published as Cameron Munster rejected $5.6 million Dolphins deal to re-sign with Melbourne Storm