Crawley Files: Money or titles? And what are NRL’s biggest contract gambles
What is more important for an NRL club - the talent on the field or the system off of it? Paul Crawley looks at whether a star player can rescue a dysfunctional system or will he be its victim.
NRL
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Don’t expect Matt Burton to come out and admit this as he prepares to tackle his former Penrith teammates on Sunday. But the new Bulldogs five-eighth wouldn’t be human if it hadn’t at least crossed his mind in recent days.
Has Burton just made the biggest stuff up of his young footballing life walking away from the team where he won a comp last year, to try and forge a new path at a club that has been anchored down the bottom of the ladder for several years?
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Same goes with Josh Addo-Carr’s decision to ditch the Storm for the Dogs.
And throw in Reed Mahoney, who doesn’t even leave Parramatta for Canterbury until next year.
What about Adam Reynolds accepting a longer and more lucrative deal to move from Souths to Brisbane? Or for Reynolds not taking the offer Cronulla put to the veteran halfback before Craig Fitzgibbon pinned a target on Nicho Hynes, who is just going gangbusters after his switch?
On the flip side, there’s no way in the world Ryan Papenhuyzen would be regretting taking massive unders to stay at Melbourne playing under Craig Bellamy for a few more years. Not judging by the flying mullet’s four-try performance against the Dogs last Sunday.
This is a list of 21 of the best buys and biggest gambles of the recent NRL era, and other decisions fast looming for some of the game’s biggest stars.
Sliding door moments unfold every season that can often change the course of league history for players and clubs.
It also puts in focus why chasing opportunity and fortune in the NRL can be so fraught with danger.
Right at this minute you could completely understand if Burton was having second thoughts.
But fast forward to next year. And will today’s concerns still be the case when Burton is playing in a side that also features Parramatta’s outstanding dummy half Mahoney, along with one of the competition’s most destructive edge backrowers in Viliame Kikau?
Because watching Mahoney in action against St George Illawarra last Sunday put in perspective what a huge loss he is going to be to the Eels next season.
Don’t forget in return the Eels get Josh Hodgson to fill Mahoney’s role, with the Englishman coming off back-to-back knee reconstructions — and at that point Hodgson will be 33.
The consensus right now seems that it is only Mahoney making the giant leap.
Yet it’s every bit as big a risk for the Eels who have finally got a spine primed to be serious premiership contenders.
Mahoney’s challenge is not unlike what awaits Api Koroisau when the Panthers’ premiership-winning hooker moves to Wests Tigers next year.
Will Koroisau be the player that finally puts the Tigers back on the right path, or will he become just the latest victim of a dysfunctional system that hasn’t played finals footy in a decade?
Yet without Burton, Kurt Capewell, Paul Momirovski and Tyrone May, the Panthers haven’t skipped a beat, showing once again how good systems make good players even better, and vice versa.
For Addo-Carr it was a decision based on family that made him want to return to Sydney, but going for a struggling club like the Bulldogs after having such outstanding success at the Storm was always a precarious call.
In recent years we saw how Brett Morris went the other way and took huge unders when leaving the Bulldogs to join the Roosters, but the payback was winning a comp.
Then you see what happened last weekend when the Foxx returned to Melbourne and got shown up by the youngster the Storm brought in to take his place, former Bronco Xavier Coates.
Coates is another example of the young gun who could have commanded more at lesser clubs, but playing under Bellamy all but guarantees a far more rewarding career investment.
Then look at how Coates’ former Broncos teammate Kotoni Staggs is playing with such a lack of motivation. The same young centre who had the rugby league world at his feet this time last year, when Staggs took up a bumper four-year extension worth just under $3 million.
It leads to a dilemma potentially confronting Payne Haas.
Even though he is already signed at the Broncos until the end of 2024, that still hasn’t stopped continued speculation the Roosters are chasing Haas to be Jared Waerea-Hargreaves’ long-term replacement.
But put yourself in Payne’s big boots: Would you rather win comps and leave that as your lasting legacy, or struggle to compete but have more money to spend in the moment?
At Souths Reynolds was a vital cog in a well-oiled machine.
But last Sunday he was helpless trying to lift the Broncos out of the misery they’ve been in these last few years.
In years to come you just hope he doesn’t look back with regret for giving up the final few years of almost certain success at Souths — for financial security he could have perhaps accumulated down the track as a one club homegrown Rabbitohs legend.
Just like it could have been for Roger Tuivasa-Sheck when he became the poster boy for chasing NRL fool’s gold after taking the big money on offer from the Warriors back in 2016.
At the time the former Rooster had already won a comp under Trent Robinson, but no doubt would have been a part of more glory given the Roosters went on to win back-to-back crowns.
Instead RTS returned to New Zealand where he played just one finals game in 111 appearances for the Warriors before switching to Super Rugby.
You also can’t help but wonder what might have become of James Tedesco had Tuivasa-Sheck not left the Roosters all those years ago.
It’s another classic sliding doors moment.
The Warriors made a similar play for Joey Manu last year but Manu accepted considerably less to stay at Bondi.
Then you see him towelling up Valentine Holmes in Townsville last weekend and he just looks like a young man having the time of his life.
We often argue about whether or not there’s enough talent to support expansion in 2023.
Perhaps the real debate should focus on why there isn’t enough good systems and good coaching to support the talent that is out there.
Just look at how the Bulldogs basically disowned Reimis Smith and Nick Meaney who instead went to Melbourne and now look right at home.
The Storm have made an art of picking up players off the scrap heap and turning them into stars, and then getting them to take unders to stay.
A perfect example is Papenhuyzen who just last year signed a new extension reportedly worth under $700,000-a-season, when on the open market he could have commanded in excess of $1 million.
But would the flying fullback have been scoring try after try like he did against the Bulldogs last Sunday had he gone elsewhere?
Or would he have been another of those players who cashed in on the fool’s gold and lived to regret it?
HITS OR MISSES? THE NRL’S BIGGEST CONTRACT GAMBLES
Matt Burton
Went from Dally M centre-of-the-year at Penrith to chief playmaker for NRL battlers the Bulldogs. Lines up against his former club this Sunday. Only time will tell if it was the right move.
Reed Mahoney
It defies belief Parramatta has let this bloke go for next season. Now up with Harry Grant and Damien Cook among game’s best dummy halves. Could end up one of the great signings in Canterbury’s proud history.
Josh Addo-Carr
Widely recognised as the game’s best winger while at Melbourne. Was clearly outpointed by Xavier Coates last weekend, who the Storm signed to replace the Foxx.
Adam Reynolds
Was only offered a one-year deal at the Rabbitohs but wanted security, so signed for three years at the Broncos. While Souths are clearly missing him, the jury’s out if it was the right move for Reynolds.
Kalyn Ponga
Will get paid huge money regardless of whether he stays at Newcastle or signs with the Dolphins. Has until round 12 to make his final decision.
Api Koroisau
A vital link in the Panthers’ premiership-winning spine but has gambled on the big money on offer from Wests Tigers where he will be joined by Parramatta’s Isaiah Papali’I next season.
Ryan Papenhuyzen
This is one of those deals where players take massive unders to stay at a top club. Signed an extension worth less than $700,000-a-season. Could command $1m-plus on open market.
Viliame Kikau
Another Panther on the march next season when Kikau heads to the Bulldogs. One of the game’s most dangerous edge forwards who could help turnaround Canterbury’s fortunes.
Ben Hunt
Left Brisbane to sign a monster $6 million deal at St George Illawarra some years back. For all the criticism Hunt cops, every time he plays Origin he’s up with the best players on the field.
Kotoni Staggs
Was one of the game’s most in-demand centres last year when he agreed to a new $2.8 million upgrade. His form so far this season has been a complete disappointment.
Nicho Hynes
Signed for a reported $1.8 million three-year deal at Cronulla and it is looking to be an incredibly good investment. From what we’ve seen over the opening four rounds Hynes could easily be the buy of the year.
Daly Cherry-Evans
Put on an absolute masterclass in last Saturday’s win in Canberra. That led Ricky Stuart to suggest someone from Manly should be putting fresh flowers on Bob Fulton’s grave every day to thank the late Immortal for getting DCE to backflip on the Titans some years ago.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Was NRL’s poster boy for chasing fool’s gold. Could have stayed at the Roosters and been a part multiple premierships, instead took the big money at the Warriors and played one finals game in 111 appearances before switching to rugby.
Joey Manu
Turned down the chance to be the next RTS after the Warriors basically offered him half of New Zealand to make the switch. Showed against the Cowboys why he is still the game’s best centre.
Payne Haas
Not off contract until the end of 2024 but that hasn’t stopped continued speculation linking Haas to Bondi, where the Chooks want him as Jared Waerea-Hargreaves’ long-term replacement.
Dylan Brown
Had a contract option in his favour to test the market for next season. But over summer some rival clubs where baulking at the reported $800,000 price tag. Brown ultimately took up the option to stay at Parra. On form this year worth every cent.
David Fifita
On his day there is not a more destructive forward in the game. The trouble is he doesn’t get involved near enough to warrant the huge chunk he takes up in the Titans’ salary cap.
Jahrome Hughes
Another Storm star who turned down the Dolphins. It’s just incredible how Craig Bellamy has taken this bloke from a third-string fullback and turned him into one of the game’s premier playmakers.
Jason Taumalolo
Signed a record-breaking 10-year $10 million deal back in 2017 when he and Michael Morgan virtually carried the Cowboys to the grand final. In today’s market it doesn’t look such a great deal.
Valentine Holmes
Signed at the Cowboys until the end of 2025 on a reported $5 million plus six-year contract. Never really cut it at fullback but has shown some promising signs since switching to the centres, although got owned by Joey Manu last weekend.
Cameron Munster
Not off contract until the end of 2023 but the big question is whether or not Munster will take a huge pay cut to stay at the Storm or become Wayne Bennett’s marquee man at the Dolphins. Difference would be in excess of $200,000-a-season.
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