Buzz: NRL faces ugly pay war, Kangaroos selection upheaval
One Origin victory won’t be enough to force the Kangaroos selectors hands - but two Blues stars appear to be on the outer. Plus Buzz’s weekend highlights and lowlights.
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Australia could have at least 10 new faces in the Kangaroos squad for the World Cup at the end of the year.
If selectors picked a side based on form from the NRL and opening State of Origin game, it would bear little resemblance to the previous Kangaroos team prior to Covid in 2019.
The likes of Selwyn Cobbo, Valentine Holmes, Brian To’o, Harry Grant, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Cameron Murray, Felise Kaufusi, Reuben Cotter, Patrick Carrigan and Isaah Yeo would be in the team.
Obviously Mal Meninga and his selectors Brad Fittler and Billy Slater won’t be picking a team for the World Cup at the end of the season based on one Origin game in June.
The two remaining Origin games in Perth and Brisbane plus finals form and injuries will be crucial.
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However, you can guarantee the side will look nothing like the 2019 Kangaroos.
Back then we had Dave Klemmer, Paul Vaughan, Wade Graham and the now retired Boyd Cordner in the forward pack.
The likes of Fa’asuamaleaui, Murray, Carrigan, Cotter and Yeo will take their spots.
The number nine jersey is the most interesting.
Damien Cook is the incumbent and still a great player.
He made 50 tackles on Origin night and another 50 three days later for Souths against the Titans.
However he has Harry Grant, Ben Hunt and even Api Koroisau to contend with.
In the halves, most thought Penrith’s Nathan Cleary had nudged ahead of Daly Cherry-Evans for the World Cup.
Then DCE plays a blinder in Origin and Cleary has a rare quiet game.
DCE’s relationship with Cameron Munster in the Maroons halves will obviously work in his favour with the Australian team.
But there’s a long way to go.
The days of Australia just having to turn up to win Test matches are long gone.
The World Cup will be the most competitive international series for decades.
England on home soil, the Kiwis and Tonga.
UGLY SALARY CAP PAY WAR SET TO EXPLODE
The NRL is facing an ugly pay showdown with players over next year’s salary cap.
In a phone hook up with the 16 clubs last week, chief executive Andrew Abdo revealed a forecast revenue growth of $50 million next year.
This is great news for the game that comes mostly from the increased TV broadcast deal and lifts the NRL’s projected revenue from $561 million to $612 million for 2023.
You would think it would mean a substantial salary cap and pay increase for the players.
This isn’t necessarily the case.
The clubs have been told the salary cap will be around $10.5 million.
The players were understandably expecting more and won’t be remaining silent for much longer.
They are still on 50 per cent State of Origin pay cuts from Covid and were anticipating a much better deal in 2023.
However we’re told their share of the revenue will remain at around 32 per cent.
This is where it gets interesting.
The NRL wants to keep 30 per cent of the revenue themselves, up from 25 per cent.
The clubs get 17 per cent, the players get 32 per cent and the remaining 21 per cent goes to the state leagues, pathways, participation and future investments.
During Covid the NRL slashed its operations and administration costs by up to $50 million.
It appears those cost-cutting days are well and truly over from what the clubs have been told.
However, Abdo insists the financial figures shared with the clubs last week are not final.
“The ARLC are committed to sharing the game’s success with stakeholders as well as investing to ensure the long-term sustainability of the game,” Abdo said.
“It is important everyone is aligned to growing the game together.
“We are entering an exciting new period for the game with all stakeholders set to benefit from that success.
“No fixed amounts or allocations have been set yet. That work starts now. The next stage is to engage with the RLPA and clubs to work through these options and details. I’m looking forward to working together to set the game up for the future.”
TV TRUTH
We need to correct the fake news from Nine entertainment re State of Origin ratings. Even with the addition of streaming numbers, their viewership has fallen by nine per cent from 2019, pre Covid. Their NRL coverage is also down 13 per cent. No spin, just facts.
HIGHLIGHT
The wonderful family scenes at the SCG when winger Grant Anderson scored two tries on debut for Melbourne Storm against the Roosters. His 98-year-old grandfather braved the cold weather to be there and was in tears at the end of the game.
LOWLIGHT
Another head knock for Luke Keary at the SCG on Saturday night. The 30-year-old is under contract to the Roosters until the end of 2024. It has to be a major concern.
TIGERS COUP
The Wests Tigers have signed NSW Waratahs and Randwick rugby centre Triston Reilly. He is a 23-year-old from Kempsey who had been earmarked as a future Wallaby. This is a handy signing for whoever gets the Wests Tigers coaching job.
REPEAT OFFENDER
Normally you’d give a player the benefit of the doubt re the Felise Kaufusi elbow on Sam Walker. It could have been accidental. Then you look at previous similar incidents involving the Storm forward on Ryan Matterson and Boyd Cordner and wonder.
SPOTTED
Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon bumped into Rabbitohs assistant John Morris at Sydney airport on Friday. It was the first time they had spoken since Fitzgibbon replaced Morris in the Shire and could have been awkward. They are good fellas and got on fine. The Sharks were flying to Brisbane and the Rabbitohs to the Gold Coast.
SPOTTED
A couple of handy boxers – Tim Tszyu and his brother Nikita – at Burleigh Pavilion on the Gold Coast on Friday night.
SPOTTED
What a week for Cowboys forward and Maroons Origin debutant Reuben Cotter. His wife gave birth to a girl, their first child, in Townsville just 48 hours after the game.
360 VIEW
Catch you on Monday evening on NRL 360 on Fox League with Braith Anasta, Paul Kent and James Hooper after the Bulldogs v Parramatta Eels game.
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