NRL Market Watch 2022: Nathan Cleary’s contract call gives Panthers hope of keeping stars
Jarome Luai is hoping his off-contract Blues and Panthers teammates can benefit from Nathan Cleary’s contract call as the premiers try to keep the core of their squad together long term.
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Penrith five-eighth Jarome Luai is hoping Nathan Cleary’s decision to take a “pay cut” will rub off on players to help keep the likes of Stephen Crichton and Brian To’o at the foot of the mountains.
Premiership success has turned into a salary cap squeeze for the Panthers with the likes of Crichton, To’o, Liam Martin, Izack Tago and Spencer Leniu to hit the market on November 1.
Crichton’s NSW Blues selection is set to bump up his asking price and the 21-year-old is likely to be one of the hottest prospects on the open market – with cashed-up rivals such as the Dolphins looking to sign a marquee player.
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Aware of the club’s tricky situation, halfback Cleary agreed to an extension until the end of season 2027 on a deal worth about $1.1 million a season, less than what he would be worth on the open market.
Luai told News Corp Cleary’s decision could stave off rivals by influencing off-contract stars to commit to the Panthers.
“That’s why he is our captain,” Luai said. “He leads by example, and I think he’s poured his heart out to the rest of the team to show how much he loves this group of boys by doing that (pay cut).
“Obviously we love winning together, and it shows this is a great team to be a part of and hopefully that can rub off on some of the boys off-contract and keep a lot of the boys.”
When asked about his future, Crichton said: “I would love to stay at the Panthers. My manager is looking after that stuff and he has told me to just worry about playing football.”
Cleary’s move was motivated by a desire to keep playing alongside as many premiership-winning teammates as possible, after Viliame Kikau defected to Canterbury, as well as the club’s rising local talent Tago and Taylan May.
“I would love for him (Crichton) to stay, so please, fingers crossed that he does stay,” Cleary said. “But that is the thing when your team is quite successful, everyone’s prices go up. We know we can’t keep everyone but we want to keep that core group for sure.”
Despite Cleary’s selfless decision, Luai is realistic about the chances of keeping every player at Penrith long term.
“I think that is the most important thing when it comes to winning, keeping that core group together,” Luai said. “I can’t speak on behalf of what is going on with their negotiations, but you just want the best for your boys.
“It would be awesome to keep the same guys together forever but it doesn’t work like that in this business but we will see what happens.”
Blues coach Brad Fittler is preparing to blood Crichton from the bench in game one on June 8. Luai said Crichton proved he was made for the big stage in last year’s grand-final win and is primed to do the same next Wednesday.
“We are so happy for him, it’s another one of us [Panthers] into the Sky Blue jersey,” Luai said. “It’s a massive opportunity for him.
“We all know he is ready, he has stepped up in big moments for us in last year’s grand final. He puts himself in a position to make those plays and I’m sure he’ll do one of those plays on Wednesday night.”
Munster blow for Bennett’s Dolphins
-Travis Meyn
Cameron Munster has delivered a blow to Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins after declaring he couldn’t quit Melbourne while super coach Craig Bellamy was at the helm of the Storm.
The Bennett-Bellamy battle for Munster has taken another twist in the lead-up to next Wednesday’s State of Origin series opener in Sydney.
Munster is being courted by Bennett and expansion club the Dolphins to join them from 2024 when he comes off-contract at the Storm.
The Dolphins were believed to be in the box seat to secure Munster after the Queensland Origin star rejected a contract extension from Melbourne. However the Storm are still well and truly in the fight to retain the dynamic five-eighth – with a catch.
Munster, 27, has forged a close bond with Bellamy during nine seasons at Melbourne and declared he would struggle to quit the club as long as he was coaching the Storm.
In his 20th season at the Storm, Bellamy has only committed to remain as head coach until the end of 2023, meaning his next move will be pivotal to Melbourne’s hopes of retaining Munster.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” Munster said after Queensland’s first training session on Tuesday.
“I’m really committed at the club. I’m there until next year and I want to make sure I can repay the faith they showed in me last year after the incident (white powder scandal).
“I want to give back and give them another trophy. That’s my mindset and motivation this year. I know I really want to stay at the club, but at the end of the day I’ve got to do what’s best for my family. Who knows what lies ahead?
“Me and Wayne go back to the 2020 (Origin) series. We had a really successful series (2-1 win). I like what Wayne brings. He has got similar traits to ‘Bellyache’, who was under Wayne for a little bit.
“Bellyache is a little bit more passionate and angry, but they are similar coaches and I really admire both of them. I love playing with Craig and he loves having me as one of his players. As long as Bellyache’s still at the club, I don’t see myself leaving.”
In the lead-up to his 14th Origin, Munster and the Maroons hit the training paddock for the first time under new coach Billy Slater at the Broncos’ Red Hill headquarters.
It was a relatively high-intensity session for a first hit-out, with Slater keen to set the tone ahead of his first game in charge of Queensland.
Munster is relishing being coached by his former Storm teammate and what is an all-star assembly including Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Nate Myles and Josh Hannay.
After being crowned the best player of the 2020 Origin series, Munster’s 2021 campaign was disappointing as Queensland suffered a one-sided defeat and he wants redemption this year.
“It wasn’t ideal for myself last year,” Munster said.
“You guys speculate about my form. All I can do is worry about myself and my preparation. Hopefully I can go out there and play some good footy this year in the Origin arena.
“I’ve gone back to my strength which is running around like a headless chook.
“Last year I was in-and-out of games and just hoping it would happen. This year will be a different story. I’m a lot fitter and excited to bring a bit more leadership in my role.
“I’m not parking myself on one side. I’ve been running around on the left and right.”
Munster’s lacklustre 2021 season ended in controversy when he was embroiled in the white powder scandal involving Storm teammate Brandon Smith, which resulted in NRL fines and suspensions.
Realising he needed to address alcohol and gambling issues, Munster entered a rehabilitation clinic and emerged a different man ready for the birth of his first child.
His form in 2022 has been career-best and Munster said he was benefiting from not turning up to training hungover.
“I was going into Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays hungover and not having much input at the club,” Munster said. “I was gliding through those days then becoming well Thursday, Friday and playing on the weekends.
“I could have done that when I was a little bit younger. I’ve found the more consistent I am off the field, the more consistent I am on the field. That showed in my training and is showing in games.
“Some days I’d train the house down and other days I’d be pretty poor. A lot of the boys used to laugh when I’d train poorly in captain’s run and have a really good game. That comes with the competitiveness in me.
“But I want to be consistent. I get paid the big bucks and there’s a lot of speculation when I’m not playing well about whether I’m worth that money.
“I’m trying to be happy with myself and enjoying footy. When I’m doing that, things tend to happen for me.”
The Queensland team headed into Camp Maroon at Sanctuary Cove on the Gold Coast on Tuesday afternoon, where they will remain until Monday before travelling to Sydney.
How Bennett became part of Matterson’s Origin ascent
-Brent Read
Ryan Matterson met Wayne Bennett for the first time one week ago. The next time they talk, Matterson will be a State of Origin player.
Three years after going within hours of pulling on a NSW jersey, Matterson got the news on Monday that he would be part of the Blues’ 17 man squad for Origin I in Sydney.
It capped off a whirlwind week for the in-form Parramatta back rower. Last week, Matterson was taken on a tour of Redcliffe before he pulled up a chair opposite Bennett to talk about next season and the prospect of joining The Dolphins.
Matterson walked away impressed.
“It was pretty cool,” he said.
“He is a ball of knowledge really. I didn’t realise how much of a character he was. I had a good old time. Some of the stories he was saying were pretty funny.
“It was a good little trip. Obviously it had to be a quick one. I had to think about my next game. He said he wanted me to go there.
“The rest is up to my manager. Wayne is a good man. Obviously he has the respect from a lot of people for what he has done in the game.
“But Wayne knows I have to make a decision on what is best for Ryan Matterson. That is something I will have to weigh up when I have all my options.”
The Eels are trying hard to keep Matterson but the task has likely become more difficult with his selection in the Blues side.
Matterson is now an Origin player and that comes with a premium for interested clubs. He is happy to take his time with his decision.
He will likely wait until his Origin commitments are over before finalising his future.
“Me as a rugby league player, I get paid to play football,” Matterson said.
“My manager, he sorts out the contract. I am a footballer, I will play the game. Once he has all the contracts in a line and I have to make a decision, that is when I will come into it.
“The outside noise doesn’t really affect me. The network I have around me, the way that I think, the way that I act, it has never really got to me.
“I just play my football. It is drawing a line — saying I can control this, I can’t control that. So whatever I can’t control I give that to someone else.
“That is normally God. If it is something else like a contract, my manager will sort that out. I control what I can and that is on the football field.”
Matterson’s ascent to Origin has been a long time coming. He was close to making his debut in 2019 when Tyson Frizell woke up on the morning of Origin III with a neck problem.
Frizell looked like being ruled out but made a miraculous recovery and Matterson was forced to wait. At the end of that season he left the Wests Tigers in acrimonious circumstances but he hasn’t looked back. He didn’t need vindication but he got more of it this week when he was named to play Origin.
“I know where I stand,” he said.
“I am an ant when it comes to the big scheme of things. At the end of the day what happened at the Tigers, that is for them to tell that story.
“I was grateful to be part of them for the year I was.”
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