NRL market watch: Latest free agency news on Mitchell Moses, Stephen Crichton, Joseph Suaalii
Parramatta Eels will meet with Mitchell Moses’s management this week as the three-way fight for the halfback’s signature reaches a crucial juncture.
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Parramatta will meet with Mitchell Moses’s management this week as the three-way fight for the halfback’s signature reaches a crucial juncture.
Wests Tigers have gone in extremely heavy for Moses with an offer believed to be in excess of $1.3 million a season.
Canterbury’s bid is around the $1.2 million mark, while Parramatta have offered a little more than $1 million to retain the man who led the Eels to their first grand final since 2009.
Player agent Isaac Moses is due to meet with Eels officials this week to see if they are able to slightly increase their offer for the star No.7.
Having already secured five-eighth Dylan Brown to a new deal, Moses has an added incentive to stay, knowing he would be playing alongside the halves partner that has helped him play his career-best football.
NO OFFER: PANTHERS’ STUNNING SILENCE ON CRICHTON
The Penrith Panthers are yet to make an offer to retain star centre Stephen Crichton, blaming the delay in the release of the salary cap figure going forward for his future being left in serious doubt.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Crichton’s camp is growing concerned that the club prioritised the re-signings of teammates Liam Martin, Brian To’o and Izack Tago and have left him waiting and are yet to even offer their off-contract representative centre a deal to stay.
Crichton’s manager, Liam Ayoub, contacted the Panthers last week to ask for an offer as interest from rival clubs, including the Canterbury Bulldogs, who desperately need a fullback, circle.
The Daily Telegraph Sports Editor-at-large Phil Rothfield said it was a major issue that could blow up unless the Panthers act with more interest than they have shown in recent months.
“Stephen Crichton is absolutely desperate to stay at the Panthers but he needs an offer and more communication,” Rothfield said.
“He’s prepared to take a significant pay cut to stay at the Panthers.
“But Penrith have not made an offer to keep him.
“There are media reports he wants to play fullback. He denies that, and understands that with their current fullback, Clive Churchill medallist Dylan Edwards, who has done such a wonderful job, that his future at the club at this stage is as a centre.
“He is happy to stay in the centres where he has scored tries in the past three grand finals.”
Crichton, who only recently turned 22, is already a two-time premiership winner and an established representative centre with both the NSW Blues and Samoa.
A switch to a rival club to play fullback could earn Crichton a significant salary increase. However, remaining at the Panthers, alongside teammates with whom he has grown up, could prove a trump card for Penrith.
“The ball is now in Penrith’s court. The Panthers were always concerned they would not be able to match the money of rival clubs, including Canterbury, where former Penrith assistant Cameron Ciraldo is now head coach,” Rothfield said.
“I really like that, in this day and age, I think another player in his position, that was sitting back waiting for an offer, would’ve jumped ship by now.
“I really admire his loyalty to Penrith. But that can only last so long.
“He’s 22 years of age and he has to sort his future. I think he’s one of the most exciting players in the NRL.
“(Head of football) Matt Cameron, (coach) Ivan Cleary need to get off their backsides and say ‘this is your offer. We can only go to $600,000. We know you could get $800-$900,000 at Canterbury. A club like Newcastle, who desperately need a fullback, would probably go towards $1 million.
And then he can sit down with his manager, his financial adviser and work out what sort of financial hit he can take.”
SUAALII CONTRACT CAUSING HEADACHES FOR ROOSTERS
The Sydney Roosters are facing the harsh reality that they will struggle to pay Joseph Suaalii the kind of money he could make on the open market.
Suaalii is off contract at the end of this season, although he does have a player option in his favour for 2024.
It’s a juggling act at the Roosters with James Tedesco and Joseph Manu ahead of him in the fullback pecking order, and new recruit Brandon Smith, recently re-signed halfback Sam Walker, veteran five-eighth Luke Keary and representative forwards Angus Crichton and Lindsay Collins taking up significant salary cap room.
According to Sports Editor-at-large Phil Rothfield, the Suaalii contract situation is causing headaches at the Bondi club, with the teenager’s future beyond this season up in the air.
“I just don’t see where they’re going to be in a position to pay him, despite the fact he’s still a teenager, the $800,000, 900,0000 or $1 million a season that rival clubs are prepared to pay,” Rothfield said.
“I know he loves the Sydney Roosters and Trent Robinson and he’s so grateful the club has educated him so patiently to help him adjust to the rigours and demands of NRL football.
“He’s off contract at the end of this year and they need a call on him.”
Rugby union is also seen as a serious threat of poaching Suaalii given its bumper international calendar in coming years. The British Lions will tour Australia in 2025, while the country will also host the 2027 World Cup.
Suaalii would be a major drawcard for both events for the Wallabies both on and off the field.
“I think he’s more valuable than Israel Folau in that he can play wing, centre. He’s played a lot of football at five-eighth, for when Luke Keary eventually retires, but his favourite position is fullback, he played there for Samoa and he was outstanding in the (Rugby League) World Cup, Rothfield said.
“If he wants to play fullback he’s going to have to play this patient game unless he’s willing to join a rival club.
“I haven’t seen a young rugby league player come into the game with his level of ability come into the game since Brad Fittler.
“He’ll play for NSW in Origin this year. He would be the ideal No.14.”
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