NRL Rich 100 2021: NSW Blues embarrass Queensland Maroons again

The Blues’ historic Origin win will be one of the highlights of 2021 for so many, but why are so many of the NSW heroes not on the rich list?

The NSW Blues have claimed state bragging rights — but they have fallen short on rugby league’s rich list of biggest earners.

Instead, it’s Queensland’s series-losing team of money men that have emerged as the highest-paid players in the game.

A month-long News Corp investigation undertaken by senior rugby league journalists, Phil Rothfield, David Riccio, Peter Badel and Michael Carayannis has delivered the NRL’s Rich 100 for 2021.

In its second instalment following the inaugural rich list last year, the NRL’s top-100 highest-paid players for 2021 can be revealed.

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Who’s the highest-paid player in the NRL?

Which player is overpaid, who is worth more and which club has made the best and worst recruitment decisions?

Let the debate begin.

The spotlight on the Maroons, who surrendered the series to the Blues in such meek fashion, will only intensify following the revelation that five of the highest-paid players inside the Rich 100’s top 10 are Queenslanders.

BELOW: THE NRL RICH 100 LIST

Only two are from NSW.

On Sunday we reveal the first half of the list, players 100-51, and Queensland’s Origin stars still outnumber Brad Fittler’s Blues.

Unlike in the NBA and NFL in America, where athlete salaries are made public on the basis of transparency, NRL players have fought the game’s administrators for decades from ever disclosing their salary earnings.

And so here it is.

The NRL Rich 100 has been compiled following an exhaustive amount of research that has included interviewing every club’s key decision-makers — the gatekeepers to all 16 club salary caps.

The Blues have just two players in the top 10. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

Former NRL executives, player agents, club recruitment officers, general managers, coaches, chief executives and chairs have all contributed to ranking the top 100 highest-paid players in 2021.

The figures are accurate and don’t account for any extra earnings outside a reduced $9.02 million 2021 salary cap that every club is bound to work under this year.

The 2020 cap was $9.08 million, but an agreed six per cent salary reduction in order to cut club costs and save jobs throughout the Covid-19 pandemic has lowered the overall spend on players salaries.

It’s why any player that was already under contract during 2021 and 2022 have suffered a six-per cent wage cut.

Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans in the game’s highest paid player. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty

Third-party deals and individual sponsorship have been ignored with the figures listed simply that of which the player will earn inside the salary cap this season.

Over the next two days the entire Rich 100 will be revealed.

We have investigated the salaries of every player inside — and just outside — the top 100.

It will uncover information that was previously considered guesswork, including which positions generate the highest salary, which clubs are paying the most for their players and which clubs have straightened out their cap from the year before.

The NRL Rich 100 will expose the clubs with a history of poor roster management and why a club with multiple big-earners — like the Broncos, Dragons and Tigers — are prevented from making any major recruitment moves.

Today’s first instalment of the highest-earning players from 100 to 51, includes a stunning insight into the earnings of household names and the stars we watch every weekend.

There are shocks and surprises, like the fact Newcastle halfback Mitchell Pearce (ranked 16th) earned a $100,000 pay bonus for simply helping the Knights make the finals last year.

The Maroons have five stars in the top 10. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty

We learn that Dragons forward Jack de Belin is the 32nd highest-paid player in the game despite having played only four games in three years.

Just as fascinating, we also learn how many clubs are paying for the salaries of players that represent other clubs, like the Bulldogs six-figure contribution for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (40) to play for the Warriors.

We reveal how the Cowboys are still being hurt by the injury-enforced retirement of former captain Michael Morgan (13) and also, how badly the Sharks want to remove Josh Dugan (23) from their books.

And in perhaps the greatest key to success and advantage from developing talent, neither the NSW champions of Penrith, Jarome Luai or Brian To’o, feature inside the top 100.

On Sunday, we’ll reveal the No.1 paid player in the NRL.

It could be Queensland’s only win this season.

Originally published as NRL Rich 100 2021: NSW Blues embarrass Queensland Maroons again