NRL, AFL rich lists: Shock omissions as David Fifita misses out

The richest players in the NRL and AFL have been revealed but some of footy’s biggest stars find themselves in unusual positions.

David Fifita is weighing up a monster offer from the Gold Coast worth $3.5m over three years but the young gun is not even close to being one of the game’s highest paid players in 2020.

An investigation by The Daily Telegraph has revealed the top 100 earners in the NRL — as well as those big names that fall just outside — and Fifita is surprisingly languishing low down on the footy rich list.

He was offered the most lucrative deal in rugby league history when the Titans tabled a one-year deal worth $1.25m, but the club has now bumped that offer up to try and entice him away from the Broncos.

If he accepts, the 20-year-old will enjoy a whopping pay rise and become the game’s highest paid player. It would be a remarkable ascent for someone The Daily Telegraph reports is on a contract worth just $300,000 in 2020.

That ranks him 116th among the NRL’s richest players despite being talked about as one of the most talented stars running around.

Fifita’s Brisbane teammate and NSW Origin representative Payne Haas is also further down the list than expected, coming in at 109th with a deal worth $450,000 this season.

Parramatta legend Peter Sterling said earlier this year Canberra hooker Josh Hodgson had surpassed Cameron Smith as the best hooker in the league, but there was no room for the Englishman in the game’s top 50 earners. Instead, his $650,000 salary puts the Raiders rake 60th on the rich list.

CHECK OUT THE NRL RICH LIST HERE

David Fifita will enjoy a huge pay rise in 2020 wherever he plays.

Canberra's Josh Hodgson

The Herald Sun’s investigation into the AFL’s top 100 paid players also revealed some surprises.

Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy is regarded as the competition’s best ruckman and earlier this year he signed a seven-year deal reportedly worth $1m a season to stay at the Pies until the end of 2027. But, factoring in a pay cut because of COVID-19, he will only pocket between $414,000 and $450,000 in 2020 before his mega deal kicks in next season.

That salary puts him 100th on the rich list as he just scrapes in.

Port Adelaide star Charlie Dixon is one of the best key forwards in the league and is leading the Coleman Medal race but he only sits 96th on the list, while North Melbourne’s best midfielder Shaun Higgins has surprisingly missed out on the top 100 altogether.

CHECK OUT THE AFL RICH LIST HERE