With $1.025 billion on the table and more to come, NRL players are on the verge of becoming some of the best paid sportsmen in Australia.
And with rumours continuing to circulate that AFL convert Israel Folau will return to the NRL, who can knock the kid for taking the money in the first place?
Many believe it is a fait accompli that the former Kangaroo and State of Origin superstar will return to the game that made him famous.
Whether it is in 2013 or beyond, it seems Folau is quite the savvy businessman.
His hiatus in the rival code has made him an estimated $6 million. When the GWS Giant does come back, he will return to a far more lucrative arena.
Who’s the fool now?
Speculation has arisen after former Newcastle Knights star Matthew Johns said Folau was on his way out of Blacktown and straight back into the NRL.
“Israel Folau will be out of his GWS contract by September,” Johns said on Triple M last month.
“They’re negotiating a release right now, and next year, he will be playing in the NRL in Sydney.
“Given the urgency of the Luke Lewis situation, maybe it’s the Panthers, but another guy said to me it will be the Bulldogs.
“The Bulldogs are the richest club in the league.
“They have got huge amounts of money, so if there is one club that is able to buy Israel Folau – financially alone – it is the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
“It would be a big attraction for Israel.”
Sonny Bill Williams is a definite starter for the Sydney Roosters next season after a sabbatical in rugby union. SBW controversially left the Bulldogs in 2008 for a move to French rugby before winning a World Cup with the All Blacks last year.
Williams will return on big money and a different landscape.
These are the new age hired guns of the west.
Rooster Mitchell Pearce hit the nail on the head after the announcement yesterday of the biggest TV deal rugby league had ever secured.
”It’s good for the game being able to compete with the other codes now, so guys can stay in league,” Pearce said at Roosters training on Tuesday.
”It’s a good time to be young and playing rugby league, I suppose. It might mean more kids choosing rugby league ahead of AFL and that.
”We’ve seen way too many players leave the game young, because there’s more money or opportunity overseas or in other codes. But this will make for a better and more competitive premiership.”
Sonny Bill is back and Izzy is next.
Prepare for a crazy new world in the NRL.
If you thought loyalty was dead before, get ready for a whole new ball game.
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
Love the article. If people care to look at recent comments coming out of the game, there will be no 'blowing' of the money on the top tier. You can probably expect the cap to rise 500k per season over the years, after the initial rise. Peoples fear of players getting 2m a season and blowing all the money are mis founded. Much of the player increase talk, from all sides has come in the form of super, insurance, minimum wage. The people who live in fear are the SAME people who lack imagination....because they can't see what to spend the money on beyond paying players. I hope falou comes back. He may, he may not. But such a notion (and maybe johns knows something we dont so bookmark this story)....but its just another illustration of the intangible things that a deal of the magnitude we have can do . Think of all the other areas in the game, at HQ, and within the clubs - and IMAGINE each separate thing, instance, and benefit .....imagine them MAGNIFIED and made larger and better! Thats what a deal like this can do. We have some money to spend, unlike ever before....and you will come to understand the value of money spent wisely. This is not a credit card, people, or a HDTV when you can't afford one. This is the real deal, money spent positively, wisely, and properly. And that does not mean just on players.
betts
Guest
Mate..deadset I think its not a code war article I think curtis like all of us is just happy nrl has some money to spend
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
"They’re negotiating a release right now, and next year, he will be playing in the NRL in Sydney." I realise this is another pointless Code War article, but explain to me why Folau, if he wants to retire from AFL, needs to negotiate a release. Apart from not giving him money, what on earth can GWS do if he stops turning up to training and games ? Lock him out of Breakfast Point ? Not let him sit with the cheer squad ? What ? Im not even going to go into why its a bad idea for rugby league to blow all the money on the top tier. I just want the author to either (a) explain to me why GWS need to countersign something releasing Folau from his contract, or (b) that the article is code-war dribble.
mick h
Guest
im a huge wests tigers supporter but i will be attending now
Curtis Woodward
Expert
Golden age right now .. and we havent even hit the semi finals yet
Curtis Woodward
Expert
Such as?
Renegade
Guest
And we're going to get a first hand taste of that timeslot next Sunday for Hindy's farewell game...
josh
Guest
”It’s a good time to be young and playing rugby league, I suppose. It might mean more kids choosing rugby league ahead of AFL and that. The funny thing I don't think the AFL will care, they'll turn their attention else where to find talent. Like they always have.
oikee
Guest
I like Laurie and the Five Games Live Ad, we got five. :)
Pot Stirrer
Guest
It just keeps getting better an better, i love the live 6.30pm sunday night game.
oikee
Guest
You make it sound very exciting. This is good excitement for ruggy league, when was the last time ruggy league had good excitement, can you remember. ?