Moses Suli hasn’t finished an under-20s match for the club, but the young Wests Tigers centre is believed to have signed the most lucrative NRL deal for a player yet to appear in first grade.
The Tigers confirmed on Sunday that Suli, 18, signed a three-year extension to keep him at the joint venture until the end of the 2020 NRL season.
It’s believed the deal is worth up to $1.3 million, as the club was forced to fight off interest from a number of rivals.
Suli, who scored tries in each of his NYC matches against Canberra and Melbourne last year, has spent the summer training with the NRL squad where he has impressed coach Jason Taylor.
“We realised that he’s got something special in how he handled that experience,” Taylor said.
“We’re looking forward to having him in and around our NRL group over the next few years, because we know that everything he gains there will only help him further.”
An under-16 NSW Origin representative, Suli is 106kg and can play centre or wing.
However since becoming eligible for under-20s last June, he he has been struck down by back injuries.
“I’m hoping to have a crack at first-grade as soon as possible,” Suli said.
“I only played a few games last year and then got injured, but I’m back in training now and it’s been great to be out there with the senior guys in training.”
Suli’s deal is believed to be worth more than the reported $900,000 offered to David Klemmer to stay at Canterbury days before he made his NRL debut in 2013.
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
It's clearly too much money, but when the teams with little or no salary cap restrictions - Bulldogs, Broncos, Roosters etc - chase a talented young player, what are you supposed to do? You pay to keep him, or you watch him register with another club for a fraction of the cost and a high-paying job with an unrelated third-party...
Arnold Krewanty
Guest
This situation highlights one of the massive problems with the NRL contract/salary cap situation. NRL show grow some and place an embargo on NRL clubs poaching all players under the age of 20. Tigers are doing something which will cost the club big time latter on. The Knights are in their situation at the moment because they have put big contracts on a bunch of promising teenagers, that Knights supporters know, when the time comes, another Joe Tapine situation will occur.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Betting a ton of coin on a lad with a dicky back doesn't seem like a sound investment. Time will tell if it pays off , but gee some of these clubs are starting to behave like a government department with tax payers money .
HarryT
Guest
Good on the Tigers for investing in their young players. The only surprise is that he didn't choose to play for the Broncos for half as much money. lol.
Maroon Kev
Guest
Nah mate. 3 Year extension to the end of 2020.
PatchMan
Guest
No young player' is worth that amount!...as other's have commented on that he hasn't even finished a game let alone played enough games in the under 20's A young player, especially' should want to stay at their Club, for the right reason's. Meaning he should believe, his game will go up to the nxt level by staying at that particular Club & believing the Coach & Coaching staff will help him develope into a Great player'.. $$$ won't make a player be a better Athlete'.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
When you see some of the deals being made you have to start thinking the NRL have given the clubs some indication as to what the cap will be. Good luck to the tigers but I find it absolutely ludicrous to splash that on a guy they're planning to have in the NYC (or whatever).
Emcie
Roar Guru
next you'll be telling me Ben Hunt is worth a million a season...
no one in particular
Roar Guru
It won't be a flat 1.3 over 4. It will a heavily incentivsed contract where the maximum he would earn would be 1.3. It will be on how many 1st grade games he plays, minutes played in each grade. The headline and article are a touch sensationalised
andrew
Guest
Well "the Big 4" as they have been called will be looking at the money given to a kid who hasn't finished a game of u/20's, much less played an NRL game, and be saying "show me the money"!
Joe
Roar Rookie
Is that 1.3 million counting this year? That makes it 300k over 4 years...if its from next year than that is 400k a year for a centre/wing I think that is a lot of money and they are banking on him playing first grade and excelling from this year. 400k will get you a pretty decent centre/wing this days so this young guy must be something awesome....pretty much G.I type of talent to be getting that money now.
Casper
Guest
Oops, 'dynasty' alert. Think the last person to brag about a rugby league dynasty was Gus Gould just before Qld started their golden run. Think he also threw it out there after that Brian Fletcher celebration series & Qld quickly reacted to that bait with an upset the next year.Seem to recall the Broncos having a bucketful of promise coming out of the U20's a while back but that never led to a premiership, while the Warriors seem to play most of the U20 finals but they haven't converted those guys into premiership winning players. Guess the tigers are banking on the 2018-20 salary caps going above $10m to justify that money for a centre-winger, good luck.Tedesco & Moses will cost plenty by then, not sure about the high value on Brooks & Woods.
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
I find it perplexing the Wests Tigers have signed Suli on such a big contract given he is so injury-prone even though he has put some good performances in at SG Ball level. I'll be looking forward to watching him at the Nines. The Wests Tigers have some promising players coming through the junior ranks including Taniela Paseka, Esan Marsters, Jacob Liddle, Ryland Jacobs, JJ Felise. Hopefully this is the start of a new dynasty for the Wests Tigers and they can finally discover their identity as a whole, not fractured, club. The next step is to re-sign their quarter of Tedesco, Moses, Brooks and Woods, and to find a new coach for season 2018 (maybe a big play for Des Hasler/Ivan Cleary is in store).