It’s November and the silly season is here. A host of NRL players are testing the open market or hoping they have a market at all.
The Warriors have been the main players to date, locking up Marata Niukore and Luke Metcalf for 2023.
Apart from some bizarre media articles about players being ‘busted’ meeting prospective employers in public places (shock horror), not much else has happened.
These aren’t the ten best players coming off contract in 2022 – that’s mostly a list of Melbourne and Parramatta players. They’ll get paid and there’ll be a few expensive mistakes among them.
The best value players will probably get comparatively modest contracts and should easily return the investment.
1. Corey Harawira-Naera, Canberra
Canberra’s premiership window appears to have slammed shut and the club has most of its forwards signed for at least the next two seasons.
It doesn’t make much sense to re-sign Harawira-Naera, especially if other clubs are interested and pushing up his price.
Other clubs should be interested. His defence leaves a little to be desired but he makes a big impact carrying the ball on the edge.
If Penrith can’t afford to keep Viliame Kikau, a reunion with their former charge makes a lot of sense. He’d make a lot of sense for Newcastle and Melbourne as well.
2. Corey Thompson, Gold Coast
Thompson’s one of the most elusive and effective ball carriers in rugby league. A very good winger and a handy fullback if necessary.
He’ll be almost 33 when the 2023 season starts and should be available on a one-year deal.
A Brisbane native, Thompson would be an ideal foundational player for the Dolphins.
Corey Thompson is one of the NRL’s most underrated players. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
3. Reimis Smith, Melbourne
Reimis Smith is one of the most fascinating players in the NRL. He’s very good in the right system.
He’ll probably never be Penrith’s or Easts’ cup of tea – they play a different game on the edges.
He really suits teams who play predominantly through the middle, like Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.
4. Jake Turpin, Brisbane
Turpin was good in 2021. The thing is, he was better in the previous two seasons. Do you bet the over or under?
I’m betting overs. Brisbane should re-sign Turpin. If they don’t, Canberra or Canterbury could use him.
5. Jordan McLean, North Queensland
McLean’s reported gross salary in 2022 will be $660,000. He’s not bad value compared to some other middle forwards.
McLean just turned 30 and there are several younger and better props currently on the market. He’s going to get a haircut.
If the Cowboys or Sharks could get him for two years at $350,000 per season, it’d be good value.
6. Wayde Egan, New Zealand
The Warriors are reportedly after Brandon Smith and why wouldn’t they be? With living in New Zealand and working in Australia about to become much easier, they might have a chance of signing him.
Whomever misses out on Smith should snap-up Egan. Again, Canberra and Canterbury are the obvious teams in need.
7. Thomas Mikaele, Wests
Mikaele has mostly been a bench prop for Wests. He’s been very good in the role and, at just 23, has the potential to be much more. Curiously, Wests only gave him a one-year extension recently.
He’s been linked with the Dolphins but would make a lot of sense for many clubs, St George Illawarra and Souths especially.
8. Kieran Foran, Manly
It seems like Foran’s been around forever but he’s still only 31. He’ll almost certainly re-sign with Manly.
His experience and quality would make him a good signing for the Dolphins in their first season.
Kieran Foran scores (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
9. Tommy Talau, Wests
Talau is essentially Campbell Graham on a bad team. Wests’ priority is Luciano Leilua – and so it should be – but Talau is a key complementary piece.
If I were Easts, Canberra or New Zealand, I’d sign him up.
10. Anthony Milford, Souths
Anthony Milford and value for money in the same sentence. You read it here first.
When Milford came back from the Queensland Cup at the backend of 2021, he was good. Very good.
He’ll never get the money he was on at Brisbane but if he continues his form at Souths, there’ll be teams queuing up to sign him.
Gus O
Roar Rookie
Over the past 2 seasons, Penrith has looked a better team when Edwards is healthy and on the park. The role and rate of development of fullbacks has increased enormously. Pinball Teddy is unique, but the Slater and Tommy T ball playing and non-stop, perpetual motion sideline to sideline involvement in attack and defence requires extraordinary fitness and speed and 80 minute engagement and anticipation. By all reports Edwards is the fittest at the club. Slater and Tommy T have set benchmarks, I expect the Panthers will be working on improving Edwards ball playing as prep for 2022. I’m really interested to see what Edwards and Dufty bring in 2022 and beyond as young fullbacks, very different characters but each with opportunity to add to their game in this off season. Really interested. But every young fullback doesn’t have the opportunity to be directly mentored by Slater (like Munster was) or Mini (like Teddy was). Which other clubs have had the luxury of a world class specialist fullback mentor/coach?
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
No, Nat.. I was born and raised in Sydney. For several months I was forced to live on a sheep station about 100 kms west of Aramac. The warm bore water and prickly heat I developed almost killed me. QLD was telling me to "Get out!". I've been a city coastal kid ever since. I could cite other reasons for anti-Britush, anti-colonial sentiment like Winston Churchill's betrayal of Australia during WWII refusing to assist us against an imminent Japanese invasion and the stolen generations portrayed in the movie "Rabbit Proof Fence" but I already provide enough "colour" for this forum as it is without turning it into a Pro Hart painting.
Nat
Roar Guru
So, at 5yo, you had the cognitive wherewithal to understand the powers of the Gov General to remove the PM and the context of the situation of events that lead up to Witlam's removal from office? Further, you could make an association to the theatre of war and being invaded by an occupying force? I thought you were born central Qld not central Bucharest! :laughing: :laughing:
Redcap
Roar Guru
Quexit now!
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
They are ust 2 examples of many Nat. I have a long history as a Republican. The seeds for that were sewn when Gough Whitlam was sacked as PM by the Queen's representative in 1975. Even though I was about 5 yrs old at the time I felt we had been invaded by England. Some years later when I was about 9 yrs old the Queen opened the flats in Waterloo near our primary school. Yes, I got to see Queen Elizabeth in person. Although I was about 30 metres away from her I yelled out "long live the Republic!". I got clipped over the ear for it but I took a stand Nat. You threw your lot in with Sir Joh, a man who was the mental equivalent in his day of US president slow Joe Biden. :laughing:
Nat
Roar Guru
So crazy ol Joh of the 80s and now Markle 40yrs later to justify your love for Du-rag Fitzsimmons! I suppose, as a Souths fan you are used to waiting 40yrs between things happening! :laughing: :laughing:
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
No Murdoch was the puppet master who pulled the strings of John Ribot who Murdoch used as his Pied Piper of the ARL. Crazy old Joh was never anyone's mate. North or south of the NSW/QLD border Nat. JBP was a megalomaniacal tyrant and a secessionist who wanted to lead first QLD and then later Tasmania out of the Federation of Australia. The fact that he was knighted for his efforts and given the mess the Royal family have gotten themselves into over Meghan Markle are prime example for why I am a Republican, Nat.
Nat
Roar Guru
So it's Ribot now! An hour ago it was Murdoch until you realised you head up the hypocrites club! NSWRL was a bunch of amateurs with pokie money. It took less than 10yr to tear that apart and build the beast that it is today. Rorting the community of their pokie money to bribe players to play for them doesn't make it Tier one. It was your conservative mate Sir Joh who blocked pokies in Qld. Give them an opportunity and they all came to play for the Broncos. The 1988 Test team had 9 Qlders/Broncos and current Australian Captain. Besides we settled this when Qld pumped NSW all through the 80's. Didn't NSWRL block the proposed game between Wynnum and Bulldogs in 1984? NSWRL is like Japanese rugby. All the money in the world to buy the players but couldn't win anything when relying on their own devices.
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
NSWRL was a tier 1 competition and the BRL was a tier 2 competition. Otherwise QLDers wouldn't have flooded into NSW to play in the NSWRL and the Broncos wouldn't have joined the NSWRL in 1988! Like it or not but if you study your clubs' history the Broncos joined the NSWRL so therefore you will recognise all NSWRL history and records and be thankful your Broncos were a part of that competition. The Broncos first 2 premierships in 1992 and 1993 where in the NSWRL competition. That competition continued as the ARL in 1995 and as the NRL in 1998 after the Broncos led by John Ribot nearly destroyed Rugby League in this country with the Super League war!
Nat
Roar Guru
And I'll count NSWRL when you include BRL. I'm happy to live in the past with Valleys 25 premierships. I wonder why you never include wooden spoons. The Broncos have one but Souths could feed an army. :laughing:
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
I think you'll find Souths have 21 premierships to the Broncos 5. That's more than the Broncos and the Roosters combined even if you count the illegal over the salary cap premierships of 2013, 2018 and 2019. That's more than the Broncos, the Storm, Manly and the Panthers combined! It's more than the Broncos, the Storm, the Eels, the Raiders, the Panthers and the Sharks combined! Shall I keep going, Nat? There are a LOT more combinations left. :laughing: Note: I will never count the 1997 Super League premiership Nat so don't even go there.
Nat
Roar Guru
Yet the Broncos still have 6 premierships to 1. Souths bought half those players and they haven't won any more than a charity shield!
Nat
Roar Guru
I'll just leave this here. :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/05/05/staggs-re-signs-with-broncos-until-end-of-2025/
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
https://www.sportbible.com/australia/nrl-every-player-the-brisbane-broncos-has-let-go-makes-for-a-scary-team-20210505 https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/brisbane-broncos-possible-lineup-lost-players-kalyn-ponga-cameron-munster-sam-walker-harry-grant/8cca4637-6925-465e-98c2-01952ec5c543
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Too late for the Broncos though Nat... David Fafita, Sam Walker, Reece Walsh, Xavier Coates, Dane Gagai, Jai Arrow, Cameron Munster, Kalyn Ponga, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Jaydn Su'A, Lindsay Collins, Tevita Pangai Jr... even Harry Grant wanted to play for the Broncos but they passed. Kotoni Staggs will be next. He is off-contract and yet to re-sign and Wayne Bennett and the Dolphins are calling him back to the his old club at Redcliffe. I even left Corey Allan, Tom Dearden and Joe Ofahengaue off that list Nat. That's 16 former Broncos now at other NRL clubs with Kotoni Staggs soon to become the 17th player to leave the Broncos RMS Titanic! You'll forgive me if I don't take lessons on "How to shut the flood gates" from you, Nat. :laughing:
Nat
Roar Guru
The rounding is only important because the feeding frenzy starts so much earlier. Your new software guy will need to write a program that can shut the flood gates! :laughing: :laughing:
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
:laughing:
Glory Bound
Roar Rookie
Are you sure I wasn't referring to the start of 2024, Nat? :stoked: See my previous comment re rounding up or down to suit my narrative. If you want to be pedantic about it, OK 2023 for those players. But they will only re-sign anyway after that. So it is all immaterial in any event. Arrow, Graham, Koloamatangi, Mamouzelos, and Tatola are all signed until the end of 2024 (start of 2025). Cook, Walker, Mitchell, Illias, Taafe, Knight as well as Burgess are signed until the end or 2023 (start of 2024). AJ is signed until the end of 2025 (start of 2026). Happy now?
Nat
Roar Guru
The chase is half the fun.
Nat
Roar Guru
Cook, Walker, Mitchell, Illias, Taafe, Knight all come off contract in 2023. Open for contract negs this time next year. There's $5m and Souths whole spine right there alone. Ol' coach gave them 6 months grace so they had want to be all resigned by March 2022 or the Dolphins are going to find 'intimate pleasure' in screwing Souths. Not all though, just Mitchell and Cody. Cook is already slowing and busted, no one will want him after 2023. :laughing: