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Opinion
There are a host of players earning some very big dollars in the NRL these days with a reported 34 taking home $800,000 or more this season. That number will no doubt rise going forward as the salary cap increases and player managers do their best to drive prices upwards.
Most of these highly-paid players are well worth the money, but one thing we know for sure is that big-dollar contracts don’t always equate to great performances on the field. Sometimes it’s the players earning far less who really drive their team’s performances and provide great value for money.
To demonstrate, here’s a team made up of players who are all reportedly being paid $600,000 or less by their clubs this year. Their team and reported 2023 salary are in brackets.
1. AJ Brimson (Titans, $600K) – Brimson hasn’t put a foot wrong since debuting with the Titans back in 2018 and to have him signed until the end of 2026 at just $600K per year looks to be a rare contract win for the club.
2. Josh Addo-Carr (Bulldogs, $550K) – You get a lot for your money with The Foxx. Not just the ability to score the most spectacular tries and leave defenders in his wake, but enthusiasm, personality and a great team man. The good news for the Dogs is that his current contract will see him in the blue and white until the end of 2025.
3. Stephen Crichton (Panthers, $600K) – This is Crichton’s last year with the Panthers, and at that price, it comes as no surprise that they couldn’t hang on to him. Next year will see him earning substantially more with the rest of the ex-Panthers brigade at Belmore, the new home of the salary cap sombrero.
(Photo by Matt Blyth/Getty Images)
4. Matt Burton (Bulldogs, $500K) – Burton looks to be the pick of the Bulldogs’ recent recruitment drive and he hasn’t missed an opportunity since leaving the foot of the mountains, adding both NSW and Australian jerseys to his growing collection. His new contract sees him jump in price to $750K for each of the next four years from 2024, but even at that price, he looks to be an absolute bargain buy.
5. Maika Sivo (Eels, $400K) – Whoever is in charge of the chequebook at the Eels certainly knows what they are doing, as Sivo at $400K for 2023 looks to be great value for a weapon who has run in more than a try per game this year. Sivo has recently extended his contract until the end of 2025, presumably at a premium over his current deal.
6. Kieran Foran (Titans, $400K) – The Titans have looked like a different team with Foran calling the shots this season, and at just $400K per year until the end of 2025 he looks to be pretty good value. Incredibly, Manly thought it was a good idea to replace him with Josh Schuster at more than twice the price.
7. Nicho Hynes (Sharks, $600K) – The 2022 Dally M Medal winner was a bargain buy when he was lured from the Storm and has now extended for four years ending 2027 at $1.1M per year, and even that hefty price tag is starting to look like very good value. The Sharks’ best signing in a long time.
8. Lindsay Collins (Roosters, $550K) – The big Queensland and Australian front-rower is signed with the Roosters until the end of 2026, and perhaps his manager didn’t push hard enough for more money.
Lindsay Collins. (Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)
9. Harry Grant (Storm, $550K) – First choice hooker for both Queensland and Australia, this is Grant’s last year on $550K, with his Storm contract rising to $1M next year.
10. Mark Nicholls (Dolphins, $500K) – Nicholls is one of those players who just gets it done, week in and week out, and it came as no surprise that Wayne Bennett signed him.
11. Liam Martin (Panthers, $400K) – Martin takes no prisoners on the field and his relentless style of football has seen him cement his position in both the NSW and Australian sides. Signed on just $400K for this year and next, you can guarantee that his next contract will be worth at least double the money.
12. Shaun Lane (Eels, $450K) – Lane is another who has provided great value for the Eels, and 2022 saw him take his game to the next level. He’s now signed a new contract for 2024 and beyond, no doubt on far more lucrative terms.
13. Victor Radley (Roosters, $500K) – The newly minted Pom recently extended his contract until the end of 2027, presumably for significantly more than the bargain basement price he’s being paid this year. Now all he needs to do is stay out of the sin bin.
14. Reed Mahoney (Bulldogs, $600K) – The fact that the Bulldogs could sign Mahoney for four years at just $600K per year is a reflection of both the Bulldogs’ rapidly improving negotiation skills and the fact that Parramatta really dropped the ball by letting him leave at that price.
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
15. Kurt Capewell (Broncos, $500K) – Now in his second year in Brisbane, Capewell was a great signing by the Broncos, and at just $500K per year, also good value. He’s now firmly established in the Queensland Origin team and a key part of the Broncos’ left edge. Currently signed until the end of next year, it wouldn’t surprise me to see his contract extended in the near future.
16. Cameron McInnes (Sharks, $500K) – No one gives more effort in a game than McInnes, and at this price for the next three years the Sharks have landed an absolute bargain. Maybe they’ll feel guilty and upgrade him to what he’s really worth.
17. Patrick Carrigan (Broncos, $500K) – Carrigan has done the hard yards with Brisbane, has established himself as one of the best middle forwards in the game, and is an automatic selection for both Queensland and Australia. This is the last year of his bargain deal with his price rising to $800K next year until the end of 2027. Still looks to be a bargain!
That’s not a bad line-up for a total 2023 spend of $8.7 million!
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