League of its own
NRL double-header headed for Auckland
The Warriors are eyeing potential recruits for next season but keeping their options open as they wait for clarity around next year’s salary cap.
Nearly 100 NRL players remain off-contract for 2018 and beyond with clubs, players and agents waiting to see what eventuates around the wildly fluctuating player transfer market.
The NRL and Rugby League Players’ Association are continuing protracted negotiations around the salary cap at NRL and second-tier level but a final outcome appears a long way off.
The game’s governing body advised clubs in April to aim for a cap figure of $9.14 million for next year, including allowances for a 30-man squad and six development players, however the final cap could be anywhere League history could be made in Auckland next year, with the first NRL double-header to be staged outside Australia.
Although the future of the NRL Nines is still uncertain — it looks increasingly unlikely the tournament will return to Auckland for its fifth and final year — there has been significant work behind the scenes to provide another marquee league event for the city.
That is likely to take the form of between that amount and $10 million.
It has been reported several clubs — the Bulldogs, Cowboys and Roosters — are believed to have already committed around $10 million in player payments for next year and may need to urgently shed talent to bring them under the cap.
The Warriors have recruited Tohu Harris, Leivaha Pulu, Manaia Cherrington, and Zac Santo, and still have money to spend, while the imminent departure of veteran wing Manu Vatuvei will free up another considerable chunk of change.
Like most clubs, they have their sights on a number of other players an NRL double bill, similar to the successful promotion held in Brisbane over the past two years.
The 2016 event was a sellout, while this year’s weekend involving the Broncos, Storm, Titans and Sea Eagles drew more than 44,000 fans to Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Bringing three NRL teams to Auckland on the same weekend wouldn’t be a simple undertaking. It worked well in the Queensland capital, as the Titans made the short hop up the M1 and Manly was only an hour’s flight away. still under contract, such as Canterbury captain James Graham, expecting some will eventually land on the open market.
Luring another forward remains a priority after they missed in their attempts to sign Jason Taumalolo, Jesse Bromwich and Adam Blair, and talented youngsters Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Corey Harawira-Naera. They are also keeping an eye out for an experienced playmaker to replace Kieran Foran, but are no longer pushing to sign Cronulla fiveeighth James Maloney. The NSW star is yet to gain a release from the Sharks but both South Sydney and Newcastle are prepared to offer him big money. The Warriors have also re-signed a number of players and are in talks to extend deals with several others, but in some cases — as is occurring across the NRL — club and player are both pre-
But there is confidence it can be done, and that it would create a similar — if not quite as big — buzz as the Nines. There’s optimism the concept would also draw visitors across the Tasman.
Along with the Warriors, the proposed double-header could involve some of the bigger clubs in the NRL, who have traditionally strong fan bases in New Zealand.
That would mean the likes of the Broncos, Roosters, Raiders, Bulldogs and Dragons being near the top of the list. The Sea Eagles and Storm are also pared to play the waiting game.
The hectic player market and the ongoing and heated negotiations around the NRL’s new collective bargaining agreement has players across the board expecting a pay increase.
But so far only high-profile marquee players have been able to capitalise on the big money on offer, as they remain priority signings for any club. Many players at the lower end of the pay scale have also secured new deals, as clubs are able to resign them without much difficulty, with rookies and fringe first graders having fewer options and less bargaining power.
Although the likes of Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson can command a new deal worth $1 million — and youngsters such as wing Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, or halves Ata Hingano and Mason Lino, have won comparatively modest contracts — it’s the mid-tier players possibilities, though they have already committed to another Suncorp double-header in 2018.
The Herald on Sunday understands planning and negotiations with the NRL are well advanced.
Crucially, the proposal also has the support of Auckland Council’s events arm Ateed, who are believed to be committed to finding an alternative to the Nines, should it not go ahead in Auckland in 2018.
There are two main issues. The NRL would prefer to test a new market with the Nines, with Perth who are still out in the cold.
In some cases clubs are taking their time in presenting new offers. In other instances, the players and their managers are holding out and testing their market value, hoping for a substantial upgrade.
The Warriors are still in talks to re-sign forward trio Jacob Lillyman, Bodene Thompson and Albert Vete, but in each case neither club nor player are rushing to commit.
Other mid-tier Warriors such as fan favourite Charlie Gubb and reserve grade regular Matt Allwood remain off-contract with the club content to take a wait-and-see approach before throwing contract extensions their way.
Furthermore, some mid-tier players across the competition are seeing contract offers pulled from the table, either through their attempts to bump up their price or clubs losing interest and spending their money elsewhere.
There are obvious risks for both parties as the season progresses. Potential big name signings may not eventuate for clubs, and players who hold out too long may find clubs have spent the bulk of their cap.
The latter scenario has already seen some players re-sign for less than they were initially offered after interest from rival clubs failed to advance, leaving them scrambling to secure their future. This is where clubs who have been patient and conservative in their spending can find themselves in a strong position.
The Warriors have several irons in the fire and although they don’t expect all of them to progress into signings, they remain confident things will unfold to leave them with a strong roster for 2018. seemingly the favourite as their state government is willing to invest heavily and they have a new 60,000-capacity stadium to fill.
The other factor, specific to 2018, is a concern over player workload, given the World Cup at the end of this season. Due to changes to the international eligibility rules, more NRL players will be involved in the tournament, which runs for more than five weeks from October 27.
The NRL All-Star game has already been shelved for the 2018 season due to player welfare factors.