Taumalolo’s deal of decade might not be last
JASON Taumalolo’s staggering A$10 million, 10-year contract might not be the last eye-popping deal over a decade that will be signed off by an NRL club.
As some experts question whether the game’s most destructive forward has potentially sold himself short in a contract that averages out at $1 million a year – given expectations the salary cap will continue to rise in the future – Cowboys officials have also revealed they considered the prospect of the player payment pool dropping when tabling the deal.
The length of the deal has raised eyebrows at League Central – given the risk such a commitment has for both parties – but Cowboys general manager of foot- ball Peter Parr said it might not be the first and last deal signed for a decade as other NRL clubs watch closely.
‘‘We know it’s different, we know it has some critics but, as a club, we’re really comfortable where we’re at and about this deal,’’ Parr said. ‘‘It might get some players and clubs thinking, even though it’s a heavy commitment on both parties. I don’t think this will be the one and only 10-year deal done in my lifetime but the player has to be the right age and have the right ability.
‘‘One of the real positives for our club is that we’ve got one of the best young players in our game ready to commit to our club for a decade. To me that’s a really good endorsement of our club and we take a lot of heart from that.’’
While Parr wouldn’t be drawn on what insurance mechanisms were inserted in Taumalolo’s deal in case of serious injury, he conceded the 2015 premiers had to consider the unlikely event of a salary cap drop.
Provided he maintains his barnstorming form, Taumalolo could easily command far in excess of $1 million a year towards the back end of his deal if the salary cap – which is still yet to be finalised from 2018 onwards to align with the next broadcast deal – surges well past the $10 million mark.
‘‘We had to take into consideration whether the cap might decrease,’’ Parr said. ‘‘Now some people say it’s a longshot but if you’re doing a long-term contract you need to take that into account as well.
‘‘There’s a lot of different scenarios we had to look at and we’re not going to have the benefit of hindsight either. Every deal you’re looking for a win-win and we’re convinced we got one on this occasion.’’
Taumalolo, who shared the Dally M Medal with Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk last year, flirted with an NFL career before his agent, Chris Orr, floated the idea of tying the tireless backrower to the Cowboys for life under the longest deal in NRL history.
The 23-year-old’s gamble even usurped that of Daly CherryEvans’ eight-year contract with Manly, which he signed in 2015.
Taumalolo joined the Cowboys as a teenager and his contract means he will spend close to two decades with the club once his contract expires in 2027.
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