When discounting 4 players, Api, Jarome, Alex Twal and Jack Bird the average amount of games played by the rest of the squad next year is 44 games. The average age outside of those 4 players will be 23.
Quite alarming these numbers. There needs to be more roster turnover and we need to bring more experienced players in.
What also concerns me with this type of roster imbalance is that it shows our younger players must be on inflated contracts. Paying big money to guys not proven at NRL is never a recipe for success.
I've said it before but Kit and Luke L should be out the door in my view with one of Tony Sukkar and Saukuru not far behind.
Having said that, I dont think any of these guys would get top 30 money elsewhere so we are likely stuck with them.
Thanks @mickb . I’ve added Javon Andrews for 2027 & 2028
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19sPRAxw2o6AR8-Gqw2WVu3CdLEVyABtcXN3pOS8dvQ4/edit?gid=1343954289#gid=1343954289
No idea really how much left in our Cap but here's a list of the players contracted next year and what I think their contract payments might be:Thanks @mickb . I’ve added Javon Andrews for 2027 & 2028
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19sPRAxw2o6AR8-Gqw2WVu3CdLEVyABtcXN3pOS8dvQ4/edit?gid=1343954289#gid=1343954289
Bird 350,000
Bula 700,000
Doueihi 500,000
Latu 500,000
Sione 300,000
Samuela 500,000
Geyer 200,000
Hope 200,000
Api 650,000
Kit 150,000
Luke 150,000
Luai 1.2 million
Madden 250,000
Masi 350,000
Mason 150,000
Taylan 600,000
Terrell 600,000
KPP 550,000
Pole 400,000
Saukuru 150,000
Seyfarth 300,000
Skelton 220,000
Sukkar 150,000
To'a 450,000
Turuva 430,000
Twal 350,000
*Sullivan approx 100,000
This adds up to $10,450,000. The Cap next year, including allowances is $11,950,000. Even discounting front loading of contracts it leaves the club approximately $1,500,000 unless I've added it up wrongly. Let's say the club has somewhere between $1,200,000-1,500,000 left for 2 spots. Pretty good if that's the case.
With an increase of $150,000 for the cap in 2027 it’d cover Masi who might go up to $500,000. And should the club take up the clause for Jahream, which surely they will, it should still mean there’s over a million in our cap. * With front loading this year it is probably more.
* They must’ve front loaded contracts this season as these players were released or retired and not replaced:
Olam retired. $300,000
Klemmer. $350,000
Galvin. $150,000
TDS $100,000
These amounts are approximations of what the club had left to pay on this year’s contract. Adds up to $900,000 or about $800,000-900,000. Even with the additions of Taylan (train & trial) and promotions from Cup it’d still amount to about $750,000 although I could be forgetting something. So certainly there would’ve been some front loading which you’d think could leave in excess of $1,500,000 cap space for 2026.
Forgot Royce Hunt who is probably on around $400,000. So that’s about $10,850,000. If deducting any front loading I’d think still in excess of $1,000,000 left for next season. Guessing between $1,000,000-1,500,000.No idea really how much left in our Cap but here's a list of the players contracted next year and what I think their contract payments might be:Thanks @mickb . I’ve added Javon Andrews for 2027 & 2028
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19sPRAxw2o6AR8-Gqw2WVu3CdLEVyABtcXN3pOS8dvQ4/edit?gid=1343954289#gid=1343954289Bird 350,000
Bula 700,000
Doueihi 500,000
Latu 500,000
Sione 300,000
Samuela 500,000
Geyer 200,000
Hope 200,000
Api 650,000
Kit 150,000
Luke 150,000
Luai 1.2 million
Madden 250,000
Masi 350,000
Mason 150,000
Taylan 600,000
Terrell 600,000
KPP 550,000
Pole 400,000
Saukuru 150,000
Seyfarth 300,000
Skelton 220,000
Sukkar 150,000
To'a 450,000
Turuva 430,000
Twal 350,000
*Sullivan approx 100,000
This adds up to $10,450,000. The Cap next year, including allowances is $11,950,000. Even discounting front loading of contracts it leaves the club approximately $1,500,000 unless I've added it up wrongly. Let's say the club has somewhere between $1,200,000-1,500,000 left for 2 spots. Pretty good if that's the case.
With an increase of $150,000 for the cap in 2027 it’d cover Masi who might go up to $500,000. And should the club take up the clause for Jahream, which surely they will, it should still mean there’s over a million in our cap. * With front loading this year it is probably more.* They must’ve front loaded contracts this season as these players were released or retired and not replaced:
Olam retired. $300,000
Klemmer. $350,000
Galvin. $150,000
TDS $100,000
These amounts are approximations of what the club had left to pay on this year’s contract. Adds up to $900,000 or about $800,000-900,000. Even with the additions of Taylan (train & trial) and promotions from Cup it’d still amount to about $750,000 although I could be forgetting something. So certainly there would’ve been some front loading which you’d think could leave in excess of $1,500,000 cap space for 2026.
@russtutty63 you’ve done pretty well with those numbers.
3 players who might be on more by my estimate
Hunt
Kit L
Luke L
The latter two were given long term contracts by Pascoe and under his watch we know Jordan Miller was on a 300k deal. This is the source of my concern.
You’ve made a good point re front loading in the context of those old heads departing. This could be a big positive.
I can see Hunt and Bird playing in Super League next year. There’s going to be two new teams in SL so veteran NRL players will be in high demand. Interesting that the UK govt has a rule for NRL players seeking visas- to get a UK visa for 2026 players older than 25 must have played more than 50% of eligible NRL games in the year prior.
In other words, SL clubs can’t recruit our Cup players.
I doubt very much Kit or Luke would be on $300,000. If Miller was it was probably because he was the young player with the higher profile, having repped for NSW u19s and Australian schoolboys and was obviously doing well at that level due to his size mainly. There’s a good chance he might’ve been scouted by other clubs at that time. Luke also repped Australian Schoolboys but there wasn’t as much publicity for him as Miller if memory serves correct. And he did have Kit already at the club I think. Kit hasn’t repped as far as I know so doubt there was a great deal of interest in him elsewhere, certainly not to the extent Miller probably had. And given Hunt was nearly retiring I’m assuming the 3 year deal was the most enticing aspect of the contract so therefore assume he’d be on around that 400,000-500,000 mark. $1,200,000-1,500,000 would be about as much as he could’ve got anywhere I’d think especially due to his limitations. But you could well be correct as I’m only going on what I think might be right, no actual information from the club.@russtutty63 you’ve done pretty well with those numbers.
3 players who might be on more by my estimateHunt
Kit L
Luke L
The latter two were given long term contracts by Pascoe and under his watch we know Jordan Miller was on a 300k deal. This is the source of my concern.
You’ve made a good point re front loading in the context of those old heads departing. This could be a big positive.
I can see Hunt and Bird playing in Super League next year. There’s going to be two new teams in SL so veteran NRL players will be in high demand. Interesting that the UK govt has a rule for NRL players seeking visas- to get a UK visa for 2026 players older than 25 must have played more than 50% of eligible NRL games in the year prior.
In other words, SL clubs can’t recruit our Cup players.
It’ll be very interesting to see what happens with Jack Bird, all very hush hush of late. I was thinking also that Masi might be in a little more than what I’ve suggested given he was in demand & highly regarded. He might be in anything between $300,000-500,000 next year, if $300,000 then it’d obviously increase 2027.@russtutty63 you’ve done pretty well with those numbers.
3 players who might be on more by my estimateHunt
Kit L
Luke L
The latter two were given long term contracts by Pascoe and under his watch we know Jordan Miller was on a 300k deal. This is the source of my concern.
You’ve made a good point re front loading in the context of those old heads departing. This could be a big positive.
I can see Hunt and Bird playing in Super League next year. There’s going to be two new teams in SL so veteran NRL players will be in high demand. Interesting that the UK govt has a rule for NRL players seeking visas- to get a UK visa for 2026 players older than 25 must have played more than 50% of eligible NRL games in the year prior.
In other words, SL clubs can’t recruit our Cup players.
