League Targets

[Members Section]

They could all do it.
Koula re signed through to 2027 last week but Manly have backed themselves in a salary cap wall over the last month.
Pennisini re signed through 2025

I agree about Carrigan. Would be a good player but I can't imagine Rugby would pay him any more than he's going to earn when you think about 3rd party deals and what not when he's based in Brisbane as their Captain

I'd throw out there:
Campbell Graham
Lachlan Illias
Murray Taulagi
Bailey Simonsson
Adam Doueihi
Angus Chrichton

I'm not thinking of Ponga as hes already on 1.4m with the Knights and has said he'd love to be an All Black. Same statement might come out of Simonssons' mouth but I haven't heard it.

When CG contracted to? he'd be a great get at 13

 

[CoinboxSoldier]

When CG contracted to? he'd be a great get at 13

2026 I believe

 

[Wilson]

I'm still a bit iffy on going too hard on recruitment from League, but I do have to admit it's probably a pretty good time for it. The negotiations around the CBA are not going well and the longer they take to resolve them the more opportunity there is to lure players across:

Players in dramatic NRL, Origin media boycott as CBA standoff explodes

Players in dramatic NRL, Origin media boycott as pay deal standoff explodes

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

This still going? They were going on with this at the RLWC

Bet they're loving it when they are trying to hock 85,000 tickets to a SOO nobody gives a shit about now.

 

[LRUsoldier]

Fifita?

 

[SouthernX]

Jack Howarth is the one we should be bringing back to Rugby.

Was the nations #1 schoolboy prospect (across both rugby codes) been at the storm last couple of season on 500k a yr pay packet… still hasn’t made his first grade debut

 

[Dctarget]

After watching The Springboks batter us, maybe we should open our wallets now..

Brisbane bombshell: Broncos in battle to keep Haas as star set to test open market

Haas set to hit market in Broncos bombshell as favourite for star’s signature revealed

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

He's 23 years old which is the best part.

It will be crippling to any NRL team that pay him 1m. You can argue he is probably worth it, but a 1m player in the NRL has to get you to GFs and without a Half Back, Hooker, Fullback you are almost no chance. Paying a Prop 1m will mean you cant have elite players in the rest of your spine.

Rugby might be able to pay that if someone wants to tip in because he would be an 8 that gets their hands on the ball quite a bit. His leg speed is pretty amazing for a guy that's 194cm, 117kg. He's Palu's size but much faster and fitter.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

He played last year in the 16s. Very well against QLD at Sunnybank. Don't think he played this year

 

[PhilClinton]

He's 23 years old which is the best part.

It will be crippling to any NRL team that pay him 1m. You can argue he is probably worth it, but a 1m player in the NRL has to get you to GFs and without a Half Back, Hooker, Fullback you are almost no chance. Paying a Prop 1m will mean you cant have elite players in the rest of your spine.

Rugby might be able to pay that if someone wants to tip in because he would be an 8 that gets their hands on the ball quite a bit. His leg speed is pretty amazing for a guy that's 194cm, 117kg. He's Palu's size but much faster and fitter.

Yeah - you don't win an NRL premiership paying a prop $1M a year. The Broncos likely overpaying/will overpay for him and then go without an elite hooker which they are sorely missing.

Agree with your assessment in comparison to Palu. I live locally to the Broncos training facility (and Payne lives in the area) and he's hardly a big lumbering oaf. Pretty lean for a bloke who does so much damage in games and agile on the training paddock.

He's got a young family and seems settled in the area - I imagine the Reds would have some spare change with Taniela leaving and no other real big money players on the books. I wonder how serious that conversation could get.

 

[Dctarget]

Yeah - you don't win an NRL premiership paying a prop $1M a year. The Broncos likely overpaying/will overpay for him and then go without an elite hooker which they are sorely missing.

Agree with your assessment in comparison to Palu. I live locally to the Broncos training facility (and Payne lives in the area) and he's hardly a big lumbering oaf. Pretty lean for a bloke who does so much damage in games and agile on the training paddock.

He's got a young family and seems settled in the area - I imagine the Reds would have some spare change with Taniela leaving and no other real big money players on the books. I wonder how serious that conversation could get.

That would be elite.

Everyone gets superstars:
Reds get Haas
Waratahs get Sua'ali'i
Rebels get Tupou
Brumbies get to keep all their golden wallabies
Force get Den Donaldson

 

[PhilClinton]

That would be elite.

Everyone gets superstars:
Reds get Haas
Waratahs get Sua'ali'i
Rebels get Tupou
Brumbies get to keep all their golden wallabies
Force get Den Donaldson

Ben Donaldson!!! Yes!

Should note the Haas deal is another that wouldn't be until 2025.

 

[CoinboxSoldier]

Haas won't leave the NRL

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

My hope of Campbell Graham is gone.

Signed until 2027 with South.

I know it’s an outside back but could play Centre: Xavier Savage at the Raiders. Was a Qld kid that played some Rugby right?

 

[PhilClinton]

The state and profile of the Wallabies so far in 2023 wouldn’t exactly be enticing.

These top tier guys would likely command similar money across both codes. Is it worth the extra $50-$100k to have to head over to SA and get pumped by some genetic freaks? For a lot of these guys probably not.

 

[qwerty51]

The state and profile of the Wallabies so far in 2023 wouldn’t exactly be enticing.

These top tier guys would likely command similar money across both codes. Is it worth the extra $50-$100k to have to head over to SA and get pumped by some genetic freaks? For a lot of these guys probably not.

Always funny when the league types claim rugby is a softer sport and the NRL is so tough on their bodies. Ok, then why are you playing it? If rugby so easy come on down..

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

That's a good point. I would say though there is the ability to play Rugby in a softer competition and make a living then in League. NRL and the very top of the Super League are the only places you'll make an above average income playing their sport.

Part of the fun of this conversation is the speculation. In reality 90% of forwards in the NRL would not have the attributes/skills for Union or the ability to pick it up at their current stage of career so they can call it soft and not have to ever walk the walk. A guy like Matt Scott 6'1 110kg could be a great Front Rower looking at those since he would be able to be 5-10kg heavier in Rugby than League. But he would never have the time to learn to scrummage/throw...

I'd be intrested to know what the average Super Rugby Winger earns or Top 14 Winger? Would it be enticing if you are on 250-400k in the NRL

 

[SouthernX]

Wonder if there’s any appetite from the super rugby franchises bringing back aus sevens specialist Jeral Skelton from the NRL bulldogs?

Scored his first try today and was a bit of freak athleticism.

There’s been a bit of chatter in league circles about getting one up on union with signing the replacement to the other JS.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Getting one up… he was playing NSW cup all of last year while JS was at the WC.

He’s a very good players and definitely one is love to see in Rugby. 7s have had Skelton, Miller and Parahi signed by NRL teams over the last 5 years or so. More than what kick into Super Rugby it seems….

 

[Drew]

^will warbrick at the storm is an ex-NZ 7s player too. He’s on a league interview show on fox with Andrew Voss and talks a bit about the differences between league and 7s. To me the one on one skills, more ball handling and less structured play in 7s is possibly a better fit for league than 15s?