Signings, Suggestions & Rumours Discussion

[Canadian Club]

They’re paying for Dodd still
Smith is on $650k - API $700k
Latrell 1.1m
Murray 1.1m
Wighton 850k
Keon, Arrow, Campbell Graham, Tatola all on $700k

The rest you’ve speculated - their roster is top heavy compared to ours. Just a different way of salary cap management

I think the issue is that people really don't understand what the Cap is these days and just how much salaries have changed so quickly in the last 5 years. Ive spoken to someone at another club about this a few times and how its structured by teams over a 1-5 year period.

Gone are the days where a team could afford maybe one or two 1mil+ players. Most teams also structure their cap very differently these days. Teams either take a top heavy approach with 5 or 6 players on 900k+ (like Souths or Manly) or more balanced with most of the roster on 600-800k (like us, Sharks or Dogs). How teams do it is just based on their personnel, luck with gun juniors and ability to recruit the best of the best.

Most agents and players are now are pushing for contracts based on a % of the cap rather than a specific number like (800k one year and 850k the next) because of the massive jump in the cap lately and the extra 24million coming into the market from expansion teams, creating more demand and higher prices. Thats why its so beneficial to sign players like Twal etc on 3-4 year extensions with the same salary each year now, because his 450k in 2026 is 3.75-4% of the total cap, but in 2030 his 450k will probably only be a 2.75-3% cap hit. It saves money and cap room in the long run. Especially with contracts in that lower to mid tier range, because they're easier to flip to other teams or super league if the player stops performing.

I find that most the comments on here when a player signs for say 800k are along the lines of "hes not worth 800K! hes worth 650k max". However the 800k is essentially the same amount (%) on the cap as 650k was in 2023. People just simply don't understand the cap and how much the dollar amounts are worth as a percentage on the cap.

 

[wstigers11]

I think the issue is that people really don't understand what the Cap is these days and just how much salaries have changed so quickly in the last 5 years. Ive spoken to someone at another club about this a few times and how its structured by teams over a 1-5 year period.

Gone are the days where a team could afford maybe one or two 1mil+ players. Most teams also structure their cap very differently these days. Teams either take a top heavy approach with 5 or 6 players on 900k+ (like Souths or Manly) or more balanced with most of the roster on 600-800k (like us, Sharks or Dogs). How teams do it is just based on their personnel, luck with gun juniors and ability to recruit the best of the best.

Most agents and players are now are pushing for contracts based on a % of the cap rather than a specific number like (800k one year and 850k the next) because of the massive jump in the cap lately and the extra 24million coming into the market from expansion teams, creating more demand and higher prices. Thats why its so beneficial to sign players like Twal etc on 3-4 year extensions with the same salary each year now, because his 450k in 2026 is 3.75-4% of the total cap, but in 2030 his 450k will probably only be a 2.75-3% cap hit. It saves money and cap room in the long run. Especially with contracts in that lower to mid tier range, because they're easier to flip to other teams or super league if the player stops performing.

I find that most the comments on here when a player signs for say 800k are along the lines of "hes not worth 800K! hes worth 650k max". However the 800k is essentially the same amount (%) on the cap as 650k was in 2023. People just simply don't understand the cap and how much the dollar amounts are worth as a percentage on the cap.

Exactly mate nailed it

 

[Tom Shines]

I find that most the comments on here when a player signs for say 800k are along the lines of "hes not worth 800K! hes worth 650k max". However the 800k is essentially the same amount (%) on the cap as 650k was in 2023. People just simply don't understand the cap and how much the dollar amounts are worth as a percentage on the cap.

The Cap has not changed a lot from 2023 to 2026 it’s about 5-6% … your maths is off here …

The Salary Cap

Here are the official guidelines for the NRL salary cap, including frequently asked questions like what players can earn outside the salary cap, how much can clubs spend, third party agreements and more.

www.nrl.com

What will really move the Cap is the new TV deal which will apply from 2028…. It is expected to be a lot more than the expiring TV deal which was a roll over of the previous deal… they haven’t had a bump in the TV deal for 10 years

 

[Canadian Club]

The Cap has not changed a lot from 2023 to 2026 it’s about 5-6% … your maths is off here …

The Salary Cap

Here are the official guidelines for the NRL salary cap, including frequently asked questions like what players can earn outside the salary cap, how much can clubs spend, third party agreements and more.

www.nrl.com

What will really move the Cap is the new TV deal which will apply from 2028…. It is expected to be a lot more than the expiring TV deal which was a roll over of the previous deal… they haven’t had a bump in the TV deal for 10 years

That was the point I was trying to make, with the new TV deal and new teams. Probably could have explained it better. 2023 wasnt meant to be a specific example or percentage, more the mindset that was around what figures meant back then and even the 3-5 years prior (2020 or 2021 would have been a better example). For example, Melbourne had 3 players on 1mil+ back in the mid 2010s.

For context, Cap in the following years:

2012: $4.4 million (Melbourne Storm Era)
2019: $9.6 million (Start of Penrith Era)
2026: $12 million (approx) (Current)

 

[happy_tiger]

I've know a few Wayne Kerrs in the past.

Used to be a Wayne Carr who played for Qld as a 5/8 in the the late 70s .....his brother Norm Carr played for Qld in the 80s

 

[Tom Shines]

That was the point I was trying to make, with the new TV deal and new teams. Probably could have explained it better. 2023 wasnt meant to be a specific example or percentage, more the mindset that was around what figures meant back then and even the 3-5 years prior (2020 or 2021 would have been a better example). For example, Melbourne had 3 players on 1mil+ back in the mid 2010s.

For context, Cap in the following years:

2012: $4.4 million (Melbourne Storm Era)
2019: $9.6 million (Start of Penrith Era)
2026: $12 million (approx) (Current)

Yeah … it will move heaps … in 2028 …even the non Broadcast revenue has increased a lot the past few years

The Storm had three pretty handy players in the early 2010s getting that million each … I suspect they would play it the same way today if they were still around …😎

 

[AdelaideTiger]

They’re paying for Dodd still
Smith is on $650k - API $700k
Latrell 1.1m
Murray 1.1m
Wighton 850k
Keon, Arrow, Campbell Graham, Tatola all on $700k

The rest you’ve speculated - their roster is top heavy compared to ours. Just a different way of salary cap management

Yeah they are stupidly top heavy, we saw what happened to them last year with all their injuries, you cant win a premiership like that, way too much risk.
Storm, Chooks, Panthers pay their spine big bucks and everyone else a league average. Thats how you stay consistent

 

[TurnStyle]

Don't disagree with this take at all, prioritising Whyte as well as the likes of Steep and Wong is fair enough. But weren't there comments around "made some calls" when explaining why he was overlooked. I may be misremembering but I thought there was a blowup on the forum about the calls were to Roosters staff and not Tigers staff or something like this.

I don't know who's Whyte or Wong... 🤪

 

[supercoach]

I think the issue is that people really don't understand what the Cap is these days and just how much salaries have changed so quickly in the last 5 years. Ive spoken to someone at another club about this a few times and how its structured by teams over a 1-5 year period.

Gone are the days where a team could afford maybe one or two 1mil+ players. Most teams also structure their cap very differently these days. Teams either take a top heavy approach with 5 or 6 players on 900k+ (like Souths or Manly) or more balanced with most of the roster on 600-800k (like us, Sharks or Dogs). How teams do it is just based on their personnel, luck with gun juniors and ability to recruit the best of the best.

Most agents and players are now are pushing for contracts based on a % of the cap rather than a specific number like (800k one year and 850k the next) because of the massive jump in the cap lately and the extra 24million coming into the market from expansion teams, creating more demand and higher prices. Thats why its so beneficial to sign players like Twal etc on 3-4 year extensions with the same salary each year now, because his 450k in 2026 is 3.75-4% of the total cap, but in 2030 his 450k will probably only be a 2.75-3% cap hit. It saves money and cap room in the long run. Especially with contracts in that lower to mid tier range, because they're easier to flip to other teams or super league if the player stops performing.

I find that most the comments on here when a player signs for say 800k are along the lines of "hes not worth 800K! hes worth 650k max". However the 800k is essentially the same amount (%) on the cap as 650k was in 2023. People just simply don't understand the cap and how much the dollar amounts are worth as a percentage on the cap.

Great post, sums up the workings of the cap well and how the agents now negotiate. To be honest what ever approach a club takes to managing their cap they need a lot of luck. You go down the elite path like Melbourne Manly and East’s a couple of injuries and you’re stuffed. You spread your dollars around your roster and you don’t have a X factor player to win you a comp like Walsh.

To me the Storm formula seems to work, a combination of a few elite players with proven journey men, but of course how many elite players can you have in a roster???

I guess it’s real life money ball

 

[king_sirro]

I don't know who's Whyte or Wong... 🤪

PMSL

 

[TurnStyle]

Great post, sums up the workings of the cap well and how the agents now negotiate. To be honest what ever approach a club takes to managing their cap they need a lot of luck. You go down the elite path like Melbourne Manly and East’s a couple of injuries and you’re stuffed. You spread your dollars around your roster and you don’t have a X factor player to win you a comp like Walsh.

To me the Storm formula seems to work, a combination of a few elite players with proven journey men, but of course how many elite players can you have in a roster???

I guess it’s real life money ball

Storm are so successful because while they do have those few elite players, they are excellent at picking up players Bellamy can get more out of than any other coach.

Bennett can get more out too, but Bellamy runs a tight ship and is able to get every cog in that machine spinning just how it needs to to suit the programme.

And programme is definitely the right word here.

 

[lathami]

Toa and Herbert are not up to it.

Makasini needs to be on the wing on the left edge. Not in the centres.

He is thriving because he just needs to catch and run straight. Nice and easy.

I agree, but he needs to do this for a year or two before stepping up to the centres. He’s to good to be just a winger. But needs to do his apprenticeship first. He’ll want more to as he ages or he will take off.

 

[Modman]

Pole is 23 yo, Tons of improvement

Potential for improvement MAYBE with us, but lets not compare him to one of the current top FR. Not to mention this garbage that keeps making news abt him playing with his brother at the storm. He has be given every opportunity with Benji to become a leader but has not come out once to show hes here to stay and succeed with WT. Same as the talk of him joining stef last year. Personally if there was a swap available now id be jumping at it as Mitch would make us a very strong forward pack.

 

[Modman]

Tigers are paying 0%. He is contracted to Souths.

What where are you getting that from. We are still paying most of his wages.

 

[Modman]

Who …Terrell May ?

I think it’s debatable…he is a grinding machine that plays big minutes … I don’t think he brings impact and punch which you need for Origin …particularly off the bench where he would have been picked …just my opinion … although Max King is cheeks and he got picked at least for one game ..

Who are the other 2? Assume you aren’t including Luai who was an Origin player long before he came to us

I also think Luai getting picked this year while he was ok he wasnt in origin form and still got picked. I love Terrell but your spot on idk if its the minutes hes playing but i also see him as more of a grinding player that may be lacking the impact of origin. Would love to see him play less min and prove me wrong.

 

[king_sirro]

I agree, but he needs to do this for a year or two before stepping up to the centres. He’s to good to be just a winger. But needs to do his apprenticeship first. He’ll want more to as he ages or he will take off.

My problem with that is Makasini has one if the best right to left catch and passes going around. Playing on the wing for 2 years he may lose a bit of that ability.

 

[Canadian Club]

Storm are so successful because while they do have those few elite players, they are excellent at picking up players Bellamy can get more out of than any other coach.

Bennett can get more out too, but Bellamy runs a tight ship and is able to get every cog in that machine spinning just how it needs to to suit the programme.

And programme is definitely the right word here.

Absolutely, teams like Penrith and Melbourne can afford to be top heavy because their elite players are the best in their position and the game (and play in key positions). They also get quality out of their bottom end for two different reasons.

Melbourne - Bellamy is a genius at getting the best out of cheap unknown players or players on their last chance. Penrith - their depth and junior production line is so good that they're able to elevate rookies on cheap deals into the NRL squad and not lose anything. Brisbane another recent example of a team that is top heavy with the expensive players in key positions and at the top of their game.

That formula doesn't work if you don't have the best players in the game in your top end combined with either elite coaching or quality depth. Manly are a prime example of that, they've been top heavy for years with plenty of origin players (Turbo, Jurbo, DCE all on 1mil+). However the quality from around player 8 to player 9 drops off a cliff.

 

[tigertragic]

Tigers are paying 0%. He is contracted to Souths.

Yep from memory when he re signed/extended with the rabbits that was the end of the tigers salary involvement

“The South Sydney Rabbitohs have officially extended halfback
Jayden "Bud" Sullivan's contractfor the 2026 and 2027 NRL seasons. After joining from the Wests Tigers and impressing in 2025, Sullivan signed a two-year extension to remain at Souths, having taken a reported significant pay cut to stay with the club.”

 

[TigerNeddyK]

May doesn't have the leg speed for Origin Footy, He'd have been swallowed in that Arena.
That said, Neither does the likes of Jurbo or King.

I like Terrell, But he seems to have the attitude that he's owed more than he is.

Telling people to burn rep Jerseys and the like after he's finally got his head on in his mid 20's
and played 18 months of good footy - Game doesn't owe him anything,
Blokes play a whole career of good footy and don't get a start.

If he wants it that bad - Double down, Back it up and make it impossible not to pick him...
But he has a bit to work on.

Jesus mate, it was not in the context you present it as , also his leg speed looks good to me especially after 50 tackles in the middle cleaning uo for our entire pack all season.. he carried the team last season, on his back, ..i agree he is a bit different but i think his background and life experience may explain that especially if you have a bit of experience in similar circumstances.. imo he is a terrific person making the most of his talents, interests and opportunities and i have a lot of admiration for him and am very grateful that he ended up at the Tigers.. id love to see him in a blues jersey and i reckon he’d absolutely justify his selection and make the state proud..

 

[TigerNeddyK]

How do you measure "twice as good"?

Like double the metres, line breaks and tries?

Have you factored in diminishing returns in this fantastical equation?

LOL i had to look twice to make sure i was not on a SuperCoach or moneyball site or thread… 🤣