Review of how our 2027 squad is shaping with estimated wages for each player. This clearly shows we often over estimate the value of our own players and by over paying them it leaves no salary cap space to even try and sign any true quality match winning players. Plenty of quality players are currently off contract and available to sign for 2028 ,but how could we fit any in with the combined cost of our current under achieving squad?
Jahream Bula 900 (likely higher) poor valueon current form. Big doubt as to whether he can ever become a genuine match winner and live up to his current price tag. Need to give him the benefit of the doubt from playing injured and see what he does in 2027
Terrell May 900 (likely higher) poor value on current form. When at his best and playing more physical on both sides of the ball he is worth the money he is supposedly being paid. Hopefully Benji wakes up and plays him for no more than 60 minutes each game to help maximise his impact
Api Korisau 650 - 700 poor value for ageing player on the decline. In saying this we could possibly get another good season out of him in 2027, IF Benji wakes up and shares the workload with he and Jayden Brailey or at times the emerging Jared Haywood
Taylan May 700 decent value when he is not injured
Jake Averillo 650 poor value, but we needed someone with his speed, class and utility value
Kai Pearce-Paul 600 decent value
Sam Fainu 500 good value, but how much will we need to increase this by to keep him? 1 million or above is certainly too much for him
Adam Doueihi 500 good value for a player of his class providing he can stay injury free and be open to giving his best playing as a 13 if/when required
Fonua Pole 500 good value for a player with his potential
Latu Fainu 500 poor value on what he has shown, but good value on his potential
Heamasi Makasini 500 poor value for what he has shown, but it could become good value with his potential
Sunia Turuva 450 - 500 poor value for a small and most ineffective winger. If we were paying him around 300 - 350 where he was fighting for his NRL starting spot each week like he was at the Panthers, that would be much more acceptable
Royce Hunt 450 poor value for someone who is lucky to play 20 minutes each game, but if he can play with the same attitude and impact as he did early this season again in 2027, we are a better team when he is on the field
Sione Fainu 400 good value for one of the better bench or fringe middle forwards
Alex Seyfarth 400 poor value as it appears to be about 100 too much for a player who is all effort, but not much impact
Jock Madden 250 - 350 decent value for an experienced back up halfback who has shown he can play very well at NRL level when his team around him are doing the job required
Jayden Brailey 300 - 350 good value for a good experienced back up number 9
Javon Andrews 150-250 good value for an exceptionally talented attacking player. He needs plenty of improvement with his defence, but he is generally strong in contact, so I think improving his defence should come easily for him
Solomone Saukuru 150 - 200 A big question mark as to whether he has already signed with the Eels for 2027, but hoping he can have a strong debut game against the Dragons and if that happens let’s hope he can back out of any possible agreement elsewhere and remain with us to continue his great combo with Javon Andrews during the 2027 season
Jared Haywood 150 - 200 good value for an up and coming number 9 with plenty of potential
Ethan Roberts 150 - 200 good value for an up and coming young forward with plenty of potential
Tony Sukkar 150-200 (if we keep him) good value for an improving young forward approaching his prime
Junior Tupou 150-200 We need to give him the benefit of the doubt as he is still young, has good size, height, strength and reasonable speed, but he seems to struggle under the high ball and has no real x-factor
Patrick Herbert 150 Has shown he is still capable of playing well at NRL so you could say he is value from that perspective, but he is another who has no real x-factor which is a concern in a team full of players with very minimal x-factor
Tino Tavana 150? He is no doubt an improver who definitely adds something with his attacking aerial ability, but if we are being honest he doesn’t have much else in his game to get excited about. Not certain if he is top 30 or possibly on a Development deal. A Development deal would be much better to allow us to sign someone of higher quality into our top 30
Phoenix Godinet 150 He supposedly moves into a top 30 contract with us in 2027. On performance he has not earned it, but he is still very young, he is a fit, strong and dedicated athlete who could improve in leaps and bounds with a full time off season
Josh Schuster 150? A real wildcard in the pack. If we get the best version of him it is an absolute bargain to have him on our books either on a minimum wage top 30 player or on a Development deal, but it remains to be seen if he can again become the highly confident and talented player he once was
Mikey Nasser 150? We are unsure if he is signed to a minimum wage top 30 contract or a possible Development deal, but he has always shown good potential as a young player rising through the junior grades and it is nice to have him back to see how far he can go
Jahream Bula 900 (likely higher) poor valueon current form. Big doubt as to whether he can ever become a genuine match winner and live up to his current price tag. Need to give him the benefit of the doubt from playing injured and see what he does in 2027
Terrell May 900 (likely higher) poor value on current form. When at his best and playing more physical on both sides of the ball he is worth the money he is supposedly being paid. Hopefully Benji wakes up and plays him for no more than 60 minutes each game to help maximise his impact
Api Korisau 650 - 700 poor value for ageing player on the decline. In saying this we could possibly get another good season out of him in 2027, IF Benji wakes up and shares the workload with he and Jayden Brailey or at times the emerging Jared Haywood
Taylan May 700 decent value when he is not injured
Jake Averillo 650 poor value, but we needed someone with his speed, class and utility value
Kai Pearce-Paul 600 decent value
Sam Fainu 500 good value, but how much will we need to increase this by to keep him? 1 million or above is certainly too much for him
Adam Doueihi 500 good value for a player of his class providing he can stay injury free and be open to giving his best playing as a 13 if/when required
Fonua Pole 500 good value for a player with his potential
Latu Fainu 500 poor value on what he has shown, but good value on his potential
Heamasi Makasini 500 poor value for what he has shown, but it could become good value with his potential
Sunia Turuva 450 - 500 poor value for a small and most ineffective winger. If we were paying him around 300 - 350 where he was fighting for his NRL starting spot each week like he was at the Panthers, that would be much more acceptable
Royce Hunt 450 poor value for someone who is lucky to play 20 minutes each game, but if he can play with the same attitude and impact as he did early this season again in 2027, we are a better team when he is on the field
Sione Fainu 400 good value for one of the better bench or fringe middle forwards
Alex Seyfarth 400 poor value as it appears to be about 100 too much for a player who is all effort, but not much impact
Jock Madden 250 - 350 decent value for an experienced back up halfback who has shown he can play very well at NRL level when his team around him are doing the job required
Jayden Brailey 300 - 350 good value for a good experienced back up number 9
Javon Andrews 150-250 good value for an exceptionally talented attacking player. He needs plenty of improvement with his defence, but he is generally strong in contact, so I think improving his defence should come easily for him
Solomone Saukuru 150 - 200 A big question mark as to whether he has already signed with the Eels for 2027, but hoping he can have a strong debut game against the Dragons and if that happens let’s hope he can back out of any possible agreement elsewhere and remain with us to continue his great combo with Javon Andrews during the 2027 season
Jared Haywood 150 - 200 good value for an up and coming number 9 with plenty of potential
Ethan Roberts 150 - 200 good value for an up and coming young forward with plenty of potential
Tony Sukkar 150-200 (if we keep him) good value for an improving young forward approaching his prime
Junior Tupou 150-200 We need to give him the benefit of the doubt as he is still young, has good size, height, strength and reasonable speed, but he seems to struggle under the high ball and has no real x-factor
Patrick Herbert 150 Has shown he is still capable of playing well at NRL so you could say he is value from that perspective, but he is another who has no real x-factor which is a concern in a team full of players with very minimal x-factor
Tino Tavana 150? He is no doubt an improver who definitely adds something with his attacking aerial ability, but if we are being honest he doesn’t have much else in his game to get excited about. Not certain if he is top 30 or possibly on a Development deal. A Development deal would be much better to allow us to sign someone of higher quality into our top 30
Phoenix Godinet 150 He supposedly moves into a top 30 contract with us in 2027. On performance he has not earned it, but he is still very young, he is a fit, strong and dedicated athlete who could improve in leaps and bounds with a full time off season
Josh Schuster 150? A real wildcard in the pack. If we get the best version of him it is an absolute bargain to have him on our books either on a minimum wage top 30 player or on a Development deal, but it remains to be seen if he can again become the highly confident and talented player he once was
Mikey Nasser 150? We are unsure if he is signed to a minimum wage top 30 contract or a possible Development deal, but he has always shown good potential as a young player rising through the junior grades and it is nice to have him back to see how far he can go
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