2015 contract situations

[Noname36]

Thought we could use a separate thread to discuss the players' contract situations as the talk has been going through a lot of threads.


According to the Tele these are the players we have off contract at the end of the season:

James Elias
David Fa’alogo
Jaelen Feeney
Marvin Filipo
Lachlan Fitzgibbon
Dane Gagai
Kurt Gidley
Jake Mamo
Chanel Mata’utia
Pat Mata’utia
Sione Mata’utia
Clint Newton
Chad Redman
Korbin Sims
Jeremy Smith
Kade Snowden


We should have around 700-800k+ freed up if Gidley and Smith retire...+ whatever Fa'alogo and Newton are on whom I assume will retire too. That's in addition to any of the fringe players we might move on or players that decide to go elsewhere.

For the first time in a while I think that money will be going towards re-signing and upgrading the blokes we already have instead of hitting the player market.

Sione, Sims and Gagai will no doubt get a significant upgrade on their current contracts (Sione in particular). You'd say Mamo and Chanel will be offered upgraded contracts too now that they've played FG...and Pat probably as well just on the basis of keeping Sione. Snowden may or may not get an upgrade depending on how he goes this year. That's of course only on the basis that they all re-sign...we'll have more if they don't. That'll probably leave us with a bit to re-sign some of the young kids that'll come up to take the remaining spots in the top 25 and maybe make a signing or two.

Our luxury this year is that the blokes we're probably gonna lose can be replaced by guys we already have at the club. IMO we're building a good young squad and at the moment our priority should be re-signing what we already have. I know all the talk has been about the backs but ensuring Snowy and Sims will be here is just as, if not more important in terms of the squad.

 

[Swarzey]

Sione, then Gagai, the Korbin, then Mamo, then Snowden. That's how I see the priority right now. I want to see Mamo at the club but if Gagai has a break out season and consistently plays the level of footy we've seen then I don't think there's a place for Jake anytime soon. He's a tremendous talent but you can't ask someone like him to wait a few years for McManus, who's still showing good signs, to retire.

I really, really hope the club builds the pack around the Sims brothers. Scott is here until 2017 but he's not getting younger and Smith is either one his last year or second last if he wants an extension. We need to build a dominate pack. Korbin is still young, he's still going to develop and it wouldn't surprise me if we need to give him two, three or f**k, even four more seasons to be the beast that most expect. Snowden hasn't set the world alight since he came to the club but he's shown signs that it isn't past him. Starting to get the feeling he's another player that's been ruined by Bennett and hopefully he shines under Stone. Assuming he doesn't play out of his skin this season, I wouldn't hesitate cutting him if he asked for another 500k.

It's nice that we've got guys like Vaivai and Mataora in the reserve grade, waiting for the green light. Whether or not them remaining there is to give Fa'alogo and Houston the opportunity to prove their selection, it's still nice to see depth that we can call upon. Finn looked good too; heard a bit here and there, talented kid with a shit attitude. U20's, like last season, look promising. Having the money to secure upcoming top talent is certainly nice to see.

 

[slotmachine]

no chance smith gets an extension, doubt he will be in first grade by the end of the season

snowden is one of our top 5 paid players, he shouldn't be getting an upgrade. doubtful korbin should either, he is on 300k apparently

we should be cutting pat, and probably chanel if mamo and gagai stay. smart clubs dont have players in nsw cup on good money. especially outside backs

 

[Jono078]

Wonder what Snowden will be offered.

I don't think he'll be sought after like he was when his Sharks contract was up.

 

[Noname36]

Our luxury with Snowden is that he doesn't want to play anywhere else and I think he knows himself that he hasn't shown his best form since being back here so I very much doubt he'd be after an upgrade. I wouldn't be surprised if he took a pay cut tbh.

We all complain about Snowy sometimes but he needs to be a priority. Even at his worst he's still our number one front rower by a large stretch.

 

[Bring it home Knights]

What's the average contract worth these days? I know back in the late 90's it was 150K per player. Now the average would be around 320K??

Behind Sione, Snowden is a huge priority! We need props more than any other position and he's a good one. Keep him on the field and he'll have a big 2015.

The comment earlier about Smith and Gids being on around 7-8 hundred thousand is too low I reckon. Gidley would be on 500K and Smith would be on something similar I reckon. So that will hopefully free up a sweet one million to go and buy 2 good props and 1 solid prop.

 

[perverse]

Average contract for top 25, assuming a 6.5mill salary cap is $260k. That's without taking marquee allowance and third party contracts into the equation. a $350k-$400k contract isn't what it used to be, that's for sure. I don't think we have anyone on our roster north of $600k per season, which is great for us.

If Snowden is still in our top 5 paid players, it would be only just. Mullo, Gids, Scott and Aku would all be on more. Not sure what Tariq is on, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's up with those blokes, too. I don't think Snowy will get much of an upgrade, but I doubt he'll get much of a downgrade either given that the cap is still planned to rise year on year to the best of my knowledge.

I'm pretty sure Gids is on 400-450 and Smith would be on around 300-350 I would imagine, so $800k sounds generous to me for those 2. Could be as low as $700k.

 

[Haffa]

Clint Newton is still under contract?! WTF, Wayne!

These 4 are the priority
Sione Mata’utia
Korbin Sims
Kade Snowden
Dane Gagai

Then
Jake Mamo

These guys will probably be packaged with their brother at this stage.
Chanel Mata’utia
Pat Mata’utia

 

[perverse]

I'm not so sure the brothers will come packaged necessarily. It's still possible, but I get the feeling that it may have been their previous manager shopping them around like that. I'm sure the boys would love to stay together, but if we offer Sione a strong contract and the Dogs can offer the other 2 more first grade gametime... I'd say there's a decent chance we can just keep the ones we want. Makes me wonder if the Dogs would pull their offers to the other 2 boys if Sione backed out.

 

[slotmachine]

It would be fantastic if sione pulled out and the dogs had to honour rich contracts for pat and chanel.

 

[Joker's Wild]

To be fair to Newton, and it kills me to say, he was pretty good in NSWCup on Saturday

Im going to go shoot myself now

 

[Bring it home Knights]

Average contract for top 25, assuming a 6.5mill salary cap is $260k. That's without taking marquee allowance and third party contracts into the equation. a $350k-$400k contract isn't what it used to be, that's for sure. I don't think we have anyone on our roster north of $600k per season, which is great for us.

If Snowden is still in our top 5 paid players, it would be only just. Mullo, Gids, Scott and Aku would all be on more. Not sure what Tariq is on, but it wouldn't surprise me if it's up with those blokes, too. I don't think Snowy will get much of an upgrade, but I doubt he'll get much of a downgrade either given that the cap is still planned to rise year on year to the best of my knowledge.

I'm pretty sure Gids is on 400-450 and Smith would be on around 300-350 I would imagine, so $800k sounds generous to me for those 2. Could be as low as $700k.

I really find it hard to see Gidley or Smith on the kind of money you are talking. Any manager would need his head read if he didn't factor in the increasing salary cap into contract negotiations. I'd be amazed if most of the players who are on decent money aren't on contracts where their salary increases as the cap goes up. Gidley was an Australian rep when he signed his contract and with it most likely increasing with the cap would be on over 500K I dare say. There is no chance that Smith would be on 300-350K. He's been a NZ rep player for years and was a key player in the Dragons success. If he is on less than 450K I'd be amazed.

 

[Whats Doing]

To be fair to Newton, and it kills me to say, he was pretty good in NSWCup on Saturday

Im going to go shoot myself now

You are right JW. He was one of the better players on Saturday and may have been the best on field. Which shows that there wasn't much else (apart from Finn) to rave about.

 

[Spot On]

I really find it hard to see Gidley or Smith on the kind of money you are talking. Any manager would need his head read if he didn't factor in the increasing salary cap into contract negotiations. I'd be amazed if most of the players who are on decent money aren't on contracts where their salary increases as the cap goes up. Gidley was an Australian rep when he signed his contract and with it most likely increasing with the cap would be on over 500K I dare say. There is no chance that Smith would be on 300-350K. He's been a NZ rep player for years and was a key player in the Dragons success. If he is on less than 450K I'd be amazed.

They'd be taking about the 900K you are saying.

 

[The Showstopper]

Brenton Lawrence and manager talking to Knights officials this week I have been hearing. He is a player who would suit our style perfectly. Dude is very fast on his feet.

 

[PhilGould]

Brenton Lawrence and manager talking to Knights officials this week I have been hearing. He is a player who would suit our style perfectly. Dude is very fast on his feet.

If true that would be fantastic.

 

[The Showstopper]

Unconfirmed of course but our club has a rather stealth like negotiating style now. I like that to be honest. It means we do not piss the players off or allow their managers to play media games to up the price. lawrence is veteran class at 30 but he has proven a consistent player and I would not be surprised if he is in Orign calculations this season off the bench.

 

[Swarzey]

Good god that would be a top f**king signing.

Probably won't happen though. Teams with endless caps usually swoop in.

 

[hugzy]

Love the guy but he looked over the hill vs parra... ala chris HOUSTON

Hardworkimg but offered nothing

 

[Spot On]

I'm unsure about Lawrence. Very much doubt he'll be anywhere near origin selection. He and Mason were smashed to pieces by Parra. Wouldn't want to see him given a long deal if we sign him. 2 years max.