Rugby Australia to target top NRL talent

[Thatwasnthighref]

Japanese club secure huge coup in signing Kiwis fullback

Toyota Verblitz announced two blockbuster acquisitions.

www.nzherald.co.nz

NZ Herald and Verblitz's social media announcement suggests its just for the 24-25 season.

Looks like Hansen and Foster are lining him up for an All Black crack.

 

[bazza]

The Japanese are about our only competition for domination of the Southern Hemisphere football scene.

good one

 

[Penrith fan]

Yes Joey Manu will play in the Japanese league for one year, mainly because he loves sushi.

Then he will line up as an All Bleak in the World Cup

At which point of time the NZ Rugby Union will declare victory over Rugby League in player domination.

 

[Wb1234]

 

[Perth Red]

Union sign a RL Kiwi International star and we sign a prop that never made it. And thats something you're celebrating Wb?

 

[Canard]

Unfortunately Union is winning the battle having signed up Suaali and Manu, the best young back in the game and the best back in the game.

 

[Penrith fan]

We will sign half the All bleak team after the next World Cup.

Wait and see.

 

[Vlad59]

Unfortunately Union is winning the battle having signed up Suaali and Manu, the best young back in the game and the best back in the game.

Ye jest

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

We will sign half the All bleak team after the next World Cup.

Wait and see.

Give it a rest. You just sound ridiculous

 

[kurt faulk]

Unfortunately Union is winning the battle having signed up Suaali and Manu, the best young back in the game and the best back in the game.

No great loss. There's plenty more from where they came from.

Remember when league was going to die after Dell and taquiri both left at the same time? Nobody even noticed they were gone.

.

 

[Frank Burge]

Union sign a RL Kiwi International star and we sign a prop that never made it. And thats something you're celebrating Wb?

Brisbane signed him at 15 you imbecile! Why don’t you do your research before commenting.

 

[Canard]

No great loss. There's plenty more from where they came from.

Remember when league was going to die after Dell and taquiri both left at the same time? Nobody even noticed they were gone.

.

Nobody seriously thought that, nor does anyone think that RL will die now.

Losing Manu sucks though.

 

[King hit]

Nobody seriously thought that, nor does anyone think that RL will die now.

Losing Manu sucks though.

There is a better chance of the harbour bridge falling down in 2 minutes then of Rugby League dying. Trust me it never ever will.

 

[Steel Saints]

Nobody seriously thought that, nor does anyone think that RL will die now.

Losing Manu sucks though.

I reckon Manu will come back, just like RTS.

 

[Wb1234]

Union sign a RL Kiwi International star and we sign a prop that never made it. And thats something you're celebrating Wb?

Manu isn’t playing int union so he’s lost to their code

he’s doing it to top up his next rooters contract

 

[Diesel]

Union sign a RL Kiwi International star and we sign a prop that never made it. And thats something you're celebrating Wb?

Just for once, say something positive

 

[taste2taste]

Union sign a RL Kiwi International star and we sign a prop that never made it. And thats something you're celebrating Wb?

Don't forget we got Nawaqanitawase, the first Wallaby to switch to league in over 2 decades.

It's a.shame to loose Manu, with International League treated as an afterthought Kiwis don't have much to aspire to outside thier club. If he were an Aussie he would have played 20 + Origin games.

Good luck to him,.hopefully he kills it and gets some All Blacks caps.

 

[Wb1234]

Don't forget we got Nawaqanitawase, the first Wallaby to switch to league in over 2 decades.

It's a.shame to loose Manu, with International League treated as an afterthought Kiwis don't have much to aspire to outside thier club. If he were an Aussie he would have played 20 + Origin games.

Good luck to him,.hopefully he kills it and gets some All Blacks caps.

Unless he’s prepared to take a massive pay cut and play for an nz super rugby side he won’t be playing for the all blacks

wouldn’t surprise if the wallabies try and get him over

 

[Chimp]

Stage 1 of obvious elaborate rort complete….

And the media narrative is already working - people are saying ‘we should be doing anything to keep a player like Manu in our game….. where’s the warchest blah blah blah’… And when the rort is complete and he’s returned to the Roosters on his cut price deal, the majority will conveniently have forgotten how the roosters now have their man on a way below market value contract, and everyone will just be delighted he’s back, as it proves Union is shit and league is amazing…. Everyone is happy,

Wasn’t the original story he’d go do 6 months in Japan, then come back to Roosters on a way reduced contract (much lower than what Dragons were offering), and then everyone rightly kicked off saying ‘that’s a clear rort, that can’t happen’, so then the narrative changed to ‘he’s going to France and has always dreamed of being an All Black’ and the noise quietened down.

My bet…. Announces he’s leaving for Japan to realise his rugby union dream (and earning squillions)…. Lots of media releases about how we can’t afford to let such talent leave our game and we should do whatever we can to keep talent like him (media get to rehash all their lazy old articles about war chests and NRL central contracts for marquee players), fans of lesser teams complain and make loads of noise about how unfair that would be…. He leaves for Japan, no NRL central contract, but then after 6 months, wants to come back, misses first 10 rounds of 2025 and back to Roosters on a much reduced deal, way below market value. Media do stories celebrating his return, everyone is happy to get one over on Union, but in reality, the rort was always on.

Answered it for me - the Japan season is much shorter, and thus gets him back to the NRL in time for 2nd half of the season. The Japanese clubs would also be much more willing to ‘cut a deal’ which may see a player receive a big ‘third party’ payment. France teams would be less likely to do a 1 year deal too.

So let’s play hypothetical situations.

Dragons were reportedly willing to pay him $1.3m per season, which he declined. Roosters can only reportedly get to around $800k, which he’s declined.

He signs with Japanese club, who media reports/speculation say may be willing to pay him $1.5m for a short season (though there’s be nothing to stop them paying let’s say $1m, but a 3rd party benefactor from let’s say Sydney, could give him the extra $500k). He plays out the season, realises he’s really missed the NRL and wants to come back, but only to the Roosters, so is back for the 2nd half of the season. Roosters can still only afford $800k per year, so he signs a 2.5 year deal. Gets the $400k for year 1 for half a season.

So….
If he signed with the Dragons, he’d have earned $3.9m over that 3 year period and suffer the indignity of playing for the Dragons.

If he’d just signed with the Roosters, he’d have earned $2.4m (and everyone would have claimed a rort due to difference in earnings from Dragons offer)

Or he does the old Japan trick… he gets $1.5m for Japan, plus $400k from Roosters in year 1 - putting him at $1.9m for the year. Then 2 years at $800k, giving him a total of $3.6m over 3 years. And the Roosters get their man, for $800k per year. Equally, the Roosters could give him the full $800k in year 1, even though it’s just half a season, and he ends up earning $4m, so just above the Dragons offer.

Obviously that’s all speculation, but it’s not a far stretch, and certainly not beyond the realms of possibility. The rort is on!

 

[Canard]

Don't forget we got Nawaqanitawase, the first Wallaby to switch to league in over 2 decades.

Unfortunately for us though, he is a no name.

And to be honest, looks a bit shit (like most Union players)