Taumololo's Big Payday

[Iafeta]

Well in their defense asssuming it is just 1 mil per year as you say nick - by the time we get to 6 years down the track that 1 mil per year is probably not going to be paying too much for a previously top notch forward who has slowed down a bit.

The real risk to this is what if he gets s serious knee injury, or back problems. Doesn't want to retire but is nowhere near how he is now and the cows are stuck paying good coin to a then average player.

Plus how does Tal motivate himself throughout this contract. Fast forward to when other forwards start getting signed to long term contract, or short term contract for more than him. Can he continue to motivate himself knowing he is worth more than he is getting?

It will be interesting to see how the deal pans out.

For now, good for the cows and Tal. But I'm sure many will remember this thread and bring it back up whenever he gets a serious injury, or form slumps etc.

Most top players will demand their salaries go up commensurate with inflation and salary cap rises. I'd be stunned if it's a flat figure. Meaning if he gets 10% now, in 8 years time he will still be on 10%

 

[Shorty]

Injury free AND motivated. How do you keep the fire burning with a contract like that? Geez, he's good now... but wow. The Cowboys are in panic mode if it's true.

He's been consistently rated one of the best players in the game for some time now and continues to get better, so I'm not worried about finding fire.

I'm pleased with this signing, there's risk in everything but this is someone that produces results and has been consistently great for years, he's also emerging as a leader.
Worth every cent.

 

[POPEYE]

10 years . . . good f**king luck with that

 

[elyod138]

Press conference is live now: http://www.cowboys.com.au/announcement

 

[MilkShark]

Personally I'd have used some of this 10 year contract coin into keeping Ponga over lolo.

 

[hrundi99]

Wiki moved into the forwards around 2000-2001 right? And was still going strong late in the decade

Wiki moved from the 2nd row to the front row late in his career.

 

[elyod138]

Personally I'd have used some of this 10 year contract coin into keeping Ponga over lolo.

You do understand there is a yearly salary cap, right? Your post makes no sense. Taumalolo getting paid for 10 years has no impact on what we could pay Ponga for next year, if anything it gives them more room in the cap because Taumalolo's contract is below market value.

Unless you're suggesting we let Taumalolo go to another club to pay Ponga close to a mill, which would have been an extremely stupid move.

 

[Nice Beaver]

There HAS to be some structure to this contract that reduces the risk of injury or something similar.

No club would be stupid enough to sign a player for 10 years without some sort of cover.

And yes, yes, I know we signed DCE to 8 years. But that is 6 with an option of 2 so not nearly as long as 10 years. For a prop/forward no less.......

 

[MilkShark]

You do understand there is a yearly salary cap, right? Your post makes no sense. Taumalolo getting paid for 10 years has no impact on what we could pay Ponga for next year, if anything it gives them more room in the cap because Taumalolo's contract is below market value.

Unless you're suggesting we let Taumalolo go to another club to pay Ponga close to a mill, which would have been an extremely stupid move.

Oh I understand how the cap works.

I just don't know what you guys plan on doing once Thurston is gone. He is your entire team. I don't believe in spending big money on forwards and I'm very surprised Green didn't put some faith into Ponga who quite clearly is going to be a star.

Sure in 10 years time this will be below market value, but if he picks up an injury in this time, and there is an incredible chance being the hard running forward he is that he won't make the distance.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Wiki moved from the 2nd row to the front row late in his career.

Going by info in his entry on rugbyleagueproject.org, Ruben Wiki started in the backs on debut in 1993, played mostly at centre until 1998, when he started 4 games in the second row. 1999 onwards he played either second row, front row or from the bench from then on (except for a 5 game stint back in the centres in 2002) until he retired at the end of the 2008 season.

 

[shiznit]

I'd like to see the full terms of the contract...

But first impressions to me... a contract of that length is just rediculous for both sides...

For the Cowboys: As far as I know this is all guaranteed money. So they are on the hook for this money regardless of form or injury. And let's be honest here... he's a forward who relies heavily on his power and athleticism... and the chances of him going 10 years without serious injury is pretty low. We obviously aren't privy to how the negotiations took place... but I wonder why they couldn't sign a deal for 5 or 6 years with an option for further years.

For Taumalolo: If this deal is straight 10M for 10yrs then I think his management need to be shot. They need to build in protections in to his contract in case the cap rises significantly in the next 10 years. He could very well end up being an elite player stuck on a mid tier contract. He could potentially be missing out on another 10M more...

I'm assuming they must have something built in to the contract which will allow them to renegotiate if the cap increases significantly... otherwise they are f**king idiots.

 

[betcats]

There HAS to be some structure to this contract that reduces the risk of injury or something similar.

No club would be stupid enough to sign a player for 10 years without some sort of cover.

And yes, yes, I know we signed DCE to 8 years. But that is 6 with an option of 2 so not nearly as long as 10 years. For a prop/forward no less.......

I think its a silly contract but I think I can name more props and forwards that played well into their 30s then halves.

 

[Rabbit toes]

Good luck to the kid.

 

[elyod138]

Oh I understand how the cap works.

I just don't know what you guys plan on doing once Thurston is gone. He is your entire team. I don't believe in spending big money on forwards and I'm very surprised Green didn't put some faith into Ponga who quite clearly is going to be a star.

Sure in 10 years time this will be below market value, but if he picks up an injury in this time, and there is an incredible chance being the hard running forward he is that he won't make the distance.

That's all good, it just doesn't have anything to do with your other post, which didn't make any logical sense. Offering Taumalolo a shorter deal would not have given the Cowboys more money in the cap to spend on Ponga, it would have only given them less money to spend because it would have had to have been a bigger deal to keep him for a shorter term.

It's not 2007 anymore, JT isn't the entire team. Taumalolo is just as crucial as Thurston at this stage, if you don't agree you haven't been paying attention. Almost all of the big moments in our success have been off the back of Taumalolo. He gives JT the space he needs. Even off the ball he has a huge impact, he draws multiple players with his decoy runs which opens up the room for JT to weave his magic. We were completely lost without Taumalolo on the weekend. JT was horrible.

 

[Shorty]

Oh I understand how the cap works.

I just don't know what you guys plan on doing once Thurston is gone. He is your entire team. I don't believe in spending big money on forwards and I'm very surprised Green didn't put some faith into Ponga who quite clearly is going to be a star.

Sure in 10 years time this will be below market value, but if he picks up an injury in this time, and there is an incredible chance being the hard running forward he is that he won't make the distance.

Evidently the team isn't just about Thurston and hasn't been for years.
Both Thurston and Ponga played on the weekend and Manly thumped us so I'm not really sure where you're coming from.

 

[MilkShark]

That's all good, it just doesn't have anything to do with your other post, which didn't make any logical sense. Offering Taumalolo a shorter deal would not have given the Cowboys more money in the cap to spend on Ponga, it would have only given them less money to spend because it would have had to have been a bigger deal to keep him for a shorter term.

It's not 2007 anymore, JT isn't the entire team. Taumalolo is just as crucial as Thurston at this stage, if you don't agree you haven't been paying attention. Almost all of the big moments in our success have been off the back of Taumalolo. He gives JT the space he needs. Even off the ball he has a huge impact, he draws multiple players with his decoy runs which opens up the room for JT to weave his magic. We were completely lost without Taumalolo on the weekend. JT was horrible.

Yep well good to you guys. I just hope for your club you have a succession plan in place for life after Thurston.

In saying that, replacing a once in a generation player is not possible so let's hope you find someone of high calibre at least.

 

[wittyfan]

Not since Zillman's 5 year deal has there been such a crazy deal. Shocking, just shocking from his management.

 

[MilkShark]

Evidently the team isn't just about Thurston and hasn't been for years.
Both Thurston and Ponga played on the weekend and Manly thumped us so I'm not really sure where you're coming from.

Ponga is a kid sill but it's obvious he will be a star. In a comp lacking pure skill, id be hanging onto the rare players who actually have it. For the Sharks that's Bird.

I didn't see your game on the weekend, what position did Ponga play? And what is his preferred position?

 

[Shorty]

Ponga is a kid sill but it's obvious he will be a star. In a comp lacking pure skill, id be hanging onto the rare players who actually have it. For the Sharks that's Bird.

I didn't see your game on the weekend, what position did Ponga play? And what is his preferred position?

So this doesn't apply to Lolo?
Ponga usually plays fullback and was at fullback, he made good meters but was otherwise ineffective.
As were all our backs because we were monstered in defense.
Without space Thurston created things but they were never finished.

 

[WaznTheGreat]

Do the Cowboys plan on Thurston playing another10 years? if not lolzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz