Ladies and gentlemen,
Let me know if I've got something wrong, and I'll update it. If this is useful I can do more of these as it doesn't take long as it's been set up already. If it's useless, I'll keep it to myself as it gives me an idea how the money might have flowed so I'm not blowing bubbles out of my backside.
Top 30 for 2026
I've left out estimated salaries.
| 1. | Mitchell Moses |
| 2. | Junior Paulo |
| 3. | Will Penisini |
| 4. | Ryan Matterson |
| 5. | J’maine Hopgood |
| 6. | Jack Williams |
| 7. | Bailey Simonsson |
| 8. | Jonah Pezet |
| 9. | Dylan Walker |
| 10. | Isaiah Iongi |
| 11. | Josh Addo-Carr |
| 12. | Tallyn Da Silva |
| 13. | Kelma Tuilagi |
| 14. | Jack de Belin |
| 15. | Ryley Smith |
| 16. | Sean Russell |
| 17. | Charlie Guymer |
| 18. | Kitione Kautoga |
| 19. | Luca Moretti |
| 20. | Matt Doorey |
| 21. | Jordan Samrani |
| 22. | Joash Papalii |
| 23. | Sam Tuivaiti |
| 24. | Richard Penisini |
| 25. | Ronald Volkman |
| 26. | Toni Mataele |
| 27. | |
| 28. | |
| 29. | |
| 30. |
Four spots left.
| Development (TBC) |
| Jezaiah Funa-luta |
| Saxon Pryke (?) |
| William Latu |
| Lorenzo Talataina (?) |
| Te Hurinui Twidle (?) |
Where the money went?
Some ballpark guestimates. The exactly figures are almost certainly different, so we might have more or less left over to spend. But it's all based on a true story...
| Player Losses 2025 | ||
| 1. | Dylan Brown (Knights) | 900,000 |
| 2. | Zac Lomax (released) | 650,000 |
| 3. | Shaun Lane (retired) | 500,000 |
| 4. | Brendan Hands (Toulouse, was on a loan | 200,000 |
| deal from July 2025, Toulouse) | ||
| so minimal get back. | ||
| 5. | Joe Ofahengaue (Leigh, mid-April 2025) | 250,000 |
| Paid 6/12 months of 2025 contract | ||
| 6. | Bryce Cartwright (released 17 June 2025) | 250,000 |
| Paid 8.5/12 months of 2025 contract | ||
| 7. | Wiremu Greig (Townsville Blackhawks) | 250,000 |
| 8. | Dean Hawkins (released, Super League) | 250,000 |
| 9. | Haze Dunster (released) | 150,000 |
| Sub-Total Estimated | 3,400,000 | |
| Add increase in cap for 26' | 150,000 | |
| Total | 3,550,000 | |
| Player Gains 2026 | ||
| And Extra Costs* | ||
| 1. | Jack De Belin | 450,000 |
| 2. | Jonah Pezet | 450,000 |
| 3. | Upgraded Ryley Smith to an NRL contract | 350,000 |
| (from Development contract) | ||
| 4. | Dylan Walker (Warriors, late March) | 250,000* |
| Only paid 6/12 months of '25 contract | ||
| 5. | Tallyn Da Silva (Wests, end June) | 250,000* |
| Only paid 5/12 months of 25' contract. | ||
| 6. | Upgrade Fox (via CO, likely extra) | 100,000* |
| 7. | Allow some upgrades to the likes of | 200,000* |
| Sam Tuivaiti, Luca Moretti, Luca Moretti, | ||
| Joash Papalii, Kitione Kautoga, Iongi etc | ||
| Upgrades/ ratchet clauses could | ||
| be more than estimated. | ||
| Total Estimated | 2,050,000 | |
| Remaining Left | 1,500,000 | |
| Four Spots Left | ||
| In Top 30 | ||
| 28 spots to be confirmed before R1, TLT | ||
| All to be confirmed by Jun 30th | ||
| 8. | A Keaon Koloamatangi Type | 800,000 |
| 9. | A Brian Kelly Type | 420,000 |
| 10. | Base Player/ Mid-Season Purchase | 140,000 |
| 11. | Base Player/ Mid-Season Purchase | 140,000 |
| Sub-Total Estimates | 1,500,000 | |
| Left over | 0 |
Bottom Line
It is likely we have enough for one to two good-quality recruits, soonish or later before June 30th, depending on how much powder we want to leave dry for any mid-season purchases and if any deals can get over the line. I'm not convinced Keaon is worth 900K-$1m and it would put him probably at no.2 or no.3 most expensive player in our roster.
Replies
All figures are estimates, but I've tried to be a little generous with how much money we have. As you can see it makes no sense that TDS is on 700K, we'd have very little left and not enough to go chasing Keaon & Brian Kelly. Also, I'm not sure Saints didn't top up Lomax's contract which means he may have cost around 750-800K. If so, we've got more wriggle room.
This club makes no fucking sense at all, i say expect a great year with juniors or another wasted season not going hard in the market. Look at roosters buying the right players around their juniors yet we cant even fucking go to the market and players we need around the juniors. Whats worse we haven't even gotten a replacement for Lomax. Does it bother anyone that we go from an Elite winger to a bum, Ryles doing good but bloke pissing me off with this hiss hoss players attitude bullshit. Lomax should have never been let go untill we get an replacement. With Keaon fuck mate don't what to say about this club anymore. I'm optimistic but this club mate i read bullshit with what we are doing in R&R.
You might be pissed off about Ryles (he's actually doing a great job), but that's the reason he was selected as coach. He was cheap as plus he bought into the boards vision for not getting into bidding wars, not going to the market and promoting within to run a lean salary cap with room to move.
It's not a lean salary cap, they are required to spend nearly all of it. You can't just decide not to spend the cap.
But you can decide to overpay for the shit no one wants and that's Parra to a tee. Other clubs discards are our forte.
102
Club is destined for failure in perpetuity.
Please correct me if I'm wrong HOE and just reading it wrong. But you accounted for Ofahengaue's salary being less in 2025 due to paying a portion of his deal already. That is true. But his salary of $500k would come off for 2026 would it not?
That's how I read it, LB. Joe O played up to mid-April (R6) to take up a 3.5 year deal with Leigh to 2028 to which we agreed to release him.
Pending evidence to the contrary, my assumption is we didn't pay him 6 months for free to add to our cap. Why agree to the release then?
Similarly, TDS played 5 months last year. We wouldn't have paid him a year's contract, right? So the difference (paying him 5/12 months in 25' vs 12/12 months in 26') adds to the 2026 cap, right?
Ohhh i see, my apologies. Read it wrong.
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