How much is Gutherson worth? The document that sheds light on NRL player salaries
https://static.ffx.io/images/$width_144%2C$height_144/t_crop_fill/q_86%2Cf_auto/781f7a16cafe800fcc64fb756b16fc18cd9baf9d 2x" alt="Michael Chammas" width="72" height="72" />By Michael Chammas
This is the confidential data that charts the true value of an NRL player, which is used by clubs to keep agents honest if they try to inflate the value of their clients during contract negotiations.
The Herald has obtained a copy of the NRL’s salary cap benchmarking spreadsheet, which collates the salary of every player and ranks by position to provide clubs with the data to determine whether they are paying overs for players.
https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.225%2C$multiply_0.7082%2C$ratio_1.776846%2C$width_1059%2C$x_0%2C$y_23/t_crop_custom/q_62%2Cf_auto/d9598122daa5cb280bca9a2ccceda61c1b1f75e0 2x" alt="Clint Gutherson’s future has been a topic of conjecture in the past week." width="375" height="212" />Clint Gutherson’s future has been a topic of conjecture in the past week.CREDIT:NRL PHOTOS
The document, which is sent annually to clubs, highlights the average salary of the top five earners in each position and will be pivotal when negotiations between the Parramatta Eels and skipper Clint Gutherson resume in the off-season.
Debate has been raging over the past week about the value of Gutherson following revelations his manager, Sam Ayoub, had told some people in the game that the Eels would have to find close to seven figures to keep their skipper beyond 2022. Ayoub denies putting that to the Eels, but conjecture over Gutherson’s value has continued nonetheless.
The Herald has obtained the audited 2019 salary cap breakdown, which is based on similar figures to next year. It’s the most accurate recent comparison, given that the 2020 figures include a 20 per cent reduction in remuneration due to the COVID-19 interruption.
It shows that the top five highest-paid fullbacks in 2019 earned an average of $971,000 that year. The document also shows that the median salary of the top five fullbacks (the third-highest paid) was $930,000.
Most people’s list of the top five current fullbacks in the game would be made up of Tom Trbojevic, James Tedesco, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Latrell Mitchell and Kalyn Ponga. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck recently departed that group.
The Eels are discovering that Gutherson is likely to be in the next echelon of fullbacks alongside Dylan Edwards, AJ Brimson, Nicho Hynes, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Reece Walsh. Where he fits inside the sixth-to-10th category is a matter of opinion, and any assessment would also need to consider Gutherson’s captaincy and ability to kick goals.
But there is a whopping $350,000 drop-off between the top five fullbacks and the next five, with the sixth- to 10th-best No.1s earning an average of $622,000. The median salary in that category (the eighth-highest paid in 2019) is $600,000.
The counterargument can be made that Gutherson is, if not Parramatta’s best player, the club’s second-best player behind halfback Mitchell Moses. On that argument, based on the average salary of the two highest-paid players at each club, Gutherson can demand either $942,000 (the average salary of the highest-paid player at each club) or $803,000 (the second-highest).
That alone highlights Parramatta’s predicament: is their roster good enough to win a competition, and if not, how much can they afford to pay their captain if they want to add better pieces to the puzzle to bolster their premiership hopes in the future?
The Roosters have Tedesco and Luke Keary. The Panthers have Nathan Cleary and James Fisher-Harris. The Rabbitohs have Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker. The Sea Eagles have Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans. The Storm have Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes.
When it comes to extracting value for money, the Eels need to ask themselves where the Gutherson-Moses combination sits on the spectrum of the highest-paid duo at the top teams.
Fullback is the second-highest-paid position. The average salary of a top-five halfback in 2019 was $998,888. The list likely included Cherry-Evans, Ben Hunt, Cooper Cronk, Mitchell Pearce and Cleary. Moses is now in that category after signing an extension worth close to $900,000 (plus bonuses) this year.
The next five best halfbacks earn an average of $754,000, however, after that there is a significant drop-off in salary, which highlights an apparent shortage of quality No.7s in the sport. It’s why Chad Townsend was able to secure around $800,000 from the Cowboys for next year.
The 11th- to 15th-best halfbacks in the game earn an average of $286,000, which is below what the 11th- to 15th-best wingers in the game get paid ($319,000 average). The 11th- to 15th-rated halfbacks earn less than any other position in the same ranking.
There’s a similar shortage of quality hookers, which is also evident in the salary cap benchmarking document. Apart from wingers, the position paying the least for the top-five players is hooker.
Regarded by many as occupying one of the most influential positions in the game, the top five hookers earned an average salary of just $613,000. That list would have included Cameron Smith, Josh Hodgson and Damien Cook.
Like halfback, there’s also a notable decline in salary between the top No.9s and the next best. The hooker and halfback positions are the only two categories that see the 11th to 15th highest-paid players in their respective positions earn an average salary of less than $300,000.
The position with the least discrepancy between the top five and the 11th- to 15th-ranked players is prop given the high volume of big men each team carries in the top 30.
Replies
The graphs didn't copy on the blog page - here's the link https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/how-much-is-gutherson-worth-the-do...
The pair of them would struggle for a counter lunch voucher ATM the way they are playing
At the moment, Moses is looking like a genius for signing an extension earlier in the season when we were going well. Gutho, on current form, well we all know where it's at for him. His value is declining weekly...
Very interesting article.
Honestly, does anyone think MM is playing like a 900K - 1Mill ( bonuses) player? We do not get consistent value out of MM
Sure Gutho has been down on form lately. Based on this article and what other FB are earning given his ability to kick goals and he is the captain ( regardless of what you think of that, he is the captain) he is worth $780K - $830K.
Watch out , Poppa will come along telling your that you know nothing and you simply hate Moses for saying he's not a superstar match winning immortal in the making mate. The whole rugby league community outside 1EE can see we are made up of a big group of 7/10 players. But here they're all fuccking superstars who just need to develop their games.
We need to bring in some blokes that developed their games 3 years ago if we are going to pay mature star type money. We are paying every cunt on potential.
This is a great fucking article as it highlights exactly what I've been saying for 2 years. We don't pay Gutherson a million just because everyone else has two highly paid players, we find a player worth being highly paid and bring him in.
Gutho is not worth a million dollars a season. The Eels should sit back and let him go to market then lets see how Ayoub performs as a player manager. If he gets a million dollars from someone else then good luck to him and see ya later. The Eels have too many players getting more than they are worth and a few that are worth more than they earn that we might loose because some take up more of the salary cap than they should.
Being a good player for half a season isn't good enough. Playing out of your skin until you sign an extention is an insult. The players are Eels at the moment but that is just a moment in time. I have been a die hard fan for 47 years, If another club offers me a better membership pack I won't be changing clubs because the Eels are in my soul. I don't expect current players to have the same outlook as it is their job and money talks so I understand they will come and go but while they wear the Blue & Gold I expect their best all the time.
I was lucky enough early in my life as an Eels supporter to watch players like Neville Glover and his mighty Goose Step, Graham Olling, Ray Price, Sterlo, Mick Cronin, Brett Kenny, Eric Grothe, Steve Ella, Peter Wynn and so many more that I remember with pride as Eels greats. Then the Mighty Nathan Hindmarsh came along later but still holds a place in Eels history like few others. I think back over the last decade and apart from Hayne who managed to destroy his legacy, I don't see any that will become Eels legends.
To our current crop of Eels players: It's ok to earn a good living but unlike you the men above didn't do it for the money, They did it for The Parramatta Eels and their fans.
C'mon Dr, I am EEL, the dental imprints I carry in my arse won't fill themselves
I agree. Let's wait and see what another coach can do with this squad. Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
He hasn't been a top 8 fullback over the last 10 weeks at least. If he wants more then 750 let him walk. Id happily trade Gutho Brown Reed for B Smith Manu(5/8) and a rookie fullback
I've been saying this since this saga began. We need to decide between:
1) Go all-in on Gutherson believing he's our FB to take us all the way.
2) Offer Gutho market rate, consider switching him to an alterntive role in the team to allow a better FB option to be brought in
3) Decide Gutho isn't what we need and make a big offer to a top tier alternative.
For mine, either 2 or 3 are ok. 1 is dumb.
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