‘Paid dividends’: Legends debate $20m duo’s monster 10-year deals… and who should be next

Balmain legend Benny Elias has urged Wests Tigers to sign teen prodigy Lachie Galvin to a 10-year deal – likening it to “the stroke of genius” that was the Sydney Swans jagging Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin.

The Hall of Famer’s bold declaration comes as two men who know all about rugby league’s longest deals – Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans and North Queensland enforcer Jason Taumalolo – look to continue their side’s respective Cinderella playoffs push this weekend.

Worth over $20 million combined, the pair arrive into round two of the NRL finals having both earned highlight reel efforts on the opening weekend – with the Cowboys now facing Cronulla on Friday night at Allianz Stadium, before the Sea Eagles play Roosters on Saturday evening.

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While Taumalolo’s deal, in particular, has been the cause for much debate this year – topped by claims he could become a $950,000 ‘lemon’ — a crew of Kangaroos legends have this week told Fox Sports Australia both contracts have already proved astute investments.

Debate around contract lengths generally has also become a major talking point in sport, with the AFL recently being urged to impose limitations while, across in the NFL, Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the only player on a 10-year contract, having signed for a whopping $US450,000,000.

Only last year however, the Gold Coast Titans extended captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui for a decade – and at a cost of $12 million — while Elias is also now urging similar for breakout Tigers No.6 Galvin.

All of which makes for a timely discussion about not only the validity of such NRL deals, or how much value Taumalolo and DCE have given, but who else in the code – if anyone – is worthy of such investment.

“Because that’s how it should be treated – like you’re investing,” Elias said this week when we jagged the Australian Test great who knows more than a little about such things.

“And what a terrific subject.

“Because while there haven’t been many clubs with the courage to invest in a player for 10 years, I really believe that could be about to change.

“It’s a great topic.”

Steve Roach and Mark Carroll agree, with the latter pausing on Wednesday morning from work on his new beer label – named, wonderfully, Spudd Wiser – for what he also agreed were “tough, tough questions”.

A truth embodied by both DCE and Taumalolo, who arrive into this weekend’s playoffs with their respective deals causing all sorts of headlines.

Already, DCE has extended on his original deal, and is now being urged to play on beyond next year’s end point — and push to break Cam Smith’s all-time playing record.

Taumalolo’s own contract, meanwhile, has come under the microscope this year for different reasons.

Essentially, critics are questioning if a fella once deemed the most explosive forward on the planet – and whose team would effectively win every time he bulldozed for 150m or more – has slowed down faster than anticipated.

In April last year, the Tongan Test star underwent knee surgery and coach Todd Payten has since adopted a modified training program, and reduced playing minutes, to prolong the wrecking ball’s career.

Entering Friday night’s showdown against Cronulla however, the 31-year-old is coming off a couple of big weeks that include running for a combined 240m against Canterbury and Newcastle, plus a highlight reel hit on Knights forward Leo Thompson last start.

Yet throughout this year, the Cowboys middle has also been quizzed on everything from age, form and minutes played to degenerative knee issues and a whispered English Super League switch.

Once playing 60 minutes a week for the Townsville boys, Taumalolo now averages 39 minutes – with his famed running game that peaked around 194m weekly also dropping to 104m per game.

Which isn’t to suggest the Townsville enforcer hasn’t already proved himself worthy of that $9.5 million deal he signed way back in 2017, the same year he led his Cowboys all the way to an NRL decider.

But, put simply, questions are being asked about what the next three years may look like.

Elsewhere, Manly great Steve Menzies also branded the topic an intriguing one for NRL executives — especially given the myriad risks involved — but pointed to Cherry-Evans as proof a club can absolutely get value for money.

In fact, all four Test greats agreed the Sea Eagles No.6 had proved an astute buy since 2015, when he signed the eight-year, $10 million deal that saw him controversially backflip on a Titans franchise that has made the finals just twice since.

Only last week, the Queenslander who is still winning Origin MOM gongs orchestrated the gutsiest of comeback wins over the Canterbury; orchestrating tries, scoring them, even getting involved in a heated exchange with Dogs No.9 Reed Mahoney.

Menzies says there is no doubting the Sea Eagles skipper has been worth the $8 million investment, since extended — pointing not only to his playing form but everything else he has brought the Brookvale franchise “outside of that rectangular field”.

“Because, yes, you’re paid for what you do out there,” says one of the greatest Sea Eagles who ever lived.

“But there’s also so much in terms of leadership, culture, sponsors, attitude at training … all that stuff clubs are built on.

“How do we train? How do we prepare? How do we turn up on game day?

“Chez has been amazing example of all that.”

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Carroll agrees.

“Daly deserves everything he’s got,” insists the ‘96 Manly premiership winner, “because he’s delivered every, single time”.

Importantly, Elias likens the role of DCE on the peninsula to that of Buddy Franklin signing with the Swans, and asks how many NRL clubs would have loved the stability, influence, everything he’s brought to the Sea Eagles halves, and team.

Elsewhere, the man who has done more than a little investing in retirement, and with more than a little success, insists Wests Tigers can also reap similar rewards if they make the ballsy play that is signing Galvin to a lengthy deal.

“Because it’s certainly paid dividends for Manly,” Elias said when asked if DCE had come good on that $10 million.

“Whenever I’m investing – and I do a fair bit of it – I’m always looking for certainty.

“Certainty and strength.

“Yes, you must take some risks.

“Which is obviously the case in rugby league, where a player can get injured, whatever.

“But in Cherry Evans, the Sea Eagles always knew they were going to have an Origin player, a Test player who turns up for his team every single week.

“And as an investor, that’s exactly what you’re looking for.”

For further proof, Elias switches the conversation to the 2013 deal that saw Franklin shock the AFL world — quitting Hawthorn for a nine-year, $10 million Swans deal he brands “among the greatest moves the AFL has ever made” in the Sydney’s incredibly competitive sports market.

Ironically, Franklin’s unprecedented contract actually caused outrage among key AFL types, who wanted the key forward to sign with the relatively new franchise, GWS Giants.

Regardless, in Buddy’s time with the club, the Swans not only made three grand finals, or missed the playoffs just twice, but more than doubled both its fan base and memberships, the later of which now sits around almost 74,000.

“Stroke of genius,” Elias says of the Franklin contract.

“Because Sydney not only got itself a superstar who became a huge asset on the field, but off it too.”

And as for a return on investment?

“Would’ve got it back within two years,” the retired dummy-half insists, pointing to the huge rise in success, gates, membership, even merchandise sales.

“Honestly, when you’ve got the full house sign up at the SCG, it’s 45,000 multiplied by $100 … that’s $4.5 million in an afternoon.”

While Galvin is nowhere near the level Franklin was when offered $10 million, Elias insists Wests Tigers should be looking to secure, long term, a 19-year-old no less than Phil Gould has branded the greatest teenage talent he’s ever seen.

Same as Andrew Johns has tipped the youngster to eventually be worth north of $2 million a year.

Which is why Elias wants his old club to gift Galvin the type of deal, he says, they should have used to lock in James Tedesco for life.

“If I’m at Wests Tigers, I’m investing in Lachie Galvin,” Elias said.

“Wouldn’t hesitate in signing him for 10 years because the kid’s a superstar.

“For someone so young to already be playing so convincingly, and in one of the game’s most important positions, it’s incredible.

“Lachie has a real confidence about him too.

“It’s not arrogance, but assuredness.

“And there’s no doubting he will be here in the NRL a long time …”

Then after a short pause, he adds: “Obviously it’s easy to say now in hindsight, but if you were at Wests Tigers would you have signed James Tedesco and Mitchell Moses for 10 years?

“Absolutely you would.

“They’re the types of players you build a club around.”

Importantly, the Balmain great said Galvin also carried so many other key traits.

“Obviously before signing anyone for 10 years boxes need ticking,” he continued.

“But Galvin’s young, has ability, confidence, speaks well, is a great kid off the field, level headed and comes from a wonderful family.

“And as sure as day becomes night, he’ll bring that attitude to the rest of the playing squad.

“It becomes infectious.”

Of course, few big deals run their course without some controversy.

Just ask St George Illawarra’s Ben Hunt.

Or Taumalolo, who has found himself under increasing pressure in what is now his seventh season of a $9.5 million decade deal.

Yet with the Cowboys playing September footy for the second time in three years, Taumalolo also enters Friday night’s Allianz Stadium blockbuster coming off one of his strongest performances of the year against Newcastle.

Longtime Queensland journo Joel Gould also reminded this week that Taumalolo has a propensity for bashing up Cronulla in playoff games – winning all three previous contests while churning through a staggering 715m.

As recently as 2022, Taumalolo starred in a Golden Point finals thriller against Sharkies — running for 270m, making eight tackle breaks, and scoring a barnstorming try in the final minutes of regulation time.

“So I think that deal has already paid off,” Roach stresses of a Cowboy now entering his eighth finals series.

A player, the Test great added, who rarely misses games, never disappears during the annual Origin series, and who has won his club’s Player of the Year six times — or twice more than even Johnathan Thurston.

Four of those gongs have also come under his big deal.

Blocker added Taumalolo had brought a sense of strength and stability to the Cowboys, while also proving incredible value in those earliest years of the deal, when players came to the club because of him.

“And even now, as a player, he’s reinvented himself,” he said. “And continues to prove effective”.

Asked if his on-field efforts alone were still worth $950,000 a season, Blocker replied: “No probably not … but his value has always been about much more, about everything that goes on at a club behind the scenes.

“And that’s an impact he’s still having now.”

Elias agrees.

“Has Taumalolo been worth it? Absolutely, every day and twice on Sundays,” he stressed.

“Remember, Jason demanded that money.

“And thanks to his stability, his commitment to the club, they’ve built around him.”

Yet maybe the last word belongs with Spudd.

A fella who reckons, no matter what players earn in the Greatest Game of All, it may never be enough.

“Because I’ve been retired a while now and am starting to pay the consequences,” he concedes. “Just struggling a little with stuff like CTE.

“But would I change anything about my career? Never.

“But I’ll also never begrudge anyone making as much money as possible, either.

“Whatever players can get now, do your best.”

Any other NRL investing thoughts?

“Yeah, get yourself some Spudd Wiser,” he cackles of the label launched only a few weeks back. “It’s a bloody good drop”.