There are fears Josh Schuster’s form could “kill” Manly’s salary cap if the club is forced to release the star five-eighth-turned-second-rower early.
Schuster, who was already contracted until the end of 2024, re-signed with the Sea Eagles in June until the end of 2027 on a deal said to be worth $800,000 a season.
The 22-year-old is expected to move back to the second row, where he played in 2021 and 2022, after the club signed Luke Brooks to play five-eighth.
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Manly had high hopes for Schuster this season in the halves and let veteran playmaker Kieran Foran join the Titans to clear the path for the Samoan international to play his preferred position.
But Schuster has had a seriously disappointing season due to injuries, form and fitness.
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He was stood down earlier in the year and urged to work on his fitness. Most recently, he was dropped from Manly’s 17 for this Sunday’s clash with the Bulldogs.
Schuster’s form and fitness concerns has sparked major concern over his big-money contract.
“Josh Schuster getting dropped after signing a new $800,000-a-season contract until the end of 2027,” News Corp journalist Paul Crawley said on NRL 360.
“What, for the life of me, I can’t understand is what Manly know today they knew two months ago when they gave him the new contact — they knew last year. Why give him the contact?
“It’s just madness.”
Fellow News Corp journalist Dave Riccio agreed calling the new deal “unbelievable” and highlighted the danger it could put the club’s salary cap in.
“It could have major ramifications as far as holding an $800,000 player in your cap and not getting the value out of him,” he said.
“That kills clubs, that kills your cap. How they rejuvenate and get Schuster back to that value — it’ll be one of the great turnarounds.”
It comes after Phil Rothfield hinted the Sea Eagles could offload Schuster to the Dragons next year — but would have to chip in around $300,000-a-season.
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Crawley said if that happens Manly fans have every right to blow up.
“If he ends up at the Dragons, Manly fans should go off their heads,” he declared.
“If they end up paying a certain amount of his wage and he ends up at the Dragons next year, I’ll tell you now, that’s one of the worst deals ever.”
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NRL 360 host Braith Anasta added: “That’s robbery.”
“If Manly get to the point where they go ‘if it’s not a blunder already, it is a massive blunder’ they’re going to be chipping in, they’re going to be carrying him on their cap,” Riccio said.
Crawley also questioned the amount Schuster is set to earn compared to one of the competition’s elite second-rowers.
“If Schuster doesn’t aim up in the back row next year, that $800,000 goes down the gurgler… Liam Martin is not on $800,000 a year and he goes out every single week and he rips and tears,” he said.
Rugby league legend Gorden Tallis believes Schuster “just doesn’t want it enough” but also said the contract “shows the power managers have over clubs.”
“Did they get outplayed by the manager?” Tallis asked the panel.
“Of course they did. No one else wanted Schuster for that sort of money,” Crawley responded.
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