DANNY WEIDLERSPORTNRLBULLDOGS
After week of Klem bashing, big Dog shows it’s not just about money
By Danny Weidler
3 November 2018 — 10:00pm
David Klemmer has been painted as a money-hungry player with no regard for his teammates.
A week of Klemmer bashing followed our revelation last week that he was Newcastle-bound after some third-party deals fell over.
Klemmer has not been crying poor. His manager may well be, but not the player.
For the record, Klemmer is on great money at the Bulldogs. I have seen his contract for this year and the next two seasons. I have not seen what he was on last year, but I have been told it was about $400,000.
Other things to worry about: If anything, David Klemmer might be slightly underpaid according to his market value.
Other things to worry about: If anything, David Klemmer might be slightly underpaid according to his market value.
Photo: AAP
This is how his deal worked this year: standard contract $650,000; third-party arrangement $100,000. Then in 2019: standard payment $665,000; marquee payment $125,000; third-party arrangement $100,000. In 2020: contract $665,000; marquee payment $125,000; third-party deal $100,000.
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In other words, if his third-party deals fail to materialise, he will make $2.23 million from 2018 to 2020, and more than $2.5 million if his third-party contracts are honoured. Pretty good coin. Not the kind of money that would lead to Klemmer crying poor.
He would hate that his teammates might think he is comparing his salary to theirs.
Greg Eastwood was on $800,000, or close to it, for the second year of his two-year contract, but only $200,000 in the first year. It was a classic back-ended deal.
If Jason Taumalolo is worth $1 million a season, on form Klemmer is worth at least $800,000. So the Bulldogs giant may be slightly underpaid.
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Newcastle have cash to burn and need to pay $1 million plus to lure Klemmer north. Newcastle great and Channel Nine commentator Andrew Johns thinks it’s a lot of money, but also says Klemmer is what the club needs.
Enough about the money. There is an underlying issue unsettling Klemmer.
He is dealing with some personal problems. Klemmer is not a straight-forward person. He has some serious issues with his family and we will leave it at that.
Klemmer is forever grateful to his wife, Chloe, and her family.