I'm really curious as to how much cap we have left for next year particularly if we move on a number of players at the end of this year. For example will we have enough money for both a decent hooker and prop etc.
I realise these figures won't be 100% accurate but I've tried to do my best based on what's been reported, what I personally know about Adam Elliott's salary and what we would currently pay each player to fit them under the current cap of $9.02M. In 2022 the cap will be $9.11M
Top 30 for 2022 if we shed Napa, Hopa, JMK, Lewis, S, Katoa, Britt, Roumanos, Ogden, Crichton and Meaney. Meaney might be a keeper though if he's willing to extend for 120K
480K Elliott
270K Wakeham
400K Allan
200K Waddell
600K DWZ
300K Hetherington
220K Averillo
200K Stimson
500K Jackson (+200K outside cap in long standing player allowance)
450K Flanagan
750K Thompson
120K Doorey
650K Cotric
400K RFM
550K JAC
450K Burton
350K Naden
120K Deitz - re-sign on minimum wage
120K Seumanufagai - re-sign on minimum wage
200K Okunbor - re-sign
150K Atoni - re-sign
120K T.Katoa - re-sign on minimum wage
120K Schoupp
120K Topine
120K Alamoti
120K 26
120K 27
120K 28
120K 29
120K 30
---
$8,560,000
This leaves around $550,000 in a cap of 9.11M so if you combine this with the $120,000 minimum for player 26 - 30 it means we could sign a star hooker OR a star prop (NOT both) for around $670,000 if we sign minimum wage players for spots 27-30 OR we could split that $550,000 extra among 2 or 3 players combining it with the 120K allocated minimum for each player
Unfortunately I can't see us being able to afford Dufty or Hynes, a decent hooker and a decent prop.
I think we should throw the $670,000 or whatever at B.Smith as he will make the biggest difference. If we can't get B.Smith or Daryl Clark though go for the 3 cheapies below
260K Mitchell Kenny
300K Bunty Afoa
350K Matt Dufty
When DWZ is off contract at the end of next year we have to shed him no matter how he is playing and use his money to buy a decent prop. We may need to upgrade Burton too with some of that money.
Please Dogs shop Elliott around ASAP. He aint worth 480K (+ a car). I got this figure direct from someone who helped negotiate his recent contract