A former Super League player has seen his proposed NRL move collapse due to his staggering $500,000 salary demands.
Converted to pounds, a salary of $500,000 is just over £250,000 which would be marquee money in Super League, however, it’s also enough for the Sydney Roosters to walk away from a deal per reports.
The man demanding such a fee is Siosiua Taukeiaho with the former Catalans Dragons man eyeing up a deal to return to his former club the Roosters.
However, the brakes were pumped when the NRL giants learned of the salary that Taukeiaho was asking for according to The Daily Telegraph. The Tongan forward has twice seen NRL moves halted recently with Canterbury Bulldogs in the market for him previously.
Back in July, when the Bulldogs came knocking, the move was blocked by the NRL as they ruled that the mid-season trade window had closed. Taukeiaho had previously been linked with the club in late 2023 but failed a medical meaning the move collapsed.
As such, he remained a Catalans player for the 2024 season but did not play a single game before being sacked alongside Damel Diakhate and Jayden Nikorima for attending a concert in London.
Sacked Super League man sees several NRL deals fall short
This current saga is purely down to money though with the Roosters not willing to match Taukeiaho’s $500,000 demands.
Before moving to Super League, the 32-year-old was a mainstay at the Roosters, playing over 150 games and winning back-to-back NRL premierships in 2018 and 2019.
With Jared Waerea-Hargreaves leaving the Sydney club and moving to Hull KR, it was believed that Roosters coach Trent Robinson wanted to bring back the former Super League man as an enforcer-style prop.
However, the club have turned their noses up at such a price tag meaning that Taukeiaho’s only chance of securing a deal would be to lower his demands.
It is not just the Roosters who have seen talks collapse with the sacked Super League star with Canterbury (again) going in for him before withdrawing interest, as well as Manly Sea Eagles who are another team limited on the cap.
Currently, it’s unclear what the future holds for the former Tongan international but retirement at 32 could be a genuine option should he fail to land an NRL deal.
Eric T Cat
October 31, 2024 at 12:11 pm
He could go to Union, fit enough to play in the centres, and play for another eight years, his only risk dying of boredom or hypothermia.
His disciplinary issues, salary cap, and quota spot knock him back for Super League and he’s missed the boat for most 2025 NRL squads, asking for huge sums won’t endear him to anyone. I suspect he’s doomed himself to a season in the lesser NRL competitions on a pay per play basis hoping to get picked up if he stands out or a club has severe injury issues to overcome.