Official thread and signing news
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... 5ab8ff0073
STORM SIGN PEDIGREE HALF
The last name Johns is synonymous with rugby league and Melbourne will be hoping they can develop the next generation of Johns playmaker when the youngest son of Matt Johns joins the Storm next season.
Market Watch can reveal the Storm have signed Cooper Johns on a two-year development deal.
Cooper wasn’t born when his father at and uncle Andrew steered Newcastle to their first premiership in 1997, while he was a youngster when Johns was a consultant at the Storm.
Turning 18 next year, Johns already has a great understanding of the game.
Johns wore the No.6 in Manly’s SG ball side which was littered with famous names including Albert Hopoate, John Hopoate’s son Albert, Ben Trbojevic, the younger brother of Tom and Jake and Solomon Haumono’s son Maile.
STORM SIGN PEDIGREE HALF
The last name Johns is synonymous with rugby league and Melbourne will be hoping they can develop the next generation of Johns playmaker when the youngest son of Matt Johns joins the Storm next season.
Market Watch can reveal the Storm have signed Cooper Johns on a two-year development deal.
Cooper wasn’t born when his father at and uncle Andrew steered Newcastle to their first premiership in 1997, while he was a youngster when Johns was a consultant at the Storm.
Turning 18 next year, Johns already has a great understanding of the game.
Johns wore the No.6 in Manly’s SG ball side which was littered with famous names including Albert Hopoate, John Hopoate’s son Albert, Ben Trbojevic, the younger brother of Tom and Jake and Solomon Haumono’s son Maile.
From the same article - Off Contract List
MELBOURNE STORM
Slade Griffin, Jeremy Hawkins, Mark Nicholls, Billy Slater, Shem Tatupu,
New deal: Suliasi Vunivalu (until the end of 2018), Joe Stimson (until end of 2019), Jesse Bromwich (until end of 2020 with two year option), Kenny Bromwich (until end of 2020), Dale Finucane (until end of 2021), Felise Kaufusi (until 2018 with option for 2019), Christian Welch (until 2019), Will Chambers (until 2020), Ryley Jacks (until 2018), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (until 2019), Brandon Smith (until 2022), Cheyse Blair (until 2020), Jahrome Hughes (until 2020), Brodie Croft (until 2021), Justin Olam (until 2018), Suliasi Vunivalu (until 2020), Josh Addo-Carr (until 2021)
Leaving: Tohu Harris (Warriors at end of season until 2021), Jordan McLean (Cowboys until 2020), Cooper Cronk (released at the end of the season), Dean Britt (immediate release to Rabbitohs until 2019), Jesse Arthars (Rabbitohs until 2019), Robbie Rochow (Tigers until 2019)
MELBOURNE STORM
Slade Griffin, Jeremy Hawkins, Mark Nicholls, Billy Slater, Shem Tatupu,
New deal: Suliasi Vunivalu (until the end of 2018), Joe Stimson (until end of 2019), Jesse Bromwich (until end of 2020 with two year option), Kenny Bromwich (until end of 2020), Dale Finucane (until end of 2021), Felise Kaufusi (until 2018 with option for 2019), Christian Welch (until 2019), Will Chambers (until 2020), Ryley Jacks (until 2018), Nelson Asofa-Solomona (until 2019), Brandon Smith (until 2022), Cheyse Blair (until 2020), Jahrome Hughes (until 2020), Brodie Croft (until 2021), Justin Olam (until 2018), Suliasi Vunivalu (until 2020), Josh Addo-Carr (until 2021)
Leaving: Tohu Harris (Warriors at end of season until 2021), Jordan McLean (Cowboys until 2020), Cooper Cronk (released at the end of the season), Dean Britt (immediate release to Rabbitohs until 2019), Jesse Arthars (Rabbitohs until 2019), Robbie Rochow (Tigers until 2019)
waaaaiiiittt... we signed the boy named after Cooper Cronk? That's actually pretty funny to me.yourhero wrote:https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... 5ab8ff0073
STORM SIGN PEDIGREE HALF
The last name Johns is synonymous with rugby league and Melbourne will be hoping they can develop the next generation of Johns playmaker when the youngest son of Matt Johns joins the Storm next season.
Market Watch can reveal the Storm have signed Cooper Johns on a two-year development deal.
Cooper wasn’t born when his father at and uncle Andrew steered Newcastle to their first premiership in 1997, while he was a youngster when Johns was a consultant at the Storm.
Turning 18 next year, Johns already has a great understanding of the game.
Johns wore the No.6 in Manly’s SG ball side which was littered with famous names including Albert Hopoate, John Hopoate’s son Albert, Ben Trbojevic, the younger brother of Tom and Jake and Solomon Haumono’s son Maile.
Yes. If we win the Premiership, I think he will hang them up. Actually, I think he will probably retire anyway but doesn't want to say that before the World Cup and risk being excluded for that reason.bula wrote:Anyone think Cooper will retire
No. NRL would not allow that. They would argue that we aren't paying 'market rate' for Cronk (however they arbitrarily define that).bula wrote:next year if injury strikes or Croft doesn't play the way we hope he could sign a dollar contract??
They have to. Otherwise teams have a very easy way to rort the cap. Teams with greater access to third party deals can just pay their players out of this pool rather than under the salary cap.
I just don't know how they determine "market rate"? Surely the maximum a team is willing to pay for a player is their market rate? And if so, how do they register a contract for a player that stays at his club for $150K less than he is being offered elsewhere? Just another grey area...
I just don't know how they determine "market rate"? Surely the maximum a team is willing to pay for a player is their market rate? And if so, how do they register a contract for a player that stays at his club for $150K less than he is being offered elsewhere? Just another grey area...