Herbie is for sure worth 1.2m a season, cap is going up, best centre in the game, keeps that deadly left edge combo with Cobbo long term as a serious weapon for Katoa and Williams on one side, then they have the Bostock aerial threat on the other side.
1.5m definitely not though just because at the end of the day he's a centre and it's too much. I do really hope we keep him.
Hammer on the current equivalent of 1m or so is fine (so a bit more under the new cap) but again not really more than that, he's about the 5th or 6th best fullback in the game which is very important, but he has a few defensive/running the ball back issues that keep him out of the absolute top tier. I'm fine with keeping him on an adjusted for cap increase. Bostock it depends what he wants but if it's 750k a season or similar he's worth it, although not 1m etc
We have to remember both the cap is going up and we can shed other players to make the room to pay Katoa, Plath and Donoghoe
Safiti 800k, Flegler 900k and whatever Knowles is on plus Kaufusi 750k or so coming back - yes we'll have to promose a few young forwards that eat 250k of that or whatever as they get their first top 30 deals but that should free up enough space to keep everyone if we're willing to shed Lemuelu too if need be with Pouniu taking over at second row. It would leave us a bit light on forwards but Su'a and some others can hopefully fill that gap
There's a good chance we finish top 4 again next season which should make us an attractive target for promising young forwards if we need to go to market after not renewing Flegler and Kaufusi retiring assuming that's what we do and if Knowles stays surely it's on close to the minimum.
Even if Herbie does leave we have a premiership window in 2027 and then assuming we retain Katoa, Plath and Donoghoe next season it stays wide open long term if we develop juniors well and/or recruit well which will be easier after back to back top four finishes
Herbie, as I originally said is a great player worth heaps of money. The question is, under the current cap, how much is a centre worth?
Roosters are suggesting playing him fullback. Because clearly, to pay him 1.5mil, you need to play him in a position that justifies paying him that much. So i understand their thoughts behind it.
For us he is firmly a centre, even if we had the cap space to keep him, would you meet 1.5mil to keep him as a centre, in a 12mil cap?
As you can see with Sam Walker, thats half back money, the other question is, When Sam Walker sees Herbie get 1.5mil at the Roosters, what do you think he is going to do with his contract? If I am Sam Walker, I'm waiting to see how everything plays out. His Agent would much prefer a cut of more, and will push the waiting game.
Katoa, is and always should be the priority. If Herbie gets 1.5mil here, what does Katoa ask for next year? And if we fold with Herbie, it shows the league we are soft in the negotiation, and will have to pay overs going forward. If we take a page out of POlitis' note book, and are known as hard negotiators, we get who we want, at a destination club, for the price we want. The key is DESTINATION CLUB, we are/ and will become that. And I think sooner rather then later. However, if we pay overs for good talent, we become the Dragons. We need to lean on our juniors (ala Penrith) to fill the void and prevent the over paying on good talent.
