I hear a lot of people say you can’t have 3 million-dollar players in your squad but I disagree. As of 2020 the cap will be $9.8 million for the Top 30, with a minimum wage of $110,000
No reason you can’t have about 8 top-line players. Most of these 8 you would try to keep as the key, culture setting core of the playing squad, looking several seasons ahead.
‘A’ list - DCE and the Turbos on an average of 1mil each .................. 3 mil
‘B’ - Marty, Walker, Api, Joel, AFB on an average of 600k ..................3 mil
C – for example, 12 players on an average of about 190 k ...............2.28 mil
D – another 10 on an average of 150k ..............................................1.5 mil
Total .................................................................................................... 9.78
C and D would be a combination of
* players loyal to the club because they are juniors or some other reason - Jorge, Parker, Cust & co
* solid journeymen who will buy into the culture because, for example, you’re giving them a 2nd chance – Croker, Jetski, Elliott types
* a batch of up and coming potential stars, who have not yet done anything of note in top grade but who are almost ready for a shot – Fainu, Paseka, Funa, and the like
The trick is to every year be able to promote to the top grade at least one or 2 from the C or D category, and get one - or ideally two - good seasons out of them while they are still on a C or D wage.
After that, if they have proved their worth, either upgrade them to B (such as Fainu, Siro), which will probably mean releasing one of the current B players (Api, Joel), or else let them move on to a high paid opportunity elsewhere. Either way, it frees up a spot for a new C or D level player, a youngster of potential or a former gun looking for redemption.
Of course, there are many variables but as a basic premise I think this is manageable. It depends on keeping your team an attractive option for the next wave of C and D level players looking for an opportunity, not easy to do, but it should be exactly where Manly is right now.
Storm have relied on something like this, with tremendous success in renewing and refreshing their squads year after year, and Des has had success in the past with a similar strategy. (The Chooks on the other hand, for years have preferred to buy ready-made stars -SBW, Maloney, Jennings, Tedesco, Keary, Cronk, Crichton etc etc.)
By next year we’ll need at least a couple out of Hoppa, Funa, Cust, Paseka, & Haumole to really nail down a first grade spot on merit
