Braith Anasta has likened the introduction of the PNG Chiefs to the now-defunct Australian Super League competition due to the tax-free dollars players can earn when they sign with the club.
The NRL 360 co-host warned that a financial advantage could dramatically shift and inflate the player market, giving the Chiefs an edge in recruitment.
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This is due to other clubs being unable to compete with what a player would earn if he decided to move to PNG, where he would receive tax-free income.
“My feeling is that no one really took this seriously until Jarome Luai signed yesterday because it’s always been tax-free dollars,” Anasta said on NRL 360.
“Everyone knew that there were going to be advantages around the salary cap with this but no one seemed to be concerned about this.
“(Now) I’m getting a different vibe today after Jarome signed. I’ve spoken to a few club officials who aren’t complaining yet but are concerned that down the track.”
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While it was common knowledge that the Chiefs were going to have an advantage when it came to recruiting high-profile NRL stars, Anasts warned that it would have more of an impact on the players’ earnings, with the minimum to around $500,000 a season.
“I think a lot of people are looking at the top-tier players and the impact it can have at their club,” Anasta added.
“I think people under-estimate the lower-tier, middle-tier players that really glue the whole team together.
“If the Bulldogs offer a player $300,000 and then you’ve got PNG who can offer the same amount of money but it’s really double.
“Then you get players who are really high quality at a reasonable price, they’re going to leave their clubs because you it’s going to be hard for teams now to get players for unders.”
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The worry from Anasta and the NRL 360 panel comes less than 24 hours after it was confirmed that Jarome Luai had become the expansion team’s inaugural signing.
Meanwhile, a host of other big names such as Brian To’o, Liam Martin, Mitch Kenny, Joseph Manu and Nathan Cleary have been linked with a potential move to the side.
“It’s going to inflate the market,” Code Sports’ Michael Carayannis said.
“No doubt it will inflate the market and the fact that Jarome is the first domino to fall makes it more attractive.
“We’ve heard from players, we’ve heard from agents that players have been telling their agents they are keen to explore PNG. Now that Jarome is a done deal, that is just going to amplify,”
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These comments say Anasta, a former player, compare it to the now-defunct Super League competition.
“It kind of reminded me of Super League. The Broncos back in the late-90s, they won a few premierships, won the Super League and then they won a couple more in the years following,” Anasta continued.
“They had eight or nine internationals. They had a lot of money off-field in terms of third-party deals where they could lure players there and they had this red-hot roster that no other team could compete with in the competition.
“I’m not saying it’s going to get to that level but that’s the type of position they could be in.”