Broncos superstar Reece Walsh and Panthers champion Nathan Cleary are part of a secret hit list of NRL stars, who have been directly targeted by the R360 rebel rugby union competition.
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The Daily Telegraph reported R360’s focus on luring the NRL’s two biggest stars should make the game very worried.
The reported 10 players targeted by R360 could earn as much as $40 million a year to join the rebel league and it could open the floodgates for more to follow in the coming years.
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“This is real and credible – it’s Super League 2.0. History is repeating itself,” a source close to R360 told The Daily Telegraph.
Other NRL stars targeted include Storm stars Cameron Munster, Xavier Coates and Ryan Papenhuyzen, Broncos’ Payne Haas and Deine Mariner, Warriors winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Eels flyer Zac Lomax and Rabbitohs fullback Jye Gray.
“Not discussed, directly targeted,” the source said when asked if Walsh and Cleary were being discussed by R360 officials.
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Nathan Cleary and Reece Walsh have been directly targeted by R360.Source: News Corp Australia
Haas could potentially earn $10 million for a two season stint with tax breaks, while Walsh and Cleary could earn even more.
Cleary is an interesting development, given he is off-contract in 2027 and because R360 could potentially reunite him closer to his partner Matildas and Manchester City star Mary Fowler.
“Cleary was an easy one to tick off, to be honest,” the source said.
“He could be based in England or Europe, which is close to his partner.
“R360 will start with the biggest names and get them locked away – that’s what Super League did. They need playing rosters and a competition that is credible.”
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R360 doesn’t kick off until October 2 of 2026, the week of the NRL Grand Final.
After his Grand Final heroics Walsh is poised to become R360’s priority target, despite the new Kangaroos fullback being signed to the Broncos until 2029.
NRL contracts are legally binding, but R360 could offer to pay out their deals or the players could agitate for a release.
Cleary in particular has done everything in rugby league and if he wanted to move closer to his partner and set himself and his family up financially for life, R360 would be a smart move.
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R360 have also compiled an extended list of potential targets if their priority targets decide not to leave the NRL and the list will no doubt grow throughout the first two years of the competition.
R360 is also reviewing the legalities of threats by governing bodies including NRL HQ to block their players from joining the rebel competition.