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The NRL will allow players to challenge the market value ascribed to them by head office in a move that could revive the PNG Chiefs\u2019 pursuit of NSW and Canberra star Hudson Young.<\/p>\n
The governing body initially placed a notional value of $1.1 million per season on Young, in line with the offer tabled by the Raiders to retain their gun back-rower.<\/p>\n
That valuation helped placate existing clubs, who were concerned the Chiefs \u2013 armed with tax-free dollars \u2013 could seek to stretch their advantage even further. Their offer of $900,000 a year would have given Young a huge increase in his take-home pay when compared with the taxable wages on offer at Canberra.<\/p>\n
Under the NRL\u2019s initial valuation, the Chiefs would have had to carry Young in their salary cap for $1.1 million, even if he accepted the $900,000 deal. The salary cap auditor subsequently revalued Young at $1 million, but the Chiefs are adamant that is still $100,000 more than they are willing to pay for a player coming off a serious Achilles injury, and at a time when other back-row options are available.<\/p>\n
Young had been poised to tour the Chiefs\u2019 facilities in Port Moresby before deciding whether to join the expansion franchise or remain at the Raiders. However, the Chiefs pulled their offer<\/a> when the NRL signalled they would be required to pay \u201cmarket value\u201d for all of their recruits.<\/p>\n Canberra, meanwhile, extended their offer from three years to four in a bid to take Young off the market. Regardless, the NRL will accept submissions on behalf of any player who wants to challenge their market value.<\/p>\n \u201cThe salary cap applies to everybody and requires the market value of a player,\u201d said NRL executive chairman Peter V\u2019landys.<\/p>\n \u201cIn saying that, we\u2019ve discussed it with the RLPA \u2013 and we both agree \u2013 there can be exceptional circumstances. We will always look at exceptional circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n The Young situation is a timely case study for the game. On the one hand, the NRL wants to make sure the Chiefs don\u2019t sign players for \u201cunders\u201d, a prospect raised by clubs concerned at the newcomers further stretching their tax-free advantage.<\/p>\n The other consideration is if a player is prepared to accept less money from a club for other reasons, such as a family situation or the belief they are more likely to experience on-field success at a different destination. That echoes a theme in recent Rugby League Players\u2019 Association polls, which suggest money isn\u2019t one of the biggest drivers for players changing clubs.<\/p>\n V\u2019landys said there had always been a provision for players who want to challenge their value.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can make submissions to the salary cap auditor, and we always look at the circumstances,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cLet\u2019s say a player wanted to be with his family or there are other specific reasons. We just don\u2019t want the salary cap rorted. However, we know that at times there are exceptional circumstances, so we take those exceptional circumstances into account.<\/p>\n \u201cWe won\u2019t have a situation where people manipulate the salary cap. The unfortunate thing is with the tax-free status of PNG, we have to be extra cautious with the market value of the players there.\u201d<\/p>\n The development leaves the prospect of further representations being made on behalf of Young, which may result in a further reduction of his market value.<\/p>\n Discussions between the RLPA and the NRL on the issue have been constructive. RLPA boss Clint Newton, in a meeting with V\u2019landys, raised his own experience of rejoining Newcastle from Penrith in 2014 after the move was initially blocked by the NRL.<\/p>\n He had wanted to return to the Knights despite then-coach Wayne Bennett making a much lower offer than the Panthers for his services, but the NRL initially frowned upon it before he contested its stance.<\/p>\n Newton said he recognised the intent and purpose of market value figures but believes they can put unreasonable restraint on players\u2019 freedom to decide where they want to play. The RLPA had made a submission to the NRL outlining its concerns about the policy and was waiting to hear back, Newton said.<\/p>\n \u201cI certainly believe that if PNG want to pay him $900,000, that shouldn\u2019t be stopped,\u201d Newton said of the Young situation. \u201cI understand if something doesn\u2019t smell right from an integrity perspective, but that\u2019s not the case here.<\/p>\n \u201cI said to Peter, \u2018I don\u2019t want us to go down the legal path here, but my greatest concern is clubs are trying to put the genie back in the bottle\u2019. Everyone has been very aware of the tax-free money and no one batted an eyelid.<\/p>\n \u201cNow it seems as though because PNG are doing well from a recruitment perspective, these things are being put up as roadblock.<\/p>\n Related Article \u201cI\u2019ve spoken to Hudson and [his manager] Sam Ayoub and met with Peter about it, and he\u2019s committed to reviewing any submission that a player wants to make if there\u2019s a challenge about market value.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s now resting with Sam Ayoub as to whether they want to make a submission to Peter. I\u2019ve offered to be there with Hudson and Sam [in a meeting] with Peter to work through it.\u201d<\/p>\n V\u2019landys added: \u201cWe have due process and natural justice with everything we do. Hudson will absolutely be given that.<\/p>\n \u201cThe last person we want to affect is Hudson, I personally have a lot of time for him. But we have to keep the salary cap objective.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have discussed it with the RLPA, and we both agree that if there are exceptional circumstances, they will be front and centre.\u201d<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n No gift articles left<\/p>\n You’ve used all of your gift articles. 3 more will become available on the 1st of every month.<\/p>\n Close![\"Hudson](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/a6411b4bc8af97c113bf8535d86ab83df4e73e7d.jpeg\")
Hudson Young\u2019s situation has been an intriguing case study for the NRL.Sitthixay Ditthavong<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/809bd7751042de8338cb3d93e0df9850d69aae0a.jpeg\")
The Raiders have tabled Hudson Young the richest deal in the club\u2019s history.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/bb875b200cd3c31a687298f6f088efed117cb4ee.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Jarome](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/19d351a0d93c0e19093987ac3ad87fff0fb0704c.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/1792274784_160_ee71cb37d4c9fcd432bc0a75a0130cfa154694ad.png\")
Chris Barrett<\/a> is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former South-East Asia correspondent for the Herald and The Age.Connect via X<\/a> or email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"October 18, 2026 \u2014 5:30am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":931908,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":["post-931907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nrl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-national-rugby-league","tag-nationalrugbyleague","tag-nrl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/931907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=931907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/931907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/931908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=931907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=931907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=931907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}