Top 5 players in each position

[Foordy]

Is your club paying too much for players? Confidential NRL document sheds light on salaries

The Herald has obtained the document the NRL salary cap auditors send clubs to keep agents honest and determine how much they should pay their players.

www.smh.com.au

So following up from this article, I thought an interesting discussion would be to not only the top 5 paid players in each position, but also the top 5 performers in each position. so i'll list the top 5 paid, and the top 5 performers based on the opinion of the former greats lists in the article:

Fullbacks

Paid​	Billy Slater's Top 5​
Kayln Ponga - $1.05 Million	James Tedesco
James Tedesco - $1.025 Million	Tom Trbojevic
Tom Trbojevic - $987K	Ryan Papenhyzen
Valentine Holmes - $825K	Kayln Ponga
Latrell Mitchell - $815k	Clint Gutherson

Wingers

Paid​	Ryan Girdler's Top 5​
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak - $600K	Xavier Coates
Josh Addo-Carr - $515K	Brian To'o
David Nofoaluma - $468K	Josh Addo-Carr
Xavier Coates - $425K	Daniel Tupou
Daniel Tupou - $395K	David Nofoaluma

Centers

Paid​	Ryan Girdler's Top 5​
Joseph Manu - $700k	Joseph Manu
Kotoni Staggs - $700k	Kotoni Staggs
Waqa Blake - $606K	Stephen Crichton
Stephen Crichton - $585k	Justin Olam
Zac Lomax - $550k	Siosifa Talakai

Five-Eights

Paid​	Brad Fittler's Top 5​
Cameron Munster - $950k	Cameron Munster
Jack Wighton - $850k	Jarome Luai
Luke Keary - $752k	Dylan Brown
Cody Walker - $650k	Jack Wighton
Jarome Luai - $650k	Cody Walker

Halfbacks

Paid​	Andrew Johns Top 5​
Daly Cherry-Evans - $1.25 Million	Nathan Cleary
Nathan Cleary - $1.2 Million	Daly Cherry-Evans
Ben Hunt - $1.098 Million	Mitchell Moses
Luke Brooks - $960K	Jahrome Hughes
Mitchell Moses - $925K	Ben Hunt

Locks

Paid​	Paul Gallen's Top 5​
Jason Taumalolo - $975K	Isaah Yeo
Jake Trbojevic - $875K	Cameron Murray
Cameron Murray - $846K	Jake Trbojevic
Joe Tapine - $750K	Dale Finucane
Jack de Belin - $750K	Jason Taumalolo

Backrowers

Paid​	Paul Gallen's Top 5​
David Fifita - $975K	Villiame Kikau
Wade Graham - $730K	Jai Arrow
Villiame Kikau - $728	Liam Martin
Angus Crichton - $680K	Kurt Capewell
Tyson Frizell - $670K	Wade Graham

Hookers

Paid​	Robbie Farah's Top 5​
Josh Hodgson - $775K	Api Koroisau
Damien Cook - $725K	Harry Grant
Harry Grant - $550K	Damien Cook
Brandon Smith - $525K	Reed Mahoney
Api Koroisau - $475K	Brandon Smith

Props

Paid​	Paul Gallen's Top 5​
Tevita Pangai Jnr - $925K	Payne Haas
Andrew Fifita - $850K	Jesse Bromwich
Martin Taupau - $818K	James Fisher-Harris
David Klemmer - $815K	Junior Paulo
Addin Fonua-Blake - $810K	Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

 

[Kimlo]

Lol no way TPJ is on 925k. That's a serious overpay there.

 

[BooKhaki]

Lol no way TPJ is on 925k. That's a serious overpay there.

Apparently he got a raise on his Broncos deal, and we still had to pay some of it.

 

[Foordy]

I can't believe that Joey doesn't think ARey is in the top 5 halfbacks in the NRL

 

[john1420]

I can't believe that Joey doesn't think ARey is in the top 5 halfbacks in the NRL

Joey thinks Moses and Hunt are better HB's than Reynolds?
No wonder the Knights are going so badly it seems he no longer knows much about being a half

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Joey thinks Moses and Hunt are better HB's than Reynolds?
No wonder the Knights are going so badly it seems he no longer knows much about being a half

Johns is really interesting to listen to when he’s talking technical aspects of the game. Ask him for an opinion though and he’s cooked.

 

[Battler]

Turbo is cleary the best fullback for mine, the rorters halo effect is sickening lmao. I would only trade Arey for Cleary; not sure how Arey doesn't make the top five.

 

[Mustafur]

Turbo is cleary the best fullback for mine, the rorters halo effect is sickening lmao. I would only trade Arey for Cleary; not sure how Arey doesn't make the top five.

I think if they asked Johns now he would be, I mean realistically Rey is the 2nd best Half in the game.

He said before the Souths game that he is playing better then when he was at souths and after that insane performance it would be even higher.

 

[Sproj]

I imagine the preparation for this exchange would have been:

Brayshaw: What about Reynolds?
Johns: Nah, he's in the super league isn't he?
Brayshaw: Umm...no, not that one.
Johns: Nah, I don't know who you are talking about then. Let's move on to next position, my attention span is waning.

 

[mrslong]

Some of the player ratings are cooked, and some are spot on. Wade graham lol gall.