Joey Manu

[Sports Prophet]

So it’s official, Joey Manu has decided a $1m contract to play RU in Japan is a preferable option to continuing in the NRL.

It is a great loss for the game.

[Damien]

22 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

So it’s official, Joey Manu has decided a $1m contract to play RU in Japan is a preferable option to continuing in the NRL.

It is a great loss for the game.

It's just a little odd all round and I'd imagine he is getting way more than that. He is very clearly going for the money and he certainly isn't going for the challenge or any pretence of playing in an elite competition.

As with the likes of RTS he will soon be forgotten about and another player will come through. He will probably come back like RTS did soon enough too.

[dkw]

28 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

 

It is a great loss for the game.

Not really, he goes another steps in.

[Dunbar]

10 minutes ago, Damien said:

It's just a little odd all round and I'd imagine he is getting way more than that. He is very clearly going for the money and he certainly isn't going for the challenge or any pretence of playing in an elite competition.

As with the likes of RTS he will soon be forgotten about and another player will come through. He will probably come back like RTS did soon enough too.

This pretty much sums it up.

But a different case to RTS.  He went to play Union in New Zealand to try and fulfil an ambition to play for the All Blacks – and certainly wasn’t going to make a lot more money (I may be mistaken but he could have been on less money than he was in League).

Now, unless Manu grew up dreaming of playing Union in Japan, this is a shift for money.  And that is fine, that’s his prerogative as this is his job.  He will get a lot more than $1M per year.

He can do what he wants and I will go on watching and enjoying the NRL and Rugby League in general.

Edited April 16 by Dunbar

[Exiled Wiganer]

He has decided to leave sport for a job in the leisure sector. League made him good, and will make someone else good in his place. 

[Sports Prophet]

29 minutes ago, dkw said:

Not really, he goes another steps in.

Another steps in, but there are so many centres in the NRL which Manu is far superior to, so there is no mistaking that at the end of the year, the NRL will be in an immediate net loss without him. 

34 minutes ago, Damien said:

It's just a little odd all round and I'd imagine he is getting way more than that. He is very clearly going for the money and he certainly isn't going for the challenge or any pretence of playing in an elite competition.

Maybe he is getting more. I can only speak to the contract reported in the media.

He will play in a sixteen game season or eighteen if his team makes the GF.

What is the lure here? I agree, it must be cash. But his market value in the NRL must be pretty close to $1m now anyway. So the reported contract is somewhat inexplicable. There is no chance of him being picked for the All Blacks. The Olympics will be close to four years away by the time he joins.

I hope he misses the challenge of the NRL sooner than he is expecting.

[Damien]

2 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Another steps in, but there are so many centres in the NRL which Manu is far superior to, so there is no mistaking that at the end of the year, the NRL will be in an immediate net loss without him. 

Maybe he is getting more. I can only speak to the contract reported in the media.

He will play in a sixteen game season or eighteen if his team makes the GF.

What is the lure here? I agree, it must be cash. But his market value in the NRL must be pretty close to $1m now anyway. So the reported contract is somewhat inexplicable. There is no chance of him being picked for the All Blacks. The Olympics will be close to four years away by the time he joins.

I hope he misses the challenge of the NRL sooner than he is expecting.

Every report I've seen says in excess or North of $1 million a year. That could be $1.9 million for all we know. Even $1.5 million is probably doubling his money and no doubt there are all kinds of bonuses/Perks in place too with no salary cap in place.

[JohnM]

Headline news: Joey Many dons the cloak of invisibility. 

[Adelaide Tiger]

No doubt that when he is officially ‘unveiled’ and he utters that cherished line of ‘I am here for the challenge’ all RL followers will be in hysterics

[Dunbar]

34 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

What is the lure here? I agree, it must be cash.

You know, I think you may be on to something there.

[Sports Prophet]

I took some time now to YouTube some Japanese club rugby and the crowds are actually very respectable. Some subsequent research then leads me to believe that crowd averages in the top division are over 11k. That out does SL doesn’t it?

I think what this move does highlight is the growth of another professional club rugby competition which has long rid itself of “emerging” status. The competition appears undoubtedly a significant player in the market which can entice some of the world’s best rugby talent to sign up.

Japanese rugby is the beneficiary of a greater global RU strategy to expand the game in new, financially successful markets. A strategy RL historically either shies away from or does everything possible to hinder.

[Sports Prophet]

6 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

You know, I think you may be on to something there.

Sure, but it’s not like he can’t command a very healthy salary in the NRL as well.

If I recall correctly, he didn’t want to play for another NRL club (or maybe I’m thinking of Benji’s move to Union). 

How about this for a theory then…

Joey: hey boss, it’s contract time.

Politis: you’re a million dollar player Joey, but even my sneaky skills of skipping the salary cap can’t pay you that yet. How about this. Teddy has two years left to run. Why don’t you go and spend two years in Japan, earning over a million without having to bust yourself. Then, when Teddy either retires or I move him on, we bring you back in two years and sign you for great money for the remainder of your career.

[Dunbar]

3 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Sure, but it’s not like he can’t command a very healthy salary in the NRL as well.

If I recall correctly, he didn’t want to play for another NRL club (or maybe I’m thinking of Benji’s move to Union). 

How about this for a theory then…

Joey: hey boss, it’s contract time.

Politis: you’re a million dollar player Joey, but even my sneaky skills of skipping the salary cap can’t pay you that yet. How about this. Teddy has two years left to run. Why don’t you go and spend two years in Japan, earning over a million without having to bust yourself. Then, when Teddy either retires or I move him on, we bring you back in two years and sign you for great money for the remainder of your career.

Not a bad idea.

Two years in Union for a suitcase full of cash and then 3 years at #1 for the Roosters.

You should be an agent.

[ATLANTISMAN]

Absolute 100% loss to the game 

[Futtocks]

29 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

I took some time now to YouTube some Japanese club rugby and the crowds are actually very respectable. Some subsequent research then leads me to believe that crowd averages in the top division are over 11k. That out does SL doesn’t it?

I think what this move does highlight is the growth of another professional club rugby competition which has long rid itself of “emerging” status. The competition appears undoubtedly a significant player in the market which can entice some of the world’s best rugby talent to sign up.

Japanese rugby is the beneficiary of a greater global RU strategy to expand the game in new, financially successful markets. A strategy RL historically either shies away from or does everything possible to hinder.

Corporate owned RU sides (as most Japanese teams are) have many salarymen eager to show loyalty by attending company events. I wonder how many of those seats are filled by paying customers?

[StandOffHalf]

RU is big in Japan, and they've bagged someone approaching a superstar. Good luck to all concerned.

Hope he comes back in time.

[EastLondonMike]

From what I’ve read it sounds like Manu wants to experience living overseas with his young family. It may be a narrative the Roosters are keen to push, but sounds like that was his primary motivation. 
Playing union while out there and pulling in some cash will no doubt help though too.

He’ll likely be back inside two years. 

[Damien]

1 hour ago, EastLondonMike said:

From what I’ve read it sounds like Manu wants to experience living overseas with his young family. It may be a narrative the Roosters are keen to push, but sounds like that was his primary motivation. 
Playing union while out there and pulling in some cash will no doubt help though too.

He’ll likely be back inside two years. 

Its the only thing he can say other than the real reason, that he is going for a big wodge of cash. He can't use the challenge excuse, can't use the playing for his country excuse, can't use the international game or the seeing the world excuse.

[Keith989]

6 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

I took some time now to YouTube some Japanese club rugby and the crowds are actually very respectable. Some subsequent research then leads me to believe that crowd averages in the top division are over 11k. That out does SL doesn’t it?

I think what this move does highlight is the growth of another professional club rugby competition which has long rid itself of “emerging” status. The competition appears undoubtedly a significant player in the market which can entice some of the world’s best rugby talent to sign up.

Japanese rugby is the beneficiary of a greater global RU strategy to expand the game in new, financially successful markets. A strategy RL historically either shies away from or does everything possible to hinder.

Yeah RU is getting very serious in Japan, just a couple of weeks ago Osaka got almost 10k in attendance (in the 2nd division!). They are actually hoovering up the best SH talent, so much so, it's now incredible rare an All Black joins Europe instead of Japan. 

I wonder if Joey is doing his "apprenticeship" in Japan first, then joining a super rugby franchise in order to try become an AB? Otherwise it's just purely money driven. 

[Futtocks]

3 hours ago, Keith989 said:

Yeah RU is getting very serious in Japan, just a couple of weeks ago Osaka got almost 10k in attendance (in the 2nd division!). They are actually hoovering up the best SH talent, so much so, it's now incredible rare an All Black joins Europe instead of Japan. 

I wonder if Joey is doing his "apprenticeship" in Japan first, then joining a super rugby franchise in order to try become an AB? Otherwise it's just purely money driven. 

It's a safe earner. Plenty of RU players are boosting their pensions in Japan, especially when their home scene's looking more and more financially insecure every year.

[Adelaide Tiger]

9 hours ago, EastLondonMike said:

From what I’ve read it sounds like Manu wants to experience living overseas with his young family …….

So why didn’t he choose Cas

[Damien]

8 hours ago, Futtocks said:

It's a safe earner. Plenty of RU players are boosting their pensions in Japan, especially when their home scene's looking more and more financially insecure every year.

Yeah it's not really the win RU types think it is. Manu going to Japan instead of playing Super RU speaks volumes about where that competition now sits.

[Dunbar]

There really are far too many variables here for us to make determinations from the outside about Manu's motives.

We don't, for example, know his thoughts on sushi, karaoke or indeed how bullety he likes his trains to be.

[graveyard johnny]

On 16/04/2024 at 12:18, dkw said:

Not really, he goes another steps in.

not as simple as that - someone will step in ,that's without doubt - but talents like Manu come round once in a lifetime - just like jonathan davies , ellery hanley and darren lockyer to name but just 3 - a huge loss to our game but money talks and if we were offered 5x as much money to do a far easier job then what would we say?

[graveyard johnny]

1 minute ago, Dunbar said:

 

We don't, for example, know his thoughts on sushi, karaoke or indeed how bullety he likes his trains to be.

and the most stereotypical  racist post of the year so far goes to.........................................