Sports: everything we know so far

The Bears have grappled with internal issues that have threatened to undermine their entry to the NRL competition in 2027, a year before PNG. Sports has emerged this Friday as one of the stories drawing attention in Australia.

Key facts

• The Bears have grappled with internal issues that have threatened to undermine their entry to the NRL competition in 2027, a year before PNG.
• “That’s what I’m thinking anyway, there might be a few of the boys thinking like that as well, that there is going to be a time when we have to be open minded and that might be this November 1.”
• “If you’re going to uproot your family and be away from your family... which 99 per cent of the players are going to do in Perth... you might as well take the (tax-free) cash (with PNG),” Anasta told the panel on Fox League.
• ‘Utter rort’: Ex-Tigers boss unloads on PNG... and cops stinging Luai clause comeback.
• The Papua New Guinea Chiefs have thrown a spanner in the works for the NRL’s player market, hitting back at criticism after former Wests Tigers boss Shane Richardson branded their tax-free salary advantage “a complete and utter rort”.

What we know

Going deeper, ‘Utter rort’: Ex-Tigers boss unloads on PNG... and cops stinging Luai clause comeback.

On the substance, the Papua New Guinea Chiefs have thrown a spanner in the works for the NRL’s player market, hitting back at criticism after former Wests Tigers boss Shane Richardson branded their tax-free salary advantage “a complete and utter rort”.

Beyond the headlines, Watch every game of every round of the NRL Premiership LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo?

More precisely, It’s a complete and utter rort,” Richardson, who left the Tigers last year and was also formerly the NRL’s head of strategy, told CODE Sports.

It is worth noting that Jarome Luai’s highly-publicised announcement as player number 001 for the club raised plenty of eyebrows earlier in the week, some questioning the fairness of the Chiefs having a tax-free salary offering for players while the Perth Bears struggle to fill a roster ahead of their entry into the competition next season.

By the numbers

“That’s what I’m thinking anyway, there might be a few of the boys thinking like that as well, that there is going to be a time when we have to be open minded and that might be this November 1.”

“If you’re going to uproot your family and be away from your family... which 99 per cent of the players are going to do in Perth... you might as well take the (tax-free) cash (with PNG),” Anasta told the panel on Fox League.

Going deeper, Clubs gave PNG approval for their tax-free benefit when they were announced as a new team last year and received $4 million each as part of the deal, but Luai’s move this week has prompted fresh concerns.

“It’s like cheating the salary cap by 48 per cent.

What they're saying

“You can only pay so many players that amount of money, but the advantage is, of course, if it’s proven to be true that these are tax-free dollars, it virtually doubles the contract amount that they would normally earn in Australia,” Gould said on his Six Tackles with Gus podcast.

“To the people who are criticising us around having that advantage, I think it’s shortsighted because the game will benefit from having PNG thrive,” Chammas said.

“The Australian government, the PNG government announced over a year ago their plans for it to be tax free,” he continued.

The wider context

On a related note, Where in the world in any sport can this be a just deal... that one club can have a tax-free environment and all other 18 clubs pay salaries that are taxed?”

Going deeper, Bulldogs GM and Channel 9 personality Phil Gould also voiced concerns, with untaxed third-party agreements another massive weapon for the Chiefs to lure talent.

On the substance, To have a country with 10-12 million people, whose footy team is thriving, is what we want to achieve as a game.

Beyond the headlines, So, the narrative has shifted in the space of 24-48 hours, and that’s just on the back of Jarome (Luai), and that’s obviously we’ve got Willie Peters there as well.

“And look, Richo, we’re thankful because I guess there was a clause there that allowed us to get involved and have a chat with Jarome before April 30th.

The bottom line

• The Papua New Guinea Chiefs have thrown a spanner in the works for the NRL’s player market, hitting back at criticism after former Wests Tigers boss Shane Richardson branded their tax-free salary advantage “a complete and utter rort”.
• Two in question are Panthers guns Isaah Yeo and Brian To’o who are free to talk to clubs come November 1st this year, and come off contract at the end of 2027.
• Though with the Chiefs in the headlines this week ahead of their 2028 entry, there’s one club in particular who need to put a squad together now.
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