A Kiwi star is being offered a mega-millions deal that will break the NRL contract record.
Two rivals are reportedly trying to tempt Dylan Brown away from the Parramatta Eels, a club that repeatedly fails to deliver on its potential.
The Sydney Telegraph reported that “sources close to negotiations confirmed the extraordinary deals” in which the 24-year-old is being offered $14.4m over 10 years.
The offers - one of which is from Newcastle - were “serious and genuine” the Telegraph reported.
It said a “monster bidding war” is set to take place.
Playmaker Brown signed a contract extension a couple of years ago, linking him to the Eels until the end of 2031, but it included provisions allowing him to “explore the market”.
This has reportedly been taken up by his managers, leading to offers from the Knights and another cub that says it will withdraw the bid if its identity is prematurely revealed.
The remainder of Brown’s current Parramatta contract is worth about $7m, meaning the new offers are a significant upgrade.
Gold Coast forward and captain Tino Fa’asuamalaui has the biggest contract in the NRL’s 117-year history, a 10-year deal worth $13.3m.
Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga earns $1.55m a season, making him the NRL’s highest-paid player. Brown would join Penrith superstar Nathan Cleary and Melbourne’s mercurial five-eighth Cameron Munster just behind that.
The new season begins this weekend, and Brown has until round 10 to make a decision. But the report said he was keen to make the call within a fortnight.
Brown, who grew up in Whangarei and played for Hikurangi Stags, moved to Australia as a 15-year-old to join the Parramatta system. He made his Kiwis debut in 2022.
The Eels were a dominant club in the 1980s but haven’t won the NRL title in 39 years.
