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"For that money I’m out": Which stars could defect to rebel league?
SEN • July 30th, 2025 11:09 am
A Saudi-backed rebel R360 league could lure more than 10 NRL players away from Australia for its inaugural season with eye-watering salaries on offer.
It is understood the creators behind R360 want to launch in September 2026 with a structure of 12 teams and a collective 300 players.
The league, which has been founded by former England centre Mike Tindall, has the financial backing to offer players as much as $3m USD a season – so what’s to stop the best from walking away from the NRL?
The money is better; the seasons are shorter. It’s win win, according to Corey Parker who fears for the impact it will have on the NRL.
“This is going to be a real concern moving forward,” Parker said on SENQ Breakfast. “If the R360 gets approval, I’m led to believe that 120 players have agreed and (they need) a total of 300 players, four of five NRL players have verbally agreed.
“This is US dollars (1.5m a season), all eight franchises are sold. It’s going to be like the F1. Each round moves cities over the course of 14 rounds.
“It’s hugely enticing for an NRL player like Kalyn) Ponga, (Ryan) Papenhuyzen and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck but if they throw the net wide, for a Nathan Cleary, then only currency is money.
“Nathan has won four premierships; he gets criticised heavily when he plays for NSW when things don’t go their way. What’s to stop him?
“If Cleary went then others (would follow) and let’s say they took 10 or more of our best, the game is going to suffer. We can say as much as we like that there is another player coming through, but this is a concern.
“Some of the rugby players we have in our game at the moment; Stephen Crichton, Cameron Murray and Will Penisini, league poached them but what’s to stop them saying ‘for that money I’m out’.”
Tindall has been in Australia for an extended visit in recent weeks with many of the belied he is scouting for players and holding talks with possible defectors.
