As if ending a 36-year premiership drought wasn’t enough incentive, it’s been revealed that Parramatta Eels halfback Mitchell Moses could also be set for a huge payday if he can help the club overcome the weight of history and hoist the trophy on grand final day.
The Sydney Morning Herald has revealed a lucrative bonus in Moses’ contract that will see him pass the million-dollar mark if he can steer his team to premiership glory. Winning the grand final in two weeks’ time will take his current salary from $900,000 to over $1 million.
The offer is the only one of its kind currently in effect for a player, with no other club having a similar arrangement in place with any member of their starting 13 – but similar incentives are typically offered in coaching deals.
The last player with a similar option in their contract was Mitchell Pearce, who had cash incentives placed into his contract for top eight and top four finishes respectively during his time in Newcastle.
Though many NRL stars have representative bonuses built in for State of Origin representation, some clubs are doing away with them in place of deals related to other performance metrics like appearances in a season – such as the one built into Aaron Woods’ contract at the Dragons.
It was revealed at the end of the season that Woods had a clause built into his deal with the Red V, which saw him automatically activate a 12-month contract extension at the club after making his 18th appearance in 2022. He played 19 games this year.
It’s believed the Moses clause was installed during contract negotiations last year as the club was also securing deals with Clint Gutherson and Junior Paulo.
According to the Herald, Moses is currently the fifth-highest paid halfback in the game, behind Daly Cherry-Evans and Nathan Cleary (over $1.2 million), Ben Hunt (nearly $1.1 million) and former teammate Luke Brooks ($960,000).
