Details have surfaced that the PNG Chiefs will no longer pursue Hudson Young after the Canberra Raiders gave him permission to meet with the expansion side.
The Origin star was first offered a three-year deal worth $1.1 million per season, which is the largest in Canberra's history.
Young wanted to pursue an opportunity to meet with the Chiefs after the 19th NRL team expressed interest in the back-rower.
Raiders CEO Don Furner gave Young permission to meet with the Chiefs and travel to explore PNG's facilities, scheduled for a later date this month as he is currently recovering from an Achilles injury.
However, new information has come to light regarding the Chiefs' pursuit of Young.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Chiefs have pulled their three-year offer worth $900,000 per season as the club fears it will tighten their salary cap.
It had been reported previously that the NRL salary cap auditor would approve contracts the Chiefs register as long as they meet the player's market value, which is approved by the NRL head office.
This point was emphasised in a fortnightly meeting with the CEOs, which did not mention Hudson Young in particular.
PNG Chiefs have been told the figure, first reported as $950,000 and now $900,000, would not be registered by the NRL's salary cap auditor.
NRL clubs have not been handed the latest benchmarking document, which will be used to help clubs sign players based on market values.
The 2025 document revealed that the top five backrowers' salaries averaged $887,635, with Manly's Haumole Olakau'atu and the Cowboys' Jeremiah Nanai in the top 5 list, and David Fifita, despite taking a pay cut when he was released out of the final year of his Titans contract to join the South Sydney Rabbitohs this season.
Tax-free wages and third-party sponsorship opportunities have become a sport-changing advantage, which has created several concerns for the future of the game as the arrangement for tax-free salaries and significant third-party earning opportunities is locked in for the ten year agreement between the Australian and Papua New Guinean governments.
Chiefs officials are aware the club could be used as a method to increase player prices.
So far, they have spent $1.2 million per season on Jarome Luai, more than $700,000 per season on a two-year deal for Joseph Manu, $700,000-$800,000 per season on a three-year deal for Zac Lomax, and $325,000 for Alex Johnston in 2028, who signed just a one-year deal.
The salaries for Connor Watson and Matty Lees, who will join the Chiefs in 2028 have not been reported.
There is an expectation that the salary cap in 2028 could rise to $15 million, and the Chiefs have not used ratchet deals which are becoming widespread in new deals for NRL's biggest stars on the market.
Hudson Young stated on Monday night, speaking to SMH at the Blues awards ceremony, that he wants to stay in Canberra and that the talks with the Chiefs have been just for the opportunity.
He will now head to the open market on November 1.
