The NRL has long been under the rule of the salary cap - a concept designed to “keep the competition fair.”
Unfortunately, at the very high level, it has often struggled to fulfil it's intended purpose.
There are always going to be stronger clubs than others, whether that be through coaching, recruitment or club culture - just ask the Melbourne Storm about that.
But in the last six years, only three clubs have won premierships, being the Penrith Panthers, Sydney Roosters and Storm themselves, with all three clubs striking twice.
It was more equitable than that previously, with no club going back-to-back before the Roosters in 2018 and 2019 during the NRL era. That said, the Manly Sea Eagles won twice in a four-year period, and the Storm three times in a six-year period, although two of those have since been stripped.
The Brisbane Broncos won it in 1998 and 2000 before breaking through again in 2006.
At the other end of the table, the Wests Tigers haven't made finals in a decade, while other clubs like the Dragons, Knights, Warriors and Bulldogs have spent long periods struggling in recent years.
It'll never happen in real life of course, but Zero Tackle are going to draft the entire competition.
The first round will see each club retain five players from their current Top 30 roster - after that, it's open slather. Every player remaining is up for grabs, with selections to go in snake order - starting from the Dolphins and working up the table to last year's minor premiers, then moving back down the ladder in the following round and so on.
The draft will run until 20 rounds are completed, with the 17 NRL clubs broken up across our team as follows:
Jack Blyth: Manly Sea Eagles, Melbourne Storm, New Zealand Warriors, South Sydney Rabbitohs
Matt Clements: Parramatta Eels
Dan Nichols: Canterbury Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, Sydney Roosters, Wests Tigers
David Piepers: Canberra Raiders, Gold Coast Titans, Newcastle Knights, Penrith Panthers
Scott Pryde: Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland Cowboys, St George Illawarra Dragons, The Dolphins
So, without further ado, here are the five players every NRL club will be keeping ahead of the Zero Tackle draft.
Brisbane Broncos
Retention 1: Patrick Carrigan
Retention 2: Payne Haas
Retention 3: Kotoni Staggs
Retention 4: Selwyn Cobbo
Retention 5: Reece Walsh
Canberra Raiders
Retention 1: Joseph Tapine
Retention 2: Jack Wighton
Retention 3: Hudson Young
Retention 4: Josh Papalii
Retention 5: Sebastian Kris
Canterbury Bulldogs
Retention 1: Matt Burton
Retention 2: Josh Addo-Carr
Retention 3: Viliame Kikau
Retention 4: Reed Mahoney
Retention 5: Tevita Pangai Junior
Cronulla Sharks
Retention 1: Nicho Hynes
Retention 2: Jesse Ramien
Retention 3: Siosifa Talakai
Retention 4: Ronaldo Mulitalo
Retention 5: Cameron McInnes
Gold Coast Titans
Retention 1: Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
Retention 2: David Fifita
Retention 3: Beau Fermor
Retention 4: Sam Verrills
Retention 5: Jayden Campbell
Manly Sea Eagles
Retention 1: Daly Cherry-Evans
Retention 2: Reuben Garrick
Retention 3: Haumole Olakau'atu
Retention 4: Jake Trbojevic
Retention 5: Tom Trbojevic
Melbourne Storm
Retention 1: Harry Grant
Retention 2: Jahrome Hughes
Retention 3: Cameron Munster
Retention 4: Ryan Papenhuyzen
Retention 5: Christian Welch
Newcastle Knights
Retention 1: Kalyn Ponga
Retention 2: Jackson Hastings
Retention 3: Dominic Young
Retention 4: Adam Elliott
Retention 5: Tyson Frizell
New Zealand Warriors
Retention 1: Addin Fonua-Blake
Retention 2: Tohu Harris
Retention 3: Josh Curran
Retention 4: Dylan Walker
Retention 5: Te Maire Martin
North Queensland Cowboys
Retention 1: Reece Robson
Retention 2: Scott Drinkwater
Retention 3: Jeremiah Nanai
Retention 4: Reuben Cotter
Retention 5: Jason Taumalolo
Parramatta Eels
Retention 1: Mitchell Moses
Retention 2: Dylan Brown
Retention 3: Clint Gutherson
Retention 4: Reagan Campbell-Gillard
Retention 5: Junior Paulo
Penrith Panthers
Retention 1: Nathan Cleary
Retention 2: Isaah Yeo
Retention 3: James Fisher-Harris
Retention 4: Dylan Edwards
Retention 5: Brian To'o
St George Illawarra Dragons
Retention 1: Ben Hunt
Retention 2: Moses Suli
Retention 3: Jack Bird
Retention 4: Zac Lomax
Retention 5: Jaydn Su'A
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Retention 1: Damien Cook
Retention 2: Cameron Murray
Retention 3: Alex Johnston
Retention 4: Latrell Mitchell
Retention 5: Keaon Koloamtangi
Sydney Roosters
Retention 1: James Tedesco
Retention 2: Joseph Manu
Retention 3: Sam Walker
Retention 4: Luke Keary
Retention 5: Angus Crichton
The Dolphins
Retention 1: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Retention 2: Kenneath Bromwich
Retention 3: Euan Aitken
Retention 4: Tom Gilbert
Retention 5: Felise Kaufusi
Wests Tigers
Retention 1: Isaiah Papali'i
Retention 2: Apisai Koroisau
Retention 3: David Klemmer
Retention 4: Joe Ofahengaue
Retention 5: Adam Doueihi
Every player not selected above will be available in the selection rounds, which we will start here on Zero Tackle tomorrow.
I’m intrigued how this is going to work? Do the clubs have to worry about the salary cap, or do they just grab the players then try and sort out the money afterwards?
As for the actual players,
– if I were running the Roosters, I would want to keep Joseph Suaalii instead of Keary or Crichton.
– Warriors have three good forwards, but I would be relying on being able to pick up a better 5/8 than Martin, so I’d keep Nicoll-Klokstad or Watene-Zelezneak or someone with an easier-to-spell name as my full-back.
Sharks – Centres are three a penny so I’d keep Lachie Miller or Sione Katoa instead of Jessie Ramien
Souths- Interested to see no Cody Walker. I’d want someone from the halves, to keep continuity with Damien Cook, so I’d keep Ilias.
Newcastle look worryingly weak, if those five guys are the best they have. Dolphins, ditto.
Storm. I’d take the opportunity to unload Ryan the expensive and fragile Papenhuyzen. Justin Olam would be a much better bet.
Manly. As for Paps, so for Turbo. Keep Saab instead.
No salary cap restrictions on this – it’s really just “what’s the best squad you can make after you keep five of your own?”
The results – as revealed over the next couple of weeks – are intriguing.