Luciano Leilua is reportedly seeking a contract with the St George Illawarra Dragons for $900,000 per season across four years.
Leilua has request an immediate release from his contract with the North Queensland Cowboys for which he is contracted for $700,000 per season until the end of the 2025.
The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis said that despite some interest from the Canberra Raiders, the Dragons are in the box seat to land the 27-year-old but will not fork out the figure Leilua and his management are demanding.
“$900,000 has been the asking price,” Carayannis told SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“The Dragons are not going to pay that. You can ask whatever you like but they won’t land anywhere near that figure.
“The Cowboys are ok with letting Leilua go (but) the way this will end up is that he will end up at the Dragons.
“The Raiders had a sniff around last year and the Cowboys said no but the emergence of their younger players has forced North Queensland’s hand a little bit.
“Leilua has already been paid 4 months of his contract and the Dragons have heaps of cap space this year.
“The issue will be next year and future years.
“Leilua will not be getting $900,000.”
The 27-year-old joined the Cowboys midway through the 2022 season after being released from his contract with the Wests Tigers. Previously, Leilua had played 43 matches for the Dragons between 2016-2019.
SEN’s Andrew Voss believes if Leilua is worth $900,000, the market for players is totally out of sync.
“Here’s a hypothetical. Let’s say Leilua is paid $900,000 a year,” Voss said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“On the scale of what you’re worth, what is Nathan Cleary worth? What is his value?
“I’m gonna say $2.7 million. Maybe even $5 million. Nathan Cleary has to be worth at least four to five times more in value than Luciano Leilua.
“Good luck to Luciano in whatever he gets.”
Leilua has played 123 games in the NRL since his debut in 2016.