Last week I crossed a divide in naming, what I believe to be, ten of the worst value contracts of the recent NRL era.
That list, and the comments, can be found HERE.
Today, we cross back to the light, back to the positive side of the greatest game of all. We discuss ten of the best NRL contracts of the modern era.
It's going to be impossible to nail down a "best" top 10 so we'll go with "ten of the best". Please let me know in the comments of any you would have placed on the list.
I didn't involve contracts held by players during the Storm salary cap bust era, for obvious reasons. Smith, Inglis, Slater and co were always good value.
These are going to be more difficult to define. Players who excel or play beyond their deals are usually quickly upgraded or snapped up elsewhere.
Players picked to debut from NSW Cup or Flegg are also going to be on value deals. They won't be considered. Upgrades that continue to represent value absolutely will.
Almost all of these are going to be recruits in the same way, shape, or form due to the nature of the list.
With that said, below are 10 of the best value NRL contracts in the modern era.
Honourable Mentions: Ryan Papenhuyzen's first Storm deal
James Maloney signed a three year deal at the Sharks for under $2 million total.
In the first of the two years he would run out for Cronulla, he was the main man in their maiden NRL Premiership win.
The Sharks wrapped up an Origin level five-eight who had NRL Premiership experience, for under $700,000 a season and banked their first title as a result.
That is the kind of deal that dreams are made of. Would have been much higher if he'd seen out his deal in the Shire.
Dale Finucane was a very handy player during his tenure at the Dogs. Craig Bellamy saw something special in him though when he lured the big man south the Melbourne.
He quickly became one of Melbourne's main men in the middle. His first two seasons in Melbourne earned him an extended, and upgraded contract.
More-so than his performances on field, as good as they were, Finucane became a leader and helped Bellamy, Smith and co. set the culture in purple.
Better years, results-wise, would follow in Finucane's extended contract, but the way he established himself in terms of importance on and off the field make that first one a 10/10 deal.
I couldn't find exact numbers for Graham's initial deal with the Dogs, but whatever it was worth, he justified twice over.
Graham lead the Dogs to two Grand Finals during his tenure. He captained one of them. The other? Not his finest hour.
The Englishman would be so massive for his new side that he would be named captain in 2015, the first year of his new deal. Such was the impact made during his first three seasons.
We've heard the brilliant football mind in Graham during his stint in commentary. Dogs fans still speak of him extremely highly.
The Storm halfback signed a four year back in 2022 for around $800,000 a season.
In the past three seasons has has been absolutely blistering for the Storm, leading them to a Grand Final whilst capturing the Dally M medal in 2024.
$800,000 is hardly small change, but it is a massive unders amount considering the amount of money other playmakers are on.
He's earning $400,000 a year less than what Dylan Brown is earning in his new deal. That is magnificent business for the Storm.
Say what you will about the upgraded and extended deal Nicho Hynes is currently on, but his initial deal was an absolute beauty for the Sharks.
Signed as a pretty handy fullback from Melbourne, Hynes quickly became the star in Cronulla, on and off the field.
Hynes dragged an ordinary Sharks side to second spot en route to winning the Dally M medal by a record margin.
He was brilliant in his second season too, and established himself as the face of his club. His deal was quickly upgraded before any other clubs could line up a call with his agent.
Back in 2011, a young prop named Andrew Fifita signed for the Sharks. The Tigers moved him on to add a much bigger name in Adam Blair.
He was a pretty handy middle forward for the Tigers but transformed into an absolute monster during his early tenure in black, white and blue.
In his final year at the Tigers he averaged 75 metres per game. By his second year at the Sharks that was up to 160. He also represented NSW in that first contract.
There's a reason the Dogs offered such a massive deal and a reason Sharks fans look bad so fondly at their removing that deal late on.
At one point, Jamie Lyon looked lost to the NRL. He was playing in England, despite being far too talented for that competition.
Manly managed to trump his former club, the Eels, in bringing the Origin centre back to the elite competition.
Fair to say their "gamble" paid off as Lyon helped propel them to two straight Grand Final appearances. The first result will be lost to history but the second, a 40-0 thumping of the Storm will never be forgotten.
The fact he was able to star at five-eighth added further value as he was signed as a centre. Pure brilliance.
Sam Burgess cost the Bunnies a transfer fee as well as a pretty penny. It was worth every single cent!
Words cannot describe the difference Burgess made to this club. He wasn't the only one, even in his family, but he was the face of the club during his first stint.
Few will forget his heroics on Grand Final day, 2014, where he lead his team to Premiership glory, with a broken cheekbone. He was named best on ground.
If not for the transfer free, this would be pushing number one. No other deal on this list involved a fee.
Two years, two NRL Premierships. You simply cannot ask anything more than that from a halfback. Or any player.
The deal, at the time, was a big one. A million dollars a season, across two years, but Cronk justified every single cent and then some.
Cronk replaced former title winning half, and the much younger Mitchell Pearce. If the Roosters didn't deliver big, then this move would have been panned.
Instead, Cronk won one of his two NRL titles with literally one arm. Show off.
I don't have the exact details regarding this deal. I don't need them.
Even if this had been $1.4 million dollars over ten years, Johnathan Thurston's move from the Dogs to the Cowboys is the best value for money contract in NRL history.
Thurston completely transformed the Cowboys across his incredible NRL career. You could honestly point to any of his contracts as presenting value.
In terms of value, we'll lean into his original contract as he took the Cowboys to a Grand Final in his first season whilst pocketing the Dally M medal. He won a second Dally M two years later.