Manly insists there is no excessive risk in Haumole Olakau’atu’s new seven-year, $7 million+ contract, which has made him the biggest hit of 2023. He has been rewarded with one of the longest and most lucrative contracts in the NRL.
Olakau’atu’s tantalizing extension was formally revealed on Thursday following discussions that lasted for a large portion of 2023, during which rival teams like the Dragons and Wests Tigers showed interest in the hard-hitting back-row player.
The 25-year-old’s powerful tackle of Storm attacker Justin Olam in April was named the Dally M tackle of the season and demonstrated Olakau’atu’s unique potential at Manly; however, his next goal is to consistently perform for the duration of a campaign.
The Sea Eagles have given him the go-ahead to do so, re-signing Olakau’atu through the end of 2031, for an estimated $900,000 per season for the following eight years.
According to CEO Tony Mestrov, the NSW Origin prospect was already committed to a contract that ran through 2024, but he has since been tied down with the intention of becoming a “Eagle for life.”
More than $4.5 million of Manly’s salary cap has already been consumed by the club’s big deals for Josh Schuster, Luke Brooks, Tom and Jake Trbojevic, Daly Cherry-Evans (whose salary falls below seven figures in 2024), and Josh Schuster.
However, Mestrov disregarded worries that the Sea Eagles might suffer in the future from making such a large and sustained investment in Olakau’atu.
Mestrov responded, “No, we don’t think there is [risk],” to this masthead. At 25, he is still young and entering his prime. Haumole has shown himself to be incredibly conscientious and hardworking, and he hasn’t suffered any significant injuries.
“Going forward, we regard him as the club’s true leader. Therefore, we had no hesitations regarding the duration of the contract.
The fine print on Olakau’atu’s new contract states that it is a “straight six-year upgrade” and does not include any player or club options.
Both Dylan Brown of Parramatta and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, the captain of the Gold Coast, have contracts that expire in 2031 and 2033, respectively, but they both have the option to test the market well before those dates.
Olakau’atu’s 10-year contract with North Queensland, which is halfway through, and Cowboys star Jason Taumalolo have been compared due to concerns about their respective longevity.
