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The $1m payday Quade Cooper would risk if he opts to chase his NRL dream
Former Wallabies star Quade Cooper could lose a $1 million payday from his current club in Japan if he decides to switch codes and pursue his ambitions to play in the NRL.
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The 32-year-old is contracted to recently-crowned Top Challenge League champions, the Kintetsu Liners, which he joined from the Melbourne Rebels alongside long-time halves partner Will Genia late last year.
However, with eight months between now and the new Japanese domestic season kicking off, Cooper last week outlined his “lifelong dream” of playing in rugby league’s premier club competition in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald.
The NRL is eyeing a return to action on May 28 after its 2020 campaign was suspended after just two rounds due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
A shortened season of 13 weeks is being considered, which would hand Cooper a few months to ply his trade in the 13-man code for the first time in his professional career.
“I had a great time in Japan and Kintetsu has been nothing short of amazing,” the 70-test Wallaby told The Herald last Monday.
“The experience, the club, the people … and I’m very much looking forward to going back there.
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“But with their blessing, if they said that they don’t mind me going to the NRL for that short three-or four-month season to do something I’ve always wanted to achieve, then mate, I’d jump at the opportunity to fulfil a dream that I’ve had since I was a kid.
“The way things are kind of working out, it could be one where all the stars align.”
Interest in Cooper’s services within rugby league circles is reportedly high, with reports in Australia indicating that the Wests Tigers are one of the clubs interested in recruiting the former Queensland Reds, Melbourne Rebels and Toulon playmaker.
Gold Coast Titans head of football Mel Maninga has also gone on record to express his eagerness in bringing Cooper to Cbus Super Stadium.
“We’d discuss it, for sure, and see what we think,” Meninga told The Herald.
“There’s no doubt he has the skill there. Any of the union guys, especially the backs, who are brought up on league can make the transition. There is a gamble there because ideally you’d want him to have a pre-season because you can’t play him in reserve grade.
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“You’d have to throw him straight in. You don’t want someone like that to come to a club and fail. We’ll probably have to wait and see what sort of money we have to spend in the salary cap as well, but we’ll talk about it.”
Such a move would have to come with the blessing of Cooper’s employers Kintetsu, though, and it appears the club is unwilling to allow the temporary cross-code switch come to fruition.
“We’re playing our lead-up games in that period of time. Where is the upside for the club to go and let him play NRL? There is absolutely none,” Liners head coach Nick Stiles told The Herald.
“Kintetsu are newly promoted so, from a club’s perspective, we want to do the best we can by being up there.
“To do the best we can and to be up there, we want all the players on deck.”
The Herald reports that Cooper’s contract with Kintetsu, worth as much as $1 million, would have to be terminated if he was to return to Australia to try his luck in the NRL.
Stiles also believes that his star first-five would be rewarded with another contract if he decided to stick with Japanese rugby.
“The only safe haven in rugby at the moment is Japan. We’re on full freight at the moment,” he said.
“We’re not getting pay cuts, we’re not getting stood down.
“[Cooper] would jeopardise those conditions by going and playing rugby league for three months.”
Former All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has labelled a former All Blacks star as "the best rugby player the world has ever seen".https://t.co/8NvvzhqpKk
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 19, 2020
Financial incentive doesn’t seem to be a driving motive of Cooper’s, however, who told The Herald last week that he was willing to make the jump to the NRL despite the competition’s clubs facing economic uncertainty in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.
“Here’s the thing, money is not the be all and end all,” he said.
“It is a massive thing for athletes, but there’s more than just that. When you’re talking three or four months in the NRL, there’s a hit you’re going to cop but it’s not the end of the world. It’s not a two or three year deal. I have been fortunate enough to play for a while and earn money.
“I’m lucky that in Japan there has been no issues around my pay or having to take a pay cut. At the end of the day, if the opportunity arose you’d have to look at it and weigh everything up.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Tighthead was always going to be our weakness this year with Ryan going home to Ireland and the Cashed Up Blues taking a third All Black prop from us - nobody else in SR does that. Numia is the exciting one. He used to be a lightweight but he's really improved. Do you have stats on the All Black hookers’ lineouts for the game? I seem to remember a few misses.
2 Go to commentsFergus Burke isn't tier 1 player quality…but guess what, he'll be playing amongst them for Saracens…. all going well and Steve Borthwick is still the head coach, England...Scott Robertson’s hint of amending NZRU’s offshore AB eligibility clause, would mean that players like Josh Moorby who show potential might get a call…
4 Go to commentsThe movement of quality players back to SA is remarkable.
2 Go to commentsInteresting article, Nic. Am enjoying seeing the Rebels doing well, partly just to spite those who are working to wipe them off the face of the Australian rugby planet. But it is also good to see a team with somany good players beginning fire. LSL has benefitted so much from his move up to Northampton for the one year. I wonder why he did not stay on for another year. Does he now looks north and see his teammates of last year now doing so well, and have some regrets.
44 Go to comments“Over 80% of the World Cup squad are over 30” No it isn’t lol
2 Go to commentsTyrel Lomax the best AB prop since Carl Hayman. Absolutely destroyed the Boks in RWC Final and is monstering allcomers in Super this season. Should be a monster battle vs touring Poms, always deliver a power pack.
2 Go to commentsEye gouging seems like such a strong term for what can only be described as a poke in the eye. When I think of eye gouging I think of someone trying to intentionally pop someone’s eyeball out. it’s like calling a high-tackle attempted decapitation.
3 Go to commentsGreat article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
44 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
44 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
4 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
44 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to comments