Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Kalyn Ponga is set to enter the NRL millionaire's club. The Newcastle Knights have offered the 21-year-old the richest deal in the club's history and one of the biggest that rugby league has seen. It's hoped the four-year, $4.5 million deal will keep him at the Knights long term, however the club recognises the threat of losing the prodigious talent to the New Zealand All Blacks rugby union team. The Herald reported on Tuesday that the deal is believed to include an option in Ponga's favour for the final year (2023) that would allow him to leave the NRL to pursue a spot with the All Blacks ahead of the World Cup in France. Kalyn Ponga is set to join the millionaires club. Credit:Jonathan Carroll While Ponga is among the most marketable players in the NRL, his value has come under some fire after the Knights faltered at the back end of the 2019 season and missed the top eight. However the Knights, who in 2018 made Mitchell Pearce a million-dollar player, aren't afraid to splash the cash to keep the Queensland State of Origin star in the Hunter. A new deal would see Ponga join the likes of James Tedesco and Tom Trbojevic as the NRL's million dollar men.


The Knights No.1, who broke into the NRL as a teenager at the North Queensland Cowboys, has already represented Queensland in State of Origin in two separate series - all before his 22nd birthday. These are rugby league's million-dollar men. $1.25 million: Daly Cherry-Evans Daly Cherry-Evans was convinced to stay at the Sea Eagles. Credit:AAP Cherry-Evans stunned the rugby league world in 2015 with his infamous backflip on the Gold Coast Titans. The Manly halfback had a change of heart at the 11th hour to remain at the Sea Eagles, helped largely by the then longest deal in league history - an eight year, $10 million deal. $1.2 million: Ben Hunt Ben Hunt joined St George Illawarra from the Brisbane Broncos. Credit:AAP


The St George Illawarra halfback is arguably the most maligned player in the game, largely because of the pressure of living up to his reported $1.2 million price tag. Hunt threw the NRL player market into a frenzy when he secured a five-year, $6 million deal to join St George Illawarra from the Brisbane Broncos in 2018. $1.2 million: Kieran Foran Kieran Foran was lured from Manly to Canterbury. Credit:NRL Photos The Canterbury Bulldogs forked out a reported $1.2 million a year over three years for Kieran Foran to join the club in 2018. Despite Foran's best efforts, his body hasn't allowed him to play anywhere the value of his price tag, limited to just 26 of a possible 48 games the past two years. He will miss the majority of 2020 through injury as well. $1.1 million: Tom Trbojevic

Tom Trbojevic stayed at his junior club and reaped the rewards. Credit:NRL Photos In October last year, Manly's Jake and Tom Trbojevic signed six-year-deals worth a combined $12.5 million to stay with their junior club until the end of 2026. While Jake will earn just shy of seven figures, Tom won family bragging rights after securing $1.1 million a season for his services.


$1.1 million: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has been worth every cent of his million. Credit:AAP The Warriors captain has been worth every cent, winning the Dally M medal in 2018 and following it with an equally impressive season last year. Easily the best player in a struggling side, Tuivasa-Sheck collects close to $1.1 million a season. He has another three seasons to run on his deal at the club after agreeing to an extension two years ago. $1 million: Anthony Milford Anthony Milford rejected the Storm to stay at the Broncos. Credit:AAP The Brisbane five-eighth turned down a lucrative offer to join the Melbourne Storm to sign a four-year extension with the Broncos in 2017 worth $1 million a season. Unfortunately for the Broncos, Milford has struggled to live up to that price tag in recent seasons. $1 million: Jason Taumalolo


Jason Taumalolo has a 10-year, $10 million deal with the Cowboys. Credit:AAP Just 18 months after Daly Cherry-Evans signed the longest deal in 107 years of rugby league, Cowboys enforcer Jason Taumalolo superseded the Manly No.7 when he agreed to a 10-year, $10 million deal with North Queensland. Considering what he has accomplished since signing the deal in 2017, most would argue the Cowboys have enjoyed a steal. $1 million: Michael Morgan Michael Morgan was a high priority for the Cowboys. Credit:AAP At the start of the 2018 season, Michael Morgan was anointed heir to the throne of Johnathan Thurston when he signed a five-year deal worth a reported $1 million a year. The Cowboys have missed the top eight in both seasons since his extension, with Morgan struggling with injury. $1 million: James Tedesco James Tedesco was lured from the Tigers to the Roosters. Credit:AAP

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