The ARL Commission are reportedly set to significantly increase the prizemoney on offer for the minor premiership and premiership.
The Daily Telegraph’s Buzz Rothfield revealed on the Big Sports Breakfast the Panthers received $200,000 for winning the premiership while the Eels earned $100,000 for second place.
The sum Penrith took home is dwarfed by AFL premiers Geelong Cats who reportedly earned $1.1 million with the Sydney Swans taking $600,000.
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Panthers CEO Brian Fletcher was unimpressed with what his club received following the grand final, explaining he believed the back-to-back premiership side deserved “a couple of million”.
“They (NRL) got millions extra from the government to play the grand final in Sydney,” Fletcher said to The Daily Telegraph.
“They boast in the newspaper last week about making a $50 million profit. They’ve bought a hotel and restaurant for $25 million. It’s just ridiculous.
“We all agreed to taking a 50 per cent cut in prizemoney when Covid hit.
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“That was fair enough. But there’s no Covid anymore, we sold out the stadium, yet Andrew Abdo won’t move on it.
“The clubs and players put the show on. We’ve put in a lot of effort and a lot of money to get to where we are. Seriously it should be a couple of million.”
ARLC bosses have reportedly responded to Fletcher’s tirade by increasing the prizemoney to $800,000 for a premiership and $200,000 for a minor premiership win.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo confirmed the figures, which are reportedly in the process of being approved by the ARL Commission.
“Of course, it’s a premier competition and we want prize money to be where it needs to be,” Abdo said to The Daily Telegraph.
“Next year, it will be up by four times the current levels, subject to commission approval.
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“We halved it during Covid so it will go back to pre-Covid levels and then I’m putting a proposal forward to double those original levels. It would be the same principle for all prize money.”
Happy with the game’s current financial position ARLC chairman, Peter V’landys was revealed next season’s prizemoney will be record breaking.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys also backed the prize money increase with the NRL’s finances sitting in a strong position.
“Look, we are in a good financial position so we will certainly look at making it (grand final-winning prize money) the most it’s ever been,” V’landys said.
“It’s definitely part of the whole review. We should look at the prize money and make it very attractive for the teams to get into the eight,”
