Arabic version: ستيوارت ينتقد سعي يونغ للانضمام إلى PNG بدافع المال

According to ABC News, Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart says the club withdrew its four-year, $4.4 million offer to Hudson Young after the back-rower pursued an opportunity with the PNG Chiefs. The six-time Kangaroo international travelled to Port Moresby as the 2028 expansion club considered a move for him.

The Raiders’ offer was worth $1.1 million a season and was understood to be the largest in the club’s history. Stuart said the club could not have offered more, describing the bid as possibly too high but saying Canberra had “bent over backwards” to retain Young. He said the club and chief executive Don Furner had to protect the organisation.

PNG had offered Young $900,000 a year, with the tax-free package meaning he would take home more than under Canberra’s proposal. The NRL initially set Young’s market value at $1.1 million before revising it to $1 million. ARLC chairman Peter V’landys said players could challenge their official market value and submit reasons for exceptional circumstances, while the competition remained cautious about salary-cap manipulation.

Stuart said money was the driving factor behind Young’s potential departure, while acknowledging the 28-year-old was entitled to seek new opportunities. Young made his NRL debut for Canberra in 2019 and has played 155 games for the club, as well as nine State of Origin matches for the Blues. He is recovering from an Achilles rupture suffered against South Sydney in July.

Whether Young seeks a release for 2027, before the Chiefs enter the competition in 2028, is a matter for his management, Stuart said. The coach criticised rules allowing players to sign with another club 12 months ahead, calling the process messy and unfair on supporters. Despite taking player departures personally, Stuart said Canberra must now move forward.