Raiders forward Hudson Young says the PNG Chiefs’ tax-free dollars will help wipe his mortgage and look after his family financially, while also conceding he wants to fulfil his final year at Canberra – provided coach Ricky Stuart will have him.
Young touched down in Sydney late on Friday, just hours after Chiefs coach Willie Peters confirmed out-of-favour Rooster Sam Walker was a serious option as the club’s inaugural halfback if Walker was genuine about a move north.
The Chiefs flew Young to Port Moresby on Wednesday, and hope to nail down the representative forward, who is recovering from a season-ending Achilles injury, as signing #008.
Young does not want to leave the Chiefs waiting, and said it was important he got the chance to inspect the country for himself so he was comfortable with any decision to commit.
The newcomers initially discussed a $900,000-a-season offer for Young, only for the NRL to confirm his market value under the salary cap would be $1 million. Tax-free third-party sponsors will also sweeten any deal for Young, who is regarded as one of the best second-rowers in rugby league.
The Raiders sensationally pulled their $4.4m four-year offer last week, and Stuart later told The Canberra Times he would entertain an early release for Young.
Young has stayed quiet about his future – until now.
“PNG will want a decision soon, and I need to go back and speak to my family,” Young told this masthead.
“One of the reasons why I’ve done this is because I’m 28 years old, I’m single, I don’t have any family in Canberra. It’s nothing against Canberra as to why I’ve gone up there and had a look.
“Canberra is a club I love. ‘Sticky’ [Stuart] has given me everything, and he still does.
“But it is in the back of my mind I can do two or three years up there and come home and be mortgage free.
“I haven’t come from money, so there are those benefits I can give my family and everyone around me. I also want to keep developing as a good footballer.
“I’m just doing what 170 other blokes [in the NRL] are doing and exploring my options. It’s not about exploring my value.
“There’s nothing there (in Canberra) holding me back from doing something like this. It’s about where do I want to be in the next stage of my life and career.
“There’s a lot to take in. A lot has been said. I need to make a decision and back it.”
Young said it had never entered his mind he would cut and run early from the Raiders in 2027.
“If I do move on in 2028, I don’t want to play for another club in 2027,” he said.
“But it comes down to Sticky, it’s his team, if he doesn’t see fit for me to play at the club, I’d have to make a decision around that as well.
“But it’s never crossed my mind for that to happen. I want to get back to 100 per cent with my leg and get back playing my best footy I can.”
The Raiders offered Young the richest contract in the club’s history, and were even prepared to extend the deal to a fifth season.
Club officials became frustrated when Young’s management asked for ratchet clauses to be included in any package to allow for the salary cap rising in future years, which could have seen the back-rower’s earning surge towards $1.3m a year, a figure the Raiders were never going to entertain.
Young ruptured his Achilles in the second half of the season, which cost him his Kangaroos jersey at the World Cup. It also paused his chance to tour Port Moresby earlier. He will return to pre-season training in the next fortnight, and said he would be back running before Christmas.
The Chiefs have already signed Joey Manu, Jarome Luai, Alex Johnston, Zac Lomax, Brian To’o, Connor Watson and Matty Lees.
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