Paul Gallen has levelled criticism at the Knights after the club secured star Eels playmaker Dylan Brown on a 10-year contract worth a reported $14 million, branding Newcastle “irresponsible”.
But Phil Gould said he understood why Newcastle “took the gamble” on the 24-year-old Kiwi and explained a dearth of quality playmakers had created recruitment “desperation”.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Monday night that Brown had agreed to join the Knights following the 2025 NRL season, which was confirmed by the fleet-footed five-eighth on Instagram shortly after.
He has signed the most lucrative contract in NRL history, in terms of what it’s worth over its entirety.
Gallen hit out at Newcastle on Nine’s 100% Footy.
“The first thing I’m asking if I’m a Newcastle fan is: the people who made the decision to sign him for 10 years, are they going to be there in 10 years’ time? Because if this doesn’t work, if this fails, who’s to pay?” Gallen said.
“… This game is such a tough game, it’s so physical, these days with all the head knocks and injuries things can go wrong pretty quickly.
Star Eels playmaker Dylan Brown is set for a move to the Knights on a 10-year deal worth a reported $14 million. Getty
“… Now I hope it works out for him, I hope he goes out there and kills it, I hope they win a comp or two and everything works out OK. But I just think it’s a little bit irresponsible signing someone to a 10-year deal.
“The money — I’m all for players making as much money as they can.
“… I just think it’s a little bit irresponsible from certain people at the club, and I hope whoever made the decision is still there in 10 years’ time.”
Brown opted against triggering a lucrative option in his Parramatta contract.
Under NRL rules, Parramatta has 10 days to persuade Brown into backing out of the Newcastle deal now that the offer has been submitted to the league, but the Eels appear resigned to losing the New Zealand international.
“Dylan is a class player, we understand his decision to take up the offer and no one could begrudge him for accepting this opportunity for him and his family,” said Eels football manager Mark O’Neill in a club statement.
The combination Brown is set to conjure with Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga, who’s reportedly making $1.4 million a year on a deal expiring in 2027, is mouthwatering.
The Auckland-born Brown will be 35 when his Knights contract expires in 2035.
“A lot of it [Brown’s eyewatering deal] … comes out of the desperation of our game,” Gould said on 100% Footy.
“We’ve got so few playmakers available. It’s been proven you need representative-class playmakers to challenge for premierships in the competition. That’s just a given. And we don’t have enough for every team in the competition. There’s only a handful of them that can get the job done.
“Dylan Brown is seen as the next wave … Dylan Brown is probably one of the more explosive young ball-runners in the competition, [so] I can see why they’ve taken the gamble.
“I’m not worried about the money and I’m not that worried about the 10 years, either, because I think they’re getting him in the prime of his career.”