Wallabies envious as Quade Cooper set to become highest paid club player on planet

Former Wallaby teammates of Quade Cooper have suggested they are envious as the mercurial flyhalf is set to become the world’s most expensive sub-first grade club player.

Cooper has been shunned by Queensland’s Reds headcoach Brad Thorn, and the flyhalf has – of yet – no new club to go to. It sets up the very real possibility that Cooper will end up playing suburban club rugby in Brisbane on a salary of $650,000 a year.

Cooper still has two years left to run on his contract, and could ultimately be left making this sum despite not being involved at an Australian Super Rugby franchise or at any other first-grade professional rugby outfit.

Former teammates Berrick Barnes and Digby Ioane, who arrived in Queensland this week with the Panasonic Wildknights who are set to compete in the Brisbane 10s, said the situation Cooper has found himself in is a not altogether bad arrangement.

“If I was him, I’d be staying and playing club rugby,” Barnes told the Sydney Morning Herald. “It’s the greatest gig in the world.

“I’m not sure what he’s looking at and what his goals are but, yeah, it’s interesting watching on from afar.

“It is … it’s strange. But he signed his deal and the Reds owe him that deal. The ball is in his court as to what he wants to do with his future. He’ll make a decision as to what’s best for him.

“He trains hard and keeps fit … perhaps things change down the track and they want him back.”

Ioane stated: “He didn’t do anything wrong. I just feel for him. I guess he’s the most expensive club player … I’ll take that job. That should be me.

“He’s still getting paid and he’s playing rugby – club footy. Good on him. I hope he just stays at Souths, doesn’t go anywhere and proves himself over again. How much do you need to prove yourself? It’s so weird. I’ve never seen that before.”

“It’s not like they’ve got five-eighths falling from a tree,” Ioane said. “You need depth in Australia. He’s one of their most experienced players and actually a good leader.”

New Queensland Reds head coach Thorn last week publicly spoke for the first time about his decision to drop Cooper.

“I thought Quade last year… the team struggled, his game management, his attack, his defence (struggled)” Thorn explained.

“I’m in this role — sometimes you’ve got to make tough decisions. I played against him as a Crusader, as an All Black. He’s played over 100 games for this club — he’s had success here,” he said.

“He’s a guy who’s served this club really well.”

There’s a huge amount of rumours about where Cooper will end up, with many speculating that he will move to Ulster, who have found themselves without a flyhalf, after a deal to sign Stephen Donald fell through in January.