EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Johns fumes over contract 'circus' as NRL urged to 'sort it out'

Andrew Johns has been left fuming as the ongoing NRL contract "circus" continues to leave fans frustrated in the midst of a strong start to the season.

It has been the story of 2025 thus far starting with Dylan Brown's record $13 million move to the Knights, before Daly Cherry-Evans told Manly he was leaving.

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Things went to a whole new level this week after Lachlan Galvin and his manager Isaac Moses informed the Wests Tigers that they would be rejecting an extension.

It has led to pandemonium, with Benji Marshall and Jarome Luai forced to front cameras on Thursday and set the record straight on the messy saga.

Speaking on Wide World of Sports' Immortal Behaviour, Johns vented his frustrations about the player market system, which has seen players announce their plans well in advance.

"There was the Dylan Brown one. That was a circus that felt like it went for a month, but lucky for him, DCE poked his head up and that went away," Johns said.

"Then all of a sudden it's Lachie Galvin, so DCE gets pushed to the side.

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"Three of the biggest stories this year have been about high-profile players leaving, money and reasons why they're leaving. The game is flying, the ratings are up with Nine and Fox, the crowds are up, but we're not talking about that.

"Can we just sort it out? RLPA and NRL, get in a room and sort it out.

"I'd imagine the fans have just had enough, they've had a gutful."

Wayne Bennett recently pushed for an overhaul to the system, which can see players test the market from November 1 onwards for a season more than a year in advance.

In the case of Galvin, his current club pushed to quieten the noise early by offering him a five-year extension for 2027 and beyond, but once that was turned down, Tigers officials distanced themselves from the teenager and expressed their disappointment.

"It's an absolute mess. The sooner we sort this out the better," Johns continued.

"I feel like we have been talking about this for so long; about transfer windows and players signing contracts 18 months out and players wanting out of contracts.

"Contracts are worth nothing these days."