Perth ready to dive into deep end as player talks start
Scott Bailey |
Perth will have a smorgasbord of close to 170 NRL players to build their inaugural roster off, as they prepare to officially hit the open market for the first time.
Six months after being announced as the NRL’s 19th team, Bears officials will be able to begin talking to potential signings and making offers from Saturday.
Gold Coast prop Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is expected to be a priority target, with the front-rower holding an option in his contract to leave the Titans next year.
Fa’asuamaleaui headlines a list of contracted NRL players who will officially become free agents on Saturday, with deals set to expire next year.
The Bears could also lean on overseas and interstate talent, with the club set to form an affiliation with both Catalans in France and Easts Tigers in Brisbane.
In total, coach Mal Meninga must convince 30 players to join Perth for their maiden season, with a salary cap of $11.7 million to play with.
Meninga will hit the market with recruitment boss Dane Campbell with the former Broncos list manager having stressed there is no rush to sign talent.
Landing Fa’asuamaleaui would be a fair start, although it is likely he would cost the Bears close to $1.5 million a year to have him walk out on the final seven seasons of his 10-year Titans deal.
The 25-year-old has previously indicated he is not desperate to leave the Gold Coast and is keen to give new coach Josh Hannay a chance.
“I’ve worked with Josh since I was a young kid in the Queensland rep teams and he knows what he wants and how to achieve it,” Fa’asuamaleaui told AAP recently.
“My heart is here at the Titans. I came here to achieve something.
“Those clauses are in (my contract) for a reason, not because I want to leave but as a safety net.
“I hope people can see that. Your career is short in the NRL. I am halfway through it and I wanted to achieve success.”
The halves loom as the most difficult position for the Bears to fill, with a lack of bona-fide play-making talent on the market for 2027.
Whether they are able to repeat the efforts of the Dolphins, who astutely signed an uncapped Isaiya Katoa for their first year, remains to be seen.
Similar issues exist at hooker, with Harry Grant set to extend his contract with Melbourne, leaving Sam Verrills and Billy Walters as the next most experienced options.
But there is talent elsewhere.
Selwyn Cobbo, Reuben Garrick and Tolu Koula loom as realistic targets in the backs, while Liam Henry and Lindsay Smith headline the host of props available.
There are also no limits to the amount of backrowers on the market, with representative stars Kurt Capewell, Angus Crichton, Kurt Mann Viliame Kikau, Keaon Koloamatangi, Scott Sorensen and former Blue Siosifa Talakai among them.
The other factor is what impact the Bears could have on other clubs in coming months.
Most clubs agree the addition of Perth in 2027, PNG in 2028 and threat of R360 will drive up the price of top-line talent, while also offering more options for fringe and mid-tier players.
Cronulla, Gold Coast and North Queensland have the most spots to fill for 2027 with just 11 locked in.
Newcastle and new coach Justin Holbrook have the least room to move with 26 spots in their 30-man roster for 2027 already allocated.
AAP
