NRL Market Watch: Adam Doueihi re-signs with Wests Tigers, Dominic Young, Mitch Moses, David Fifita to make call on futures
Wests Tigers star Adam Doueihi has made a call on his future, which could have a massive impact the clubs’ pursuit of Mitchell Moses. See the latest transfer news.
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The Wests Tigers are on the verge of striking a significant blow on the eve of their season opener as Adam Doueihi prepares to ink a one-year extension with the club.
News Corp understands that Doueihi’s retention until the end of 2024 is expected to be confirmed within days, maintaining the feel-good momentum at the Tigers in recent months.
Head coach Tim Sheens and his assistants Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah have been doing everything in their power to revive the spirits at the joint venture, which has struggled to produce results in recent seasons.
Doueihi’s decision to stay is testament to that work. Only a matter of weeks ago, Doueihi spoke about how much he was enjoying the vibe at the club under Sheens, Marshall and Farah as the trio devote the majority of the pre-season to working on the Tigers’ attack.
Doueihi is set to remain a focal point of that attack for at least this season and next as he commits his future to the club.
With Doueihi now under lock and key for the immediate future, the Tigers can switch their attention to other key members of their spine – Daine Laurie, Charlie Staines and Luke Brooks.
All three are off contract at the end of the season and the club is playing a patient game with the trio as they wait to see whether they have struck pay dirt in their pursuit of Parramatta star and former Tigers half Mitchell Moses.
Moses is expected to make a decision as early as next week as he weighs up whether to take a mega-offer from the Tigers or a lucrative deal to remain at Parramatta.
Tigers officials have been quietly confident about securing Moses and the Eels star is expected to put both sides out of their misery within days.
Moses’ potential arrival will have ramifications for Doueihi. The expectation is that if Moses decides to rejoin his former club and the Tigers also decide to extend Brooks, Doueihi will switch to fullback.
Regardless, Doueihi will continue to be part of the Tigers’ future given his decision to accept a one-year extension.
MARKET WATCH PREDICTOR
—David Riccia & Brent Read
The Bulldogs and Rabbitohs have withdrawn their interest in signing one of the hottest stars on the NRL open market, English flyer Dominic Young.
The off-contract Newcastle winger is in the final stages of deciding his future, with the Roosters emerging as the club that could prize the strapping outside back out of the Hunter.
Canterbury and South Sydney were originally interested in adding Young to their backline in 2024.
However, both clubs have decided to cease all talks with the athletic talent and instead invest within and back their own crop of backline potential.
The Bulldogs currently have outside backs Jake Averillo, Paul Alamoti, Josh Addo-Carr, Jacob Kiraz, Hayze Perham, Braidon Burns and Jayden Okunbor at the club and have already signed Test star Stephen Crichton on a four-year deal from 2024 as well as comeback centre Bronson Xerri.
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The Rabbitohs aren’t light on outside back options either with elite NRL talent including Latrell Mitchell, Alex Johnston and Campbell Graham accompanying rising stars Isaiah Tass, Josiah Karapani, Jacob Gagai and Izaac Thompson.
Prior to Christmas, Young, who scored 14 tries in 20 games for a Knights side that ranked second-last for points scored this year, was the focus of extraordinary interest from up to nine NRL clubs including the Roosters, Rabbitohs, Storm, Sharks, Bulldogs, The Dolphins, Titans, Cowboys and Raiders.
At the time, he had the most interest of any player on the open market.
Yet it seems Young will either stay at the Knights, or link with the Roosters after recently having dinner with head coach Trent Robinson.
Here’s the latest on where the other big pending moves are at:
MITCHELL MOSES
The Parramatta half-back’s contract talks have been one of the stories of the summer but the saga is close to reaching a conclusion. Only last week, Moses said he was keen to have a decision over his future made before round one.
That gives him two weeks to make a call on whether to stay at Parramatta or make the move to his former club, the Wests Tigers. The Tigers have offered more money but the Eels would appear to offer more stability.
Moses is expected to sit down with his agent Isaac Moses in the near future to make the biggest call of his career.
Likely destination: Parramatta have edged back in front of the Tigers
HERBIE FARNWORTH AND TOM FLEGLER
Farnworth and Flegler have both spoken openly about their desire to remain in Brisbane but that hasn’t stopped rival clubs asking the question of the pair.
Both are believed to be in the sights of the Dolphins while Manly have tabled a monster deal for the Queensland State of Origin forward.
Brisbane have a fight on their hands to keep both.
Likely outcome: Flegler stays but Farnworth goes
DAVID FIFITA
The barnstorming back-rower is expected to meet his advisors next week as he prepares to make a call on whether he will stay with the Gold Coast or join Canberra.
While other clubs have been linked with the Gold Coast and Tongan star, it is understood it has come down to a straight shootout between the Titans and the Raiders.
Canberra are believed to have offered a more lucrative deal but the Gold Coast have the lure of home and being close to his family.
Fifita is likely to sit down with his agents Michael Hudson and David Riolo at some point in coming days to discuss his options and reach a final decision.
Likely destination: Gold Coast have their nose slightly in front of Canberra
SPENCER LENIU
At least three clubs have expressed a serious interest in Leniu’s future has been a talking point for months as Penrith fight a rearguard action to keep him out of the clutches of rivals.
His asking price has soared but there have been whispers that it may have risen too high for Canterbury, the club most often associated with the hard-running Panthers front rower.
As a result, there have been recent suggestions that the Panthers are well and truly back in the frame.
Likely outcome: too close to call
JESSE RAMIEN
A lucrative three-year deal sits on the table for Ramien at the Sharks that Cronulla offered prior to Christmas.
Ramien is leaning towards re-signing with Cronulla, where he has played his best football under coach Craig Fitzgibbon.
Likely outcome: Stays at Cronulla
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Originally published as NRL Market Watch: Adam Doueihi re-signs with Wests Tigers, Dominic Young, Mitch Moses, David Fifita to make call on futures
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