Wests Tigers weigh up move for Broncos prop Joe Ofahengaue

The transfer market continues to pick up pace, with Brisbane’s former Maroons prop Joe Ofahengaue eye a move to Wests Tigers.

Jack Johns has signed to play with Newcastle next season. Picture: Gregg Porteous. NRL Photos

Wests Tigers are weighing up a play for Broncos prop Joe Ofahengaue that could trigger a raft of NRL player moves.

The Tigers are continuing with plans to reshape their roster as forwards Josh Aloiai and Luke Garner are linked with moves to Manly.

Ofahengaue had a Zoom meeting with Tigers officials last week. Bizarrely, the Maroons forward has since followed the Wests Tigers on his Instagram account and does not follow the Broncos, in what could be a sign of an impending move. The Tigers have also been linked to a homecoming for Sea Eagles back-rower Curtis Sironen in a mooted player swap.

The Dragons are understood to have cooled their interest in Ofahengaue. If Ofahengaue, 25, does move on it would allow the Broncos to sign out of contract Cowboys premiership-winner John Asiata.

Discussions between the Dragons and Cronulla forward Billy Magoulias are ongoing as is Jason Saab’s impending move to Manly.

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Joe Ofahengaue is eyeing a move to Wests Tigers. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

Meanwhile Wests Tigers premiership winner Brett Hodgson is closing in on a Super League head coaching job.

Hodgson is the frontrunner to land the vacant Hull FC coaching position after being relegated to a pathways role with the Tigers for 2021.

Hodgson had worked as an NRL assistant to Michael Maguire but was shifted at the end of this season. It is understood he is the leading candidate for the Hull FC job which was vacated when Lee Radford was sacked on television in March.

The club’s interim coach and ex-player Andy Last impressed during his short-stint in charge, taking them to within one victory of a shock grand final appearance. They fell 29-2 to Wigan in the preliminary final on Friday but Last lost no admirers during his time in charge.

After a decorated playing stint in Australia, Hodgson spent the final five years of his career playing in England. He then transitioned into a coaching role as an assistant coach at Widnes before returning to the Tigers in 2018.

Brett Hodgson is closing in a on Super League head coaching job.

The Canterbury Bulldogs have moved to fend off interest from western Sydney rival Parramatta in boom forward Matt Doorey.

Doorey made his NRL debut in round 14 this year for the Bulldogs under interim coach Steve Georgallis and played five games before suffering a season-ending PCL injury.

The impressive youngster has caught the attention of the Eels, who are set to make a play for the Australian Schoolboy and NSW under-20s representative.

Doorey has one more year left on his development contract at Belmore but the Eels are looking at adding the talented Cabramatta junior to their roster in 2022.

Bulldogs rookie Matt Doorey has attracted attention from rival clubs. Picture: Brett Costello

Also at Canterbury, it’s believed Benji Marshall has been discussed as an option for next season if the club does not land Penrith playmaker Matt Burton for 2021.

The Bulldogs have offered Burton a two-year deal from season 2022 worth around $800,000 but are hoping the Panthers will release him from the final year of his deal at the foot of the mountains.

If that scenario does not eventuate, it’s believed Marshall will be explored as an option in season 2021 in a bid to add depth and experience in the halves stocks.

Veteran playmaker Blake Green had been signed on a one-year deal for next season but will now stay in Newcastle.

TWO SONS OF GUNS EXIT REDFERN

Two sons of guns have departed South Sydney with Bayley Sironen now joining Jack Johns on the way out of Redfern.

The son of legendary Balmain Tiger Paul Sironen, Bayley had a terrific season with the Rabbitohs that recently earned him a contract extension until the end of 2021.

But after receiving interest from the Warriors, the Rabbitohs did not want to stand in his way to take up a longer deal playing under Nathan Brown from next season.

Sironen came of age in 2020 after gaining a regular spot in Wayne Bennett’s starting side and was one of the NRL’s most improved players. He has signed a three-year deal with the New Zealand club.

Bayley Sironen has left South Sydney to join the Warriors. Picture: Gregg Porteous/NRL Photos

The Rabbitohs wanted to keep Sironen but couldn’t extend his future beyond next season at this point.

Bennett was a huge fan of his utility value, playing him as an edge backrower and also in the halves when required.

The 23-year-old is as tough as he is talented and will be a great pick up for Brown.

His brother Curtis could also be on the move after being linked with a return to the Tigers.

Warriors recruitment officer Peter O’Sullivan has been chasing Bayley Sironen’s signature.

“We have had our eyes on Bayley for some time but we didn’t have the positions available at the time,” O’Sullivan said.

“Fortunately he became available now. Nathan (Brown) was keen to add a point of difference to our squad to balance our key signings and Bayley will bring that. He comes from one of the game’s greatest families and will add some invaluable footy IQ to our squad.”

Earlier, it was revealed that another Johns will turn out for the Newcastle Knights next season.

Talented edge forward Jack Johns, son of Matty and nephew of Joey has agreed to a two-year contract.

Jack Johns has agreed to a two-year contract with Newcastle. Picture: Gregg Porteous/NRL Photos

It’s an interesting story in that the Rabbitohs cut the 23-year-old forward at the end of the season. They then changed their minds and offered him a new deal a week ago.

It was too late … he’d agreed to join Newcastle and refused to go back on his word.

Johns is one of many players who struggled without a reserve grade competition this year.

He did play two games for the Rabbitohs and looked a handy player.

In a text message coach Adam O’Brien confirmed the signing on a development contract and added “he’s a great young man.”

Uncle Andrew played 249 games for the Knights over 15 seasons. Dad Matty played 176 games over nine seasons.

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Cronulla are close to re-signing young halfback Braydon Trindall in a move that is expected to torpedo any chance of Wests Tigers veteran Benji Marshall heading to the Shire.

The Sharks have one of the most stressed salary caps in the competition and after signing veteran Canterbury prop Aiden Tolman on a one-year deal earlier this week, they are unlikely to be big movers in the transfer market.

Trindall, a former Queensland under-20s halfback, made his NRL debut in Cronulla’s Round 12 win over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium and played five games in his rookie season.

Aiden Tolman has joined the Sharks on a one-year deal. Picture: Getty Images

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With Josh Mansour and Dean Whare being given permission to negotiate with other clubs, one player who has emerged on Penrith’s radar is Melbourne centre Marion Seve. Seve played 19 games in two seasons for the Storm, but after starting the season in the No.3 jersey fell down the pecking order.

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Wests Tigers have officially got their man — but hopes of Daine Laurie making an early switch to Concord appear have been dashed. While Laurie on Friday confirmed a two-year deal from 2022, Tigers officials had held out hope of the young fullback gaining an early release from his contract to join the club immediately. But the Panthers have held firm and Laurie will play out the 2021 season with Penrith before linking with Michael Maguire’s side.

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Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has made polishing up rough diamonds something of a speciality in his time with the Eels, which could make him the ideal coach to get the best out of incoming duo Keegan Hipgrave and Bryce Cartwright.

Hipgrave and Cartwright have joined the blue and golds from the Titans with Hipgrave’s aggressive approach and Cartwright’s skill with ball in hand both standing out over their time in first grade.

Keegan Hipgrave will add some aggression to the Eels’ pack in 2021. Picture: AAP

But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the two backrowers — Hipgrave can be prone to lapses in discipline, and has battled concussion issues over the past few seasons while Cartwright has battled injury and loss of form since his last year with Penrith in 2017.

Arthur has salvaged many a career in the past, helping turn things around for the likes of Kane Evans, Michael Jennings, Shaun Lane and Reagan Campbell-Gillard.

“Brad’s really good at that, you see what he’s done with some of the players in our team. You really go to the next level when Brad is coaching you,” Eels halfback Mitch Moses said.

“He’s really good at that, and hopefully he can bring out the best footy in the players that have come.”

Both Hipgrave and Cartwright will help bolster Parramatta’s forward depth, which has taken a hit following the departure of Evans and Andrew Davey, as well as the retirement of David Gower.

“They’ll bring a lot of energy and competition for spots,” Moses said.

“Keegan is a big unit and I’d rather have him on my side than play against him.

“I played a bit of junior footy with Bryce in the junior sides so I know him pretty well, I know the kind of player he can be. Hopefully he finds a bit of form, and coming to us he can really play some of his best footy.”

Star centre James Roberts has signed a two-year deal at Wests Tigers.

LOCKED AND LOADED

- Wests Tigers have taken a punt on wayward star James Roberts, who joins his fifth NRL club on a cut-price two-year deal.

- Newcastle have signed Bailey Hodgson, the nephew of Canberra Raiders and England Test hooker Josh Hodgson, on a three-year deal.

- The Knights have also re-signed prop Josh King to a one-year contract and snared former Bulldogs forward Sauaso Sue on a two-year deal.

- Korbin Sims has left St George Illawarra to join English Super League giants Hull Kingston Rovers on a three-year deal, while fellow front-rower Kaide Ellis has re-signed with the Dragons for 2021

- Cronulla have signed veteran Canterbury prop Aiden Tolman to a one-year deal.

- Gold Coast have signed young forward Sam McIntyre from the Wests Tigers.

Originally published as Wests Tigers weigh up move for Broncos prop Joe Ofahengaue