NRL transfer market: Who your club wants to sign and what they need for 2022
With several clubs missing out on Dale Finucane, they could look to at a key Panther to bolster their pack. PLUS who is on the your clubs radar..
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The NRL has two competitions; one is for the premiership. The other competition is signing players.
Phone calls between player agents, clubs and coaches begin as the sun rises.
Emails are sent. Offers made. Contracts forwarded. Roster management in the NRL doesn’t have a full-time siren. There is no whistle.
It is a continuously moving ball that delivers more action off the field than there is on it. So let’s take a look at all 16 teams; who your club chasing – and what your club is looking for.
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RAIDERS
Want a half to replace the hole left by George Williams.
The problem is, there’s a lack of quality stock left available on the open market. Everyone from Mitchell Pearce, Luke Brooks, Gareth Widdop, Matt Moylan, Corey Norman and Phoenix Crossland have been analysed by management. None of them are considered a better alternative to their current-fix, Sam Williams. Management may choose to play the long-game when in 2022 and 2023, Cody Walker, Dylan Brown, Daly Cherry-Evans, Ben Hunt and Adam Doueihi all become available.
EELS
In the last 48-hours, the Eels have put the finishing touches on a new two-year contract for Bryce Cartwright. Utility Will Smith is aiming to be retained, which eats into the theory that the Eels would be keen on Anthony Milford as a bench player. The Eels appeared short of a forward with size in their loss to the Raiders — which lends reason to why Cronulla prop Aaron Woods has been discussed as a bargain-buy.
ROOSTERS
Moved quickly to cover the loss of Isaac Liu to the Titans next year by signing tough ball-carrier from the Bulldogs, Renouf Atoni (formerly To’omaga). The Chooks are keeping cap room for one final roster move over the next eight weeks, possibly for an outside back with veteran centre Josh Morris leaning towards retirement. In the interim, extending the contracts of Joey Manu, Angus Crichton and Nat Butcher – all off-contract in 2022 — is a priority.
KNIGHTS
The return of Dane Gagai is being celebrated within Knights HQ. This was a big one. They wanted an experienced outside back that can provide leadership to their crop of young outside backs. However, the signing of Gagai cost the Knights from being able to push ahead with their pursuit of Dale Finucane. Their focus is now on finding a fourth half for depth purposes, similar to how the Broncos have been able to call up Tyson Gamble and also how the Raiders have used Matt Frawley.
COWBOYS
The Cowboys offered a window to their future by targeting Dale Finucane in a move designed to give them the flexibility of shifting Jason Taumalolo from the middle to an edge. However with Finucane now off the table, the Cowboys are plotting a play for Penrith’s Viliame Kikau – who began his career at the club and who still has family in the region. Kikau is off-contract at the end of 2022. That’s the period during which Penrith, due to their rise and success of their roster, could begin to feel salary cap pressure and could contemplate letting “Kiks” go.
STORM
The Storm are short on salary cap space, so don’t expect any major moves from them in the interim. Queensland State of Origin winger Xavier Coates completes their 2022 roster nicely. If anything, their only remaining move will be a cheap outside back to create further depth out wide. Long-term, they are focused on retaining Brandon Smith beyond 2022.
RABBITOHS
The Rabbitohs’ interest in Anthony Milford spiked after Dane Gagai decided to link with Newcastle. Milford is viewed as a cheap option to provide depth in the Rabbitohs halves after the departure of Adam Reynolds to Brisbane next year. Additionally, the chances of back-up centre Braidon Burns re-signing with Souths have improved in the wake of Gagai’s decision.
WARRIORS
Have been future-proofing themselves over the past month with the signings of Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Matt Lodge and Shaun Johnson. Those moves have left the Warriors out of the race for any further big-name signings. The name of Kodi Nikorima – on contract next year – is being shared among rival clubs as one player that might be released early from his 2022 contract.
SEA EAGLES
In the process of re-signing Dylan Walker as their number 14. However, the big decision for Manly is what they do with power-forward Marty Taupau. The final year of his 2022 contract is heavily back-ended. It’s widely considered that Taupau will land at one of the seven clubs that missed out on Dale Finucane.
WESTS TIGERS
The poor Tigers can’t land a tadpole let alone a big fish, after missing out on Dale Finucane, while Tevita Pangai Jr and Scott Sorensen also knocked them back. I keep hearing Aaron Woods, with his big-body, leadership qualities and emotional ties to his former club, could finish in the black and gold.
PANTHERS
Have signed Tevita Pangai Jr for the remainder of the year, but there will be repercussions down the line. Unfortunately, the Panthers may need to offload a player due to Pangai Jr’s cap inclusion. The recent re-signings of depth forwards Scott Sorensen and Mitch Kenny virtually completes their 2022 roster.
BRONCOS
Signed Kurt Capewell, Adam Reynolds, Corey Jensen, Brenko Lee, Billy Walters and Jordan Pereira for 2022 and beyond. The final piece of their 2022 puzzle was supposed to be Dane Gagai. That fell flat on Friday when Gagai signed with the Knights. The Broncos have around $300,000 left for one final purchase before next season.
DRAGONS
They went hard for Dale Finucane to include in their pack alongside Jaydn Su’A, who signed from Souths last week, but missed out. What they need is a bench utility, like Connor Watson or Connor Tracey, which is why the Saints have offered Wests Tigers Moses Mbye a take-it or leave-it deal.
TITANS
Given the Titans’ overload of big-money talent in their forward pack, their $600,000-plus offer to Dale Finucane confused almost everyone in the game. But with Finucane signing with Cronulla, the Titans have money to spend. What the Titans need now is a hooker, with both Brandon Smith and Josh Hodgson in their sights. Smith is the priority — but they may be forced to wait until 2023.
BULLDOGS
Their shopping spree has been well-publicised and Paul Vaughan is all that remains for the Dogs to complete their 2022 roster. Vaughan will be at Canterbury next year, but beyond that, the Dogs are throwing all their focus at luring Kiwi star Brandon Smith out of Melbourne.
SHARKS
The signings of Dale Finucane and Dragons skipper Cam McInnes complete the Sharks strong forward pack for 2022. Matt Moylan has re-signed on a cut-price 12-month contract while South Sydney’s Braidon Burns is being considered.
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