Locker Room: James Fisher-Harris send NRL open market into frenzy by joining Warriors, 12 clubs most impacted by move
Panthers winger Sunia Turuva is off to the Wests Tigers, freeing up a chunk of cash for Penrith. Currently in the market for a prop, could this lead to them poaching Stefano Utoikamanu from under the Tigers’ nose? DAVID RICCIO analyses the player market.
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The stealth-like manoeuvring of Penrith’s James Fisher-Harris to the Warriors may have shocked NRL fans.
However, the reverberation across the game is of far greater significance.
As a result of his stunning call, Fisher-Harris has single-handedly changed the entire NRL open market with up to 12 clubs immediately impacted by the Kiwi Test prop’s decision.
Within hours of Fisher-Harris’ decision going public, the phones of manager’s of every other leading front-rower in the game began to ring.
Let’s look at the 12 clubs impacted the most by Fisher-Harris’ call.
PANTHERS
The exit of Fisher-Harris at the end of this season frees up salary cap space for Penrith to respond.
Fans may want answers on how Penrith intend to fill the void of their marquee prop, but as it stands, Penrith management are taking a less gung-ho approach.
They will take their time in working out, do they either, buy-up big, promote from within, or alternatively shift their playing style by purchasing a backrower (a position they lack depth in), who can also play in the middle.
The potentially bigger issue could still come with outstanding prop Moses Leota.
Leota is on a deal worth around $650,000 through until the end of 2027.
What would Leota think if the Panthers buy over the top of the three-time premiership winner, for example, by paying close to $800,000 for Wests Tigers rising star Stefano Utoikamanu?
Suddenly, the Panthers may need to consider upgrading Leota’s contract, in order to keep him.
The other big watch and see is the possible return of Spencer Leniu, currently at the Roosters. He left Penrith for the Roosters on only a two-year deal.
He is free to negotiate from November 1.
KNIGHTS
Aware of the impact of Fisher-Harris’ decision on the front-row market, the Knights have wasted no time by moving to retain hard-running prop Leo Thompson.
In a fresh development, Thompson received a multi-year offer to extend his current contract last Friday.
Although contracted through until the end of 2025, that hasn’t stopped at least six clubs forwarding their interest in talking to the young bull once he’s available to speak with clubs from November 1.
The Panthers are definitely one of the clubs that would be willing to speak with Thompson.
There has been a suggestion that the acquisition of Thompson’s brother Tyrone to the Knights next season is some type of security blanket for Newcastle.
However, Tyrone is headed to the Knights from New Zealand rugby union on a 12-month contract, mirroring the expiration of his deal with that of his brother’s.
It’s worth noting also, the Knights have 12 other players off-contract at the end of 2025.
DRAGONS
Only the Bulldogs can match the desire of the Dragons to land a marquee front-rower.
Fisher-Harris’ move only heightens St George Illawarra’s search and makes it potentially more difficult with the premiers replacing the cashed-up Warriors as the rival suitor that the Dragons, and others, will need to compete against.
St George Illawarra went hard for Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake, an indication of their clear desire to find that spearhead upfront.
They are yet to spend that money.
Utoikamanu, Thompson, Leniu, or potentially Daniel or Jacob Saifiti are all options for the Dragons.
ROOSTERS
Fisher-Harris’ decision has suddenly placed a spotlight on the head of Roosters recruit, Leniu.
The former premiership-winning Penrith prop signed with the Chooks in 2024 on the lure of transforming from a bench forward at the Panthers to a starting prop at the Roosters.
His eight-game suspension for a round one racial slur has stymied those goals.
It makes the second-half of the season all the more intriguing for Leniu, given that being off-contract at the end of 2025, he can negotiate with rival clubs from November 1.
Should he prove he’s a starting prop at the Roosters, a move back to Penrith would hardly surprise.
BULLDOGS
Beware the Bulldogs and Phil Gould wanting to show the rest of the game that he can still out fox his rivals in a hotly-congested market for front-rowers.
The Dogs are desperate for some starch upfront, with the current pack of underrated workers punching above their weight under coach Cameron Ciraldo.
Like the Dragons, the Dogs need a spearhead.
However, there’s a catch-22 situation developing at Canterbury with several of their young and promising forward’s tracking towards the NRL, but still at least two years away from arriving to first grade.
The Bulldogs want success now, but also don’t want to buy over the top of their future stars.
WESTS TIGERS
The next move made by Utoikamanu, the powerful 23-year-old prop, could have as much impact on the open market as Fisher-Harris has.
It’s becoming increasingly likely, particularly following Fisher-Harris’ decision, that Utoikamanu will wait as long as possible before making a call on his future.
Why rush when there’s so many buyers?
At the very least, he will hold off before the NSW State of Origin side is named, given the clause in his contract, which is related to his Origin selection,
If Utoikamanu plays two games for the Blues, it triggers an immediate extension until the end of 2025.
Which in reality, only buys the Tigers a few more months this year, before Utoikamanu is allowed to go back on the open market on November 1 this year.
RABBITOHS
Given their languishing status, it would be negligent if the Rabbitohs aren’t considering shaking up their roster by adding a marquee prop to their forward pack.
Particularly when starting prop for their past three games Tom Burgess will call full-time on his NRL career and head home to England in 2025.
If the Bunnies resist entering the battle for a leading prop, it will leave Davvy Moale, Tevita Tatola, Shaq Mitchell and Sean Keppie as the Rabbitohs first-choice props in 2025.
SHARKS
Cronulla were able to claim the first major front-row scalp on the open market when they secured Warriors prop Addin Fonua-Blake last December.
The Sharks now have their spearhead to lead a developing pack in 2025.
However, Fonua-Blake’s arrival could come at a cost, made even more likely now that Fisher-Harris has set the market alight.
Power forward Jack Williams is yet to be secured beyond this season.
Starting prop Oregon Kaufusi, one of the Sharks most consistent forwards, is without a deal beyond 2025.
On the comeback trail from injury, Royce Hunt also has the ability to negotiate with rival clubs from November 1.
STORM
The next few weeks could prove paramount in determining if Melbourne persist with trying to find the best version of Nelson Asofa-Solomona, or they cut their losses and release the man mountain.
His release would then allow the Storm to join the dozen clubs chasing a marquee prop. Every footy fan knows the Storm are one club you don’t want to be bidding against.
Further to Asofa-Solomona, the Storm have forward pack mainstay Tui Kamikamica off-contract at the end of 2025.
COWBOYS
Like the Knights, the Cowboys have moved to secure their best forward talent by pushing forward a new contract extension for Kiwi Test prop Griffin Neame.
Neame, 23, is viewed as a future pack leader at the Cowboys and given the activity for props on the open market, the club aren’t willing to sit back and risk losing Neame, even though he still has next season on his current deal.
The fly in the ointment for the Cowboys is the longevity of $1 million forward Jason Taumalolo. The final year of his original 10-year deal is in 2027.
WARRIORS
The Warriors have secured their forward pack future with Fisher-Harris replacing the departing Fonua-Blake.
What’s interesting is what unfolded when the news broke. Rival clubs wasted no time picking up the phone to the Warriors, asking if they need to release a player to fit Fisher-Harris in.
More than one club asked if the Warriors would release Mitch Barnett, a request the Warriors had no interest in.
In fact, the Warriors salary cap is in such good order that they claim they don’t have to lose a player to remain cap compliant.
DOLPHINS
When one door closes, another one opens. That’s the situation the Dolphins are heading towards with the end-of-season retirement of captain Kiwi Test prop Jesse Bromwich.
It will leave a gaping hole in the Dolphins starting front-row with Thomas Flegler spearheading a pack of respected tradesman that includes Mark Nicholls, Josh Kerr and Kenny Bromwich.
The recruitment of a young prop like Utoikamanu would ensure, that alongside Flegler, the Dolphins boast one of the best front-rows in the game.
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