NRL 2023 halves transfer latest: Club-by-club halfback analysis and key targets
The NRL halves market is as hot as it gets. We look at every club’s options and targets – including Adam Reynolds’ potential successor at the Broncos.
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A halfback can make or break a side’s premiership credentials, and that’s a lesson Penrith is teaching the rest of the NRL.
Their marquee man Nathan Cleary is tied up deep into the future, and while the halfback might be hamstrung at the moment but coach Ivan Cleary is not thanks to the depth in his roster.
Jack Cogger has slotted into Cleary’s no.7 jumper seamlessly, with their depth at halfback extending to Kurt Falls and young gun Jack Cole.
Ben Hunt’s request for a release from the Dragons has been blocked for now and the halfback has been heavily linked with the Titans. While Canterbury’s need for experience in the halves has them ready to pounce.
The halves cupboard is bare at Concord, both now and into next season, after Luke Brooks decided to exit the club at season’s end. Like the Bulldogs, the Tigers are desperate for an organising halfback. Sam Walker is shaping as a crucial piece to Trent Robinson’s halves puzzle despite his 21-year-old’s rocky year at Bondi.
Here’s how each club’s halfback stocks are faring, whether reinforcements are needed to build depth, and who should be recruitment targets. Ratings are based on a combination of quality and current roster depth.
PANTHERS
Penrith’s No.7 jumper is in safe hands with Cleary (2027), who will likely be a one-club player. Cleary’s Origin duties, and injury, have shown the importance of depth in the position but coach Ivan Cleary is flush with options in the likes of Jack Cogger (2023) and Kurt Falls (2023). Joseph Nohra made a mid-season switch from South Sydney and played his first game for Penrith’s Jersey Flegg side on the weekend.
Rating: A
Target: With Cleary locked in, Penrith will only target a depth signing. But Cogger has slotted in seamlessly in Cleary’s (hamstring) absence and is poised for an extension.
BRONCOS
Veteran Adam Reynolds wants to extend his deal beyond season 2024, giving Brisbane security. But the Broncos need a succession plan. Jock Madden is on the books and has shown he can competently cover. Long term, Will Parslow, a product of the Broncos Academy, is an option, but is playing at fullback for feeder club Wynnum Manly with Jordan Davies at No.7.
Rating: B
Target: With immediate depth not a concern, the club must shore up its future and Broncos junior Sam Walker (2025) could be the answer. With some uncertainty over his future at the Roosters, Walker shapes as a suitable successor to Reynolds.
STORM
Jahrome Hughes (2026), like the rest of Melbourne’s spine, is signed long-term. But the club already has a ready made replacement in Jonah Pezet, who is viewed as the future in the halves. Pezet’s game awareness and ball playing make him an option at either five-eighth or halfback. Pezet’s Jersey Flegg halves partner Keagan Russell-Smith is progressing well, with his kicking the highlight of his game. Tyran Wishart (2025) provides utility value and is locked into the top 30.
Rating: B+
Target: Pezet is next in line and given his talent, Melbourne are unlikely to sign a star halfback that would block the 20-year-old’s path to the NRL. So a depth signing like Kyle Flanagan, who can now cover at hooker, is an option.
RABBITOHS
South Sydney went all in on Lachlan Ilias (2025), anointing the 23-year old as Reynolds’ successor. The role is Ilias’ to lose, which has relegated Blake Taaffe (2023) and Dean Hawkins (2023) as cover to Ilias and Cody Walker.
Hawkins has been a mainstay at halfback in the NSW Cup side, while Taaffe has transformed into a utility.
Rating: B-
Target: Brandon Wakeham has put himself in the shopfront window this year and would be a handy pick-up for Jason Demetriou given he can cover both positions in the halves.
SHARKS
Nicho Hynes’ Dally M-winning form landed him a mega deal until the end of season 2029 but has led to an oversupply of halfbacks in the Shire. Braydon Trindall (2025) is stuck in NSW Cup but is too good for reserve grade. The club has pinched rising playmaker Niwhai Puru (2024), who is an elusive, skilful, goal-kicking halfback from Penrith who helped the Panthers to the 2022 Jersey Flegg premiership.
Rating: A
Target: With stocks full, coach Craig Fitzgibbon’s priority is not another halfback signing but trying to ensure Trindall remains a Shark given there is no shortage of clubs looking for a playmaker of his talents.
WARRIORS
Shaun Johnson (2023) looks set to agree to terms for another season in New Zealand, creating a logjam in the halves. Ronald Volkman, Luke Metcalf, Te Maire Martin and the returning Chanel Harris-Tavita are all contracted until the end of 2025 and it seems impossible the Warriors will be able to keep them all on the books heading into next season.
Rating: A-
Target: Warriors coach Andrew Webster won’t be in the market given the surplus of halves already on the roster.
RAIDERS
Jamal Fogarty is signed until the end of season 2024 but with five-eighth Jack Wighton off to South Sydney, the Raiders could be in for a halves shake-up. Brad Schneider (2023) is behind Fogarty and next in line for the No.7 jumper. While Matt Frawley (2023) can provide some added cover in the halves.
Rating: C
Target: Former Roosters playmaker Lachlan Lam is wanting to return to the NRL from the English Super League and has had talks with Canberra. The diminutive halfback’s skill and kicking has helped Leigh Leopards rocket up the Super League table.
SEA EAGLES
Manly’s No.7 jumper appears to be in good hands both now and into the future. Skipper Daly Cherry-Evans (2025) shows no signs of slowing down, but when he does, the club has two youngsters ready to step up. Jamie Humphreys is a deft ball runner and a capable goal kicker. But Latu Fainu (2025), one of Manly’s hottest prospects, is the most likely to take over from Cherry-Evans. Anthony Seibold has added Parramatta’s Jake Arthur, who adds depth in the position.
Rating: B-
Target: Manly’s priority should be the development of Fainu, 18, to ensure he is ready for the NRL once Cherry-Evans hangs up the boots.
EELS
Jake Arthur’s mid-season move to Manly has exposed just how thin Parramatta are in halves stocks with Daejarn Asi (2023) now the only genuine halfback option for Mitchell Moses. Since Moses (2026) is signed for the next three seasons, the Eels only need a depth signing. The club is banking on Blaize Talagi (2025) and Ethan Sanders (2024) developing through the ranks but neither is ready for the NRL – plus, their path to top is blocked by Moses and Dylan Brown. Sanders has a skill set and game awareness beyond his years, but is on the radar of Penrith and Canberra.
Rating: D
Target: Whoever the Eels go after must be content playing second fiddle to Moses. If Penrith can’t lock down Cogger, the halfback shapes as a genuine option. He has proven he can fill-in for an elite halfback thanks to his solid kicking game.
TITANS
Justin Holbrook wants an experienced game manager and the club has made a serious approach for St George Illawarra’s Ben Hunt. The Titans already have Toby Sexton (2024) and Tanah Boyd (2024) but the pursuit of Hunt is an indication neither is viewed as a long term No.7. Tom Weaver, 20, is progressing well and edging closer to an NRL debut.
Rating: C+
Target: The Titans are favourites for Hunt’s services. Should they miss out, there are other experienced options who can add pedigree to Holbrook’s spine. Premiership winning halfback Chad Townsend hits the market in November. Former Titans playmaker Aidan Sezer also fits the brief and his contract with Leeds Rhinos is up at the end of 2023.
DOLPHINS
Sean O’Sullivan (2025) had a mighty start to his Dolphins career before a pec injury sidelined him long term. He returns soon. Boom playmaker Isaiya Katoa has filled in for O’Sullivan admirably. Wayne Bennett also has leaned on Kodi Nikorima (2024) and Anthony Milford (2024) but the former has mostly been used at five-eighth.
Rating: C
Target: O’Sullivan is shaping as the future at No.7 but injuries have exposed the lack of high calibre experience in the spine. The key is patience with O’Sullivan, who shown early he could be the answer at halfback. And with cover provided by Nikorima and Milford, Bennett doesn’t need to rush to the market just yet.
ROOSTERS
Trent Robinson’s immediate halves dilemma is set to ease after news Luke Keary (2024) has escaped a serious jaw injury. Young halfback Sandon Smith, an organising No.7 who can take on the line, was solid in his starting debut against Newcastle last weekend.
Sam Walker is still a key man in the equation but is still a couple of weeks away from returning from a knee injury.
Rating: C
Target: If Keary moves on from the club after 2024, the Roosters would look to a five-eighth with Smith and Walker as the options at halfback. Jarome Luai (2024) would come at a huge cost, making Tom Deardan (2024) an appealing option as a foil to either Walker or Smith.
KNIGHTS
Phoenix Crossland (2024) and Adam Clune (2023) can both cover for Jackson Hastings, who is a lock at No.7 for the foreseeable future. In the lower grades, Mitch Henderson helped guide the Knights to the 2022 Jersey Flegg grand final. Henderson was joined by Liam Sutton in the halves in Flegg this year and both can play at halfback or five-eighth.
Rating: B-
Target: With options to cover for Hastings, the Knights are set in the halfback stocks.
COWBOYS
Coach Todd Payten has options outside of captain Chad Townsend (2024) in Ben Hampton (2023), who can also cover at five-eighth. But Hampton, 30, has only played three NRL games in two seasons and is stuck in the Queensland Cup.
Youngster Jake Burke is a crafty playmaker and was elevated into the top 30, while Tom Duffy is widely regarded as one of the best halfbacks coming through in the country. His game management and kicking caught the eye of Canterbury but he knocked an offer to join the Bulldogs earlier this year.
Rating: B+
Target: Payten has moved to quash rumours Townsend is on the outer alleviating the need to hit the market for a new No.7. If Duffy, Queensland’s under 19’s halfback, continues to progress he’ll push for Townsend spot in 2025.
BULLDOGS
Canterbury spent big to poach Karl Oloapu (2026) from Brisbane and Matt Burton (2027). Oloapu is the one the club eventually wants in the No.7 jumper but Burton has been moved to halfback in a bid to encourage his game management. The Bulldogs also have Bailey Biondi-Odo, Kyle Flanagan (2023), Josh Reynolds (2023) and Khaled Rajab as back-up halves. Jonah Glover is showing promise in Jersey Flegg.
Rating: B-
Target: Canterbury want a steady hand in the halves to help guide its crop of young halfbacks, making Dragons No.7 Ben Hunt the big ticket player on the club’s radar.
TIGERS
Luke Brooks dropped a bombshell on the Tigers last week, telling the club that after 11 seasons he will not be taking up an extension. It leaves the club scrambling for a No.7 from next season. The Tigers have prospects like Lachlan Galvin and Iverson Matai in their junior ranks but the duo are not yet ready to make the jump to the NRL. Adam Doueihi (ACL) is out for an extended period, while Brandon Wakeham is unsigned beyond 2023.
Rating: D
Target: The club had made approaches to seasoned campaigners Mitchell Pearce and Shaun Johnson. But a quality rookie halfback could be the better option, and negates further upheaval in the crucial position. At 24, Luke Metcalf, who can bring some game management, could be a target.
DRAGONS
Ben Hunt wants out of Wollongong and if the worst does happen then Jayden Sullivan would be the next in line at halfback.
Across the roster, Moses Mbye (2023) provides depth in a number of spine positions. As does NSW Cup playmaker Zac Herring, who can play at five-eighth and halfback.
Rating: C
Target: Without Hunt, new coach Shane Flanagan will be left with a young and inexperienced halves combination. Of the available halfbacks, Luke Brooks has the experience, will come at a discount and can play at either six or seven.
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