NRL Market Watch special: Free agency frenzy as nearly 200 players hit open market

He is stuck behind Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes at the Storm, now the kid widely rated the best young playmaker yet to play NRL has confirmed his future.

(L-R) Mitchell Moses, Matt Burton, David Fifita and Herbie Farnworth are among the players on the market.

The NRL’s hottest teenage halfback is set to be taken off the market with young gun Jonah Pezet agreeing to stay at the Melbourne Storm.

It comes after the off contract Cooper Johns was recently let go, with Johns now being linked to Manly.

Pezet, 19, will take up a two-year extension keeping him at the Storm until at least the end of 2025.

The Storm have also secured former Bulldog Nick Meaney’s future also until the end of 2025 after he filled a valuable utility role this season.

Young backrower Trent Loiero is another who recently recommitted to the Storm until the end of 2025.

Pezet was the standout for NSW under 19s this year with four try assists in the big win over Queensland back in June.

He is widely rated the best young playmaker yet to play NRL emerging in the game.

Immortal Andrew Johns labelled Pezet’s performance for the junior Blues “sensational”.

Jonah Pezet had a blinder for NSW under 19s.

Pezet would have attracted huge interest but has backed himself at the Storm, despite superstar New Zealander Jahrome Hughes being contracted until the end of 2026.

While he’s yet to debut in the top grade, the Storm were impressed with the way Pezet handled himself towards the backend of the season playing against the men in the Queensland Cup for Brisbane Easts.

FREE AGENCY FREE-FOR-ALL AS 40% OF NRL HITS MARKET

It’s the starting gun for the NRL’s biggest player trade sale.

As of Tuesday some 190-plus players - or almost 40 per cent of the game’s entire top-30 talent - will officially become free agents.

Here we have listed every player now allowed to sign with a rival club for 2024, while breaking down how it could potentially impact your team.

It stretches from some of the game’s biggest names to a stack of blue collar battlers trying to secure a rugby league lifeline.

Our club-by club breakdown also shows how many players each club has on the list.

What we also anticipate is that a pending signing frenzy could ignite some immediate movement, with several players expected to agitate for an early release as soon as long-term deals are agreed to.

(L-R) Mitchell Moses, Matt Burton, David Fifita and Herbie Farnworth are among the players on the market.

HOW IT WORKS

It’s the most misunderstood rule in the game.

For years many fans and even some clubs have wrongly assumed off contract players can’t start negotiating with rivals beyond the final year of an existing contract until after November 1.

That is a complete fallacy.

The fact is rule 35 and 36 of the NRL’s player contract guidelines stipulate any player can negotiate at any time for the period they are not contracted.

It effectively means rival clubs can talk and even discuss ballpark figures and contract terms beyond existing deals, provided they do not enter into an agreement before November 1.

But from Tuesday they can officially lodge the contract with the NRL.

While it is important these negotiations do not try and entice a player to break an existing contract, this is where it often gets very murky.

Melbourne Storm have plenty of signing business to do. Picture: Getty

A CLUB-BY-CLUB BREAKDOWN

The Rabbitohs and Roosters have 14 players unsigned.

They are followed by the Dragons and Eels (13), the Sharks, Knights, Bulldogs and Cowboys (12), ahead of the Panthers (11), the Tigers, Raiders, Broncos and Titans (10), Sea Eagles and Warriors (9) and Dolphins (5).

HEADLINE ACTS

The Rabbitohs seem very confident ‘the big three’ Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker and Damien Cook will all stay. But the fact is as of Tuesday they are free agents and if Mitchell in particular has an interest to at least test his worth he would easily be the hottest property in the game still up for grabs.

Rival clubs are also lining up for a crack at Matt Burton, although most believe he will end up staying at the Dogs.

It is a similar story with Parramatta’s Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown who are in big demand.

Latrell Mitchell could be a free agent soon.

The Roosters have a host of names including enforcers Victor Radley and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, while young gun Joseph Suaalii has an option in his favour for 2024. Another who has rivals watching with interest is Sam Walker who still hasn’t signed despite negotiations that have dragged on for some time now. Crucially for the Roosters, it is understood Walker has not yet spoken to a rival club.

At Penrith, Stephen Crichton, Liam Martin and Brian To’o head the list of players still up for grabs, with Crichton tipped to be offered “fullback money” that will make it desperately hard for the Panthers to keep him.

Martin is expected to be removed from the list soon after agreeing to terms on a one-year extension at the Panthers with the deal yet to be made official.

At the Cowboys’ teenage sensation Jeremiah Nanai could name his price if he decides to test the market, while Jack Wighton has an option in his favour at the Raiders.

The Sharks have a string of outside backs on the list including fullback Will Kennedy, centre Jesse Ramien and gun winger Sione Katoa.

At Manly Reuben Garrick is set to knock back Newcastle’s advances and re-sign within days, while youngster Kaeo Weekes (who can play fullback or in the halves) is another considered hot property.

Down at Melbourne, securing Nelson Asofa-Solomona would be at the top of the Storm’s to-do list.

Clubs are lining up for a piece of Matt Burton. Picture: Getty

BIGGEST CALLS

* Rabbitohs hooker Cook has stated publicly that he wants a three-year deal to play out his career at Souths. But it will be interesting to see how long the club is prepared to offer the 31-year-old given they couldn’t offer Adam Reynolds more than one-year before he headed to the Broncos.

* At the Tigers, Tim Sheens has made his intentions clear that come 2024 he’s shooting for the stars. And after missing out on Cameron Munster, Sheens has been courting John Bateman and Parramatta’s Moses over at the World Cup. So the next obvious question is what does that mean for the like of Luke Brooks, Adam Doueihi and Jackson Hastings?

Everyone knows the Newcastle Knights want Brooks immediately but Sheens has been steadfast he won’t be releasing his No.7.

Hypothetically, if Brooks signs a long-term deal with the Knights from 2024 and beyond, will the Tigers still want to keep him for 2023?

Doueihi’s situation is also intriguing given how both parties have held off negotiations until now, while the fact Sheens wanted to play Hastings at lock this season suggests he is not the long-term answer in the halves. Fullback Daine Laurie is also on the list.

The future of Luke Brooks is unclear.

* At the Broncos Herbie Farnworth is a player expected to attract plenty of attention. The talented Englishman has previously made it known he wants a crack at fullback. But you can’t see that happening while Reece Walsh and Selwyn Cobbo are at the club. There is also a sneaky whisper going around linking Farnworth to the Roosters. While he wouldn’t be going there to play fullback, he would certainly fix a problem at left centre.

* One man expected to cop a significant salary cut is Gold Coast’s David Fifita, although the blockbusting backrower is still in demand with the Raiders leading the chase for his services for 2024 and beyond. Fifita will get offers around the $800,000-a-season mark which makes him something of a bargain buy given the $1 million he is currently on. It’s worth remembering Fifita is still only 22.

CLUB-BY-CLUB: Players available to sign with rivals for 2024 from November 1

CO = Club Option

PO = Player Option

MO = Mutual Option

Brisbane Broncos 10

Jesse Arthars

Herbie Farnworth

Thomas Flegler

Corey Jensen

Tesi Niu

Corey Oates

Cory Paix

Keenan Palasia

Jordan Pereira

Ethan Quai-Ward

Herbie Farnworth is sure to attract plenty of interest from rivals. Picture: Getty

Canberra Raiders 10

Jarrod Croker PO (2024)

Matt Frawley

Emre Guler

Albert Hopoate

Peter Hola MO (2024)

Jordan Rapana

Brad Schneider

Harley Smith-Shields

Tom Starling PO (2024)

Jack Wighton PO (2024)

The Raiders are confident Jack Wighton will stick around. Picture: Getty

Canterbury Bulldogs 12

Paul Alamoti

Corey Allan

Jake Averillo

Bailey Biondi-Odo

Braidon Burns

Matt Burton PO (2024)

Kyle Flanagan

Jayden Okunbor

Chris Patolo

Ava Seumanufagai

Luke Thompson

Corey Waddell

What does the future hold for Kyle Flanagan? Picture: Getty

Cronulla Sharks 12

Jayden Berrell

Wade Graham

Mawene Hiroti

Royce Hunt

Matt Ikuvalu

Sione Katoa

William Kennedy

Lachlan Miller

Jesse Ramien

Siosifa Talakai

Braydon Trindall

Teig Wilton

Jesse Ramien is a key man for the Sharks. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

Gold Coast Titans 10

Jacob Alick CO (2024)

David Fifita

Sosefo Fifita

Patrick Herbert

Brian Kelly

Alofi’ana Khan-Pereira

Greg Marzhew

Sam McIntyre

Paul Turner

Joseph Vuna

David Fifita is looking at his options. Picture: Getty

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 9

Ethan Bullemor

Lachlan Croker

Reuben Garrick

Morgan Harper

Brad Parker

Toafofoa Sipley

Ben Trbojevic

Alec Tu’itavake

Kaeo Weekes

Reuben Garrick is set to knock back the Knights to stay at Manly. Picture: Getty

Melbourne Storm 12

Grant Anderson

Nelson Asofa-Solomona

Jordan Grant

Dean Ieremia

George Jennings

Tui Kamikamica

Josh King

Tepai Moeroa

Jayden Nikorima

Tariq Sims

Will Warbrick

Tyran Wishart

Young Storm half Jonah Pezet has become hot property. Picture: NRL Photos

Newcastle Knights 12

Adam Clune

Lachlan Fitzgibbon

Tyson Frizell

Bailey Hodgson

Hymel Hunt

Jack Johns

Brodie Jones

David Klemmer

Kurt Mann

Chris Randall

Enari Tuala

Dominic Young

Will David Klemmer stay at the Knights? Picture: NRL Photos

North Queensland Cowboys 12

Mitchell Dunn

Brendan Elliot

Jack Gosiewski

Jake Granville

Ben Hampton

Peta Hiku

Laitia Moceidreke

Jeremiah Nanai

Reece Robson

Taniela Sadrugu

James Tamou

Jamayne Taunoa-Brown

The Cowboys’ Taniela Sadrugu has impressed for Fiji at the World Cup. Picture: Getty

Parramatta Eels 13

Waqa Blake

Dylan Brown

Nathan Brown

Bryce Cartwright

Wiremu Greig

Josh Hodgson CO (2024)

Shaun Lane

Mitchell Moses PO (2024)

Ofahiki Ogden CO (2024)

Will Penisini

Mitch Rein

Bailey Simonsson PO (2024)

Maika Sivo

Dylan Brown is a man in demand. Picture: Richard Dobson

Penrith Panthers 11

Eddie Blacker

Jack Cogger

Stephen Crichton

Thomas Jenkins

Spencer Leniu

Soni Luke

Liam Martin*

Tyrone Peachey

Chris Smith

Scott Sorensen

Brian To’o

* Has agreed to a one-year extension, yet to be made official

Penrith wrecking ball Spencer Leniu is a class act. Picture: Getty

St George Illawarra Dragons 13

Billy Burns

Jack de Belin PO (2024)

Tyrell Fuimaono

Josh Kerr

Blake Lawrie

Jacob Liddle

Nick Lui-Toso

Moses Mbye

Andrew McCullough

Tautau Moga

Michael Molo MO (2024)

Mikaele Ravalawa PO (2024)

Aaron Woods

Powerhouse winger Mikaele Ravalawa. Picture: Getty

South Sydney Rabbitohs 14

Zane Bijorac CO (2024)

Thomas Burgess

Jed Cartwright

Michael Chee Kam

Damien Cook

Siliva Havili

Dean Hawkins

Jacob Host

Terrell Kalo Kalo

Liam Knight

Latrell Mitchell

Hame Sele

Blake Taaffe

Cody Walker

Souths are confident of keeping its big three of Damien Cook, Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell. Picture: Getty

Sydney Roosters 14

Renouf Atoni

Fletcher Baker

Egan Butcher

Drew Hutchison

Adam Keighran

Terrell May

Victor Radley

Billy Smith

Joseph Suaalii PO (2024)

Daniel Tupou

Jake Turpin

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

Sam Walker

Connor Watson

The Roosters have some big calls to make. Picture: Getty

New Zealand Warriors 9

Bunty Afoa

Tom Ale

Shaun Johnson

Edward Kosi

Marcelo Montoya

Ben Murdoch-Masila

Adam Pompey

Bayley Sironen

Jazz Tevaga

Jazz Tevaga always puts in a good shift for the Warriors. Picture: Getty

Wests Tigers 10

Luke Brooks

Adam Doueihi

Jackson Hastings

Daine Laurie

Jacob Liddle

Ken Maumalo MO (2024)

Alex Seyfarth

Tuki Simpkins

Charlie Staines

Tommy Talau

Luke Brooks continues to be linked with the Knights. Picture: Getty

Dolphins 5

Oliver Gildart

JJ Collins

Herman Ese’ese

Poasa Faamausili

Mason Teague