The Storm are quietly confident they’ll re-sign one of their most experience forwards, as are the Panthers, while the Sharks are “desperate” to get a deal down with their superstar halfback.
Read below for all the latest Transfer Whispers!
ASOFA-SOLOMONA TO STAY IN NRL
Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona is expected to re-sign with the Melbourne Storm, despite a recent meeting with Wallabies coach Eddie Jones last month according to the SMH.
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The club are confident that Asofa-Solomona will ignore the allure of rugby union for now and sign an extension for three years which will keep him at the club until the end of 2026.
Asofa-Solomona has made no secret in the past about his interest in rugby.
In addition to his meeting with Jones, the 27-year-old has also previously met with former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.
He’s also close friends with former Storm-turned Wallaby winger Suliasi Vunivalu.
The Storm are confident that Asofa-Solomona will sign an extension for three years which will keep him at the club until the end of 2026.
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PANTHERS LOCK UP ANOTHER PIECE LONG-TERM
Elsewhere, Panthers prop Moses Leota is likely to sign a new deal with the club that will keep him at Penrith until the end of 2027 according to the SMH.
Leota, a Panthers junior from 13 years of age after moving from his native New Zealand has been a crucial part of the side’s recent success.
He was terrific in the Panthers’ 53-12 demolition of the Raiders last Friday, recording 153 running meters and six tackle busts.
The Leota signing is on the back of Panthers captain Isaah Yeo putting pen to paper on a new deal with the club, also through to the end of 2027.
After the Leota and Yeo re-signings, the Panthers have not locked up four players until the end of 2027 in addition to star halfback Nathan Cleary and winger Brian To’o.
The Panthers will next turn their attention to 2024 free agents Dylan Edwards, Liam Martin and Jarome Luai according to the SMH.
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SHARKS – ‘HYNES DESERVES TO BE ONE OF NRL’S HIGHEST EARNERS.”
Sharks chief executive Dino Mezzatesta has revealed the club are “desperate” to retain the reigning Dally M Medallist Nicho Hynes.
The Sharks have reportedly never paid a player over a million dollars per-season and now Hynes is set to be handed a multimillion-dollar contract to remain at Sharks Park.
Mezzatesta was adamant Hynes deserves to become one of the NRL’s highest earners, joining the likes of Nathan Cleary and Mitchell Moses.
“Talks are still obviously carrying on in the background,” Mezzatesta said on 2GB.
“We know he wants to stay here and obviously we want him to stay here, we a desperate for him to stay here, he has certainly made this his home.
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“He’s a quality individual let alone a quality player and if the tenure of the new contract is somewhat extended you know, he will demand those big dollars and I think he deserves them.
“We just have got to make it work, make it work for him and for us and we are hoping that it happens in the not too distant future.”
The 26-year-old originally signed a three-year deal reportedly worth $600,000 per season to make the move from the Storm.
Hynes made it clear he wants to remain at the Sharks for years to come, even making a joke he wants a “20-year contract”.
“There’s been talks, everyone’s talking about it a little bit,” Hynes told SEN 1170.
“I just hope something happens and gets done, my manager will sort that out and the club will sort that out, so hopefully they’re talking as we speak because I’d love to stay… then hopefully I’m here forever.
“Ideally I’d love to be here for the rest of my career then I’d like to go straight into coaching… give me a 20-year contract Sharks.”
