Tim Sheens has confirmed that the Wests Tigers are interested in signing Storm superstar Cameron Munster.
Meanwhile, Adam Doueihi has reportedly been identified by the Storm as one of two possible replacements for Munster should he leave the club.
Sheens told News Corp that the Tigers will look at tabling “competitive” offer that will “match or beat” any offer he receives.
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Munster’s Storm contract expires at the end of 2023, but he can go to market from November 1 for 2023 and beyond.
Munster’s manager, NRL 360 host Braith Anasta, revealed the Storm “put themselves back in the frame” after increasing their original three-year at $800,000-per-season offer to being “in the ballpark” of what the 28-year-old is after.
Meanwhile, the Dolphins have made no secret of their pursuit of the Queensland Origin five-eighth and even his ex-Storm teammate Cameron Smith recently shared his “gut feeling” that Munster will sign with the expansion club.
The Dolphins are reportedly looking at a four-year offer worth up to $1.4 million a season.
And now the Tigers have entered the race with the confidence they can keep up with the lucrative money being thrown at Munster.
“We will be competitive with the best price that he gets offered,” Sheens told News Corp.
“In saying that, I don’t know what he has been offered. I have not put a figure on the table.
“I have said if he is interested in us, we will do our best to match or beat any offer but he has to be interested in us in the first place. If he is not, then it is a non-event.”
NRL 360 co-host Paul Kent said that the Tigers will have to throw everything that Munster if they want to get him to join the club after finishing this season with the wooden spoon.
“(The offer) is going to have to be more than anyone,” he said.
“Why would Munster go to the Tigers for the same money the Dolphins are offering or even the same money the Storm are offering?
“They’re going to have to give him Leichhardt Oval.”
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Fox League’s James Hooper pointed out that Sheens had originally denied interest in Munster but has now changed his tune, but also declared: “There’s more chance of me growing hair back than Cameron Munster going to the Tigers, with all due respect.”
Meanwhile, the Storm seem to be preparing for life after Munster and are keeping an eye on Doueihi and Matt Burton, according to News Corp journalist Michael Carayannis.
But Carayannis told NRL 360 that he fears the Tigers are playing a “dangerous game” with Doueihi given their confirmed interest in Munster could not only fall flat, but also cost them Doueihi.
“I think they’ve identified a couple of players, Adam Doueihi would be one and Matt Burton would be another that if Cam does leave, they’re the two that they pinpointed,” Carayannis told NRL 360.
“It’s an interesting one because the Tigers have put negotiations with Doueihi on hold. They’ve said ‘you’re going to the World Cup, we’ll see what happens post-World Cup.’
“But it’s a dangerous game they’re playing considering they’re publicly in for Cam Munster because if I’m Adam Doueihi I’m looking at this going ‘well, you don’t want me that diligently that you want Munster, so why do I want to stick around?’”
NRL 360 host Braith Anasta — Munster’s manager — was reluctant to engage in the conversation but he interjected with: “I don’t think it’s that they don’t want Doueihi, it’s just that they need a superstar.”
Hooper agreed, saying: “The Tigers need a circuit breaker that’s going to somehow pull them out of the quagmire.”
But Carayannis still believes it’s not the best way to go about things.
“They’re not going to sign Munster so what’s the point of going through this and upsetting their key player,” he said.
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Doueihi, like Munster, comes off contract at the end of 2023 and can field offers from November 1.
Hooper believes the Storm will make a play for the 24-year-old.
“They blocked it when he wanted to try and get an opportunity to play finals football, yet now they’re making a play for Munster and Doueihi’s going to be available for rival clubs to come in as of November 1,” he said.
“I’ve heard Melbourne will probably come back in and have a crack at Doueihi.”
