Raiders linked with Hunt move after Wighton bombshell; Sheens poaches playmaker: Whispers

Raiders linked with Hunt move after Wighton bombshell; Sheens poaches playmaker: Whispers

With the Raiders looking to plan for life after Jack Wighton, could they target another representative star?

Meanwhile, the Tigers have bolstered their backline depth with a left-field signing from the Queensland Cup.

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Round 10

‘An $800K player they can’t pick’ | 01:08

Read below for all the latest NRL Transfer Whispers!

HUNT TO REPLACE WIGHTON?

It’s no secret the Raiders are keen to spend to recruit a big star to their club with Jack Wighton signing with South Sydney from 2024.

You can read here on who we think the Raiders could target, but another named that has popped up in recent days is Dragons and Maroons star Ben Hunt.

According to Nine reporter Danny Weidler, Hunt is “the style of player and person they (Raiders) would like at their club.”

“There’s obviously a lot of money they’re going to have in their cap and they’re going to be able to spend it on a quality half,” Weidler said.

“I’ve been speaking to some people at Canberra. They’ve been linked previously to Luke Brooks, they’re saying that ship has probably sailed.

“I think privately a player they’d really love to have is Ben Hunt.”

While Hunt is contracted with the Dragons until the end of 2025, he may be gettable before then.

He has been embattled coach Anthony Griffin’s biggest supporter but it appears Griffin is on the way out.

If Griffin leaves the Dragons, Hunt has said publicly that he “wouldn’t really be keen to starting fresh”.

“You would definitely have a think about it and reassess maybe,” Hunt said last month.

Obviously, there’s a lot that has to happen for a Hunt-to-Canberra move to become a reality, but the Raiders will leave no stone unturned in their search for a marquee player.

NRL admits touch judge got it wrong | 01:48

TIGERS SIGN TALENTED BACK

The Wests Tigers have raided the Queensland Cup ranks, signing Wynnum’s Tony Pellow effective immediately, as per WWOS’s The Mole.

The versatile Pellow can play fullback, centre and halfback and provides some much needed depth for the one-win Tigers.

For the Seagulls this season, Pellow has recorded five try assists, 12 tackles busts and two tries in five games.

The 26-year-old is expected to debut in the NSW Cup for the Western Suburbs Magpies next weekend.

If he was to impress in the NSW Cup, it won’t be a surprise to see Tim Sheens call on him for first grade in the near future.

Pellow previously played his trade for St George Illawarra in the NSW Cup before catching on in the Queensland Cup for the Brisbane Tigers and then Wynnum.

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