Could Galvin go west? Fifita, Williams also a chance
SIX PLAYERS OFF CONTRACT AFTER 2026 WHO COULD BE TARGETED BY THE BEARS:
* Lachlan Galvin (Wests Tigers - five-eighth)
The prodigious five-eighth made headlines for his decision not to consider a contract extension to remain at Wests Tigers and is still without a home for 2027. Parramatta are considered the front-runner for his signature but may now have some competition. Galvin is the kind of player around whom a new franchise could build a long-term future and at only 19, his stocks are likely to only rise. He's already shown plenty in a season-and-a-bit, with a dangerous running game, great pass and the potential to pack on size.
* Harry Grant (Melbourne - hooker)
Melbourne halfback Jahrome Hughes has stated he's not interested in a move west but Storm teammate Grant looms as a natural target. There's no better hooker in the NRL than the Storm captain, whose leadership qualities would be highly attractive for a franchise building from the ground up. Grant is the kind of player who lifts those around him, with a high defensive work rate and an eye for the game that he honed during his apprenticeship under Storm legend Cam Smith.
* Payne Haas (Brisbane - prop)
The Brisbane behemoth is one of the NRL's most fearsome front-rowers and was linked with a move away from the Broncos and to rugby union the last time his contract came up for renewal during the 2023 season. Haas has a complicated family situation so may not be keen on a big move to the other side of the country, but the Bears will no doubt ask the question of this generational prop forward.
* Ryan Papenhuyzen (Melbourne - fullback)
Another Storm star whose future is uncertain beyond 2026. The flying fullback has a mutual option in his contract that would permit him to stay at the club for 2027, but he can still negotiate with rivals for that season from November. After a cruel run of injuries, Papenhuyzen has shown flashes of his best over the past 18 months. He's a human highlights reel when he's on song, and has the kind of marketability that the Dolphins got from Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow on their entry into the league.
* David Fifita (Gold Coast - second-row)
The timing of the Bears announcement must surely have intrigued Fifita, who was dropped from Gold Coast's first-grade team only last week. Coach Des Hasler has since insisted he maintains a good relationship with Fifita but the former State of Origin representative will nevertheless be able to field offers from November, if the Titans situation doesn't sour sooner than that. Fifita came within a whisker of moving to Sydney for 2025, and his big hits and try-scoring ability would help draw new fans to the game.
* George Williams (Warrington - five-eighth/halfback)
Williams was the last English half to truly shine in the NRL when he helped Canberra to a preliminary final berth in the 2020 season. A bitter exit from the Raiders followed, but not through lack of talent, and his contract with English side Warrington expires at the end of 2026. Williams has ties to Perth given his father lives there, and is Wolves captain under Sam Burgess, who has flagged his interest in coaching Perth.
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Hughes embraced his running game to keep the Cowboys defence guessing, with Cameron Munster also up to the challenge as the superstar pair marked their 100th NRL game in the Storm halves. Hughes also pulled off a critical strip on Jeremiah Nanai close to the tryline to help his team win consecutive matches for the first time since round six. Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, who this week signed to stay on in 2027, said Hughes had been battling a number of injuries including a broken hand and neck issues. "He has been playing pretty well, but that was a pretty special effort tonight, it was definitely his best performance this year," Bellamy said. "He's done remarkably well to have played as many games as he's played, with some of the injuries, they're just sort of worn him down a little bit mentally too, not being able to do the things that he's used to doing or is capable of doing. "So he's been really brave for us ... but it looked like he shook off a few of those injuries tonight." Melbourne started with a bang with tries to Eli Katoa and Hughes setting up a 12-0 after 18 minutes. A pin-point cut-out pass from Dearden to winger Jaxson Paulo put the visitors on the scoreboard two minutes later. Melbourne went off the boil and only desperate defence goal-line kept them ahead, with North Queensland dominating territory 68 per cent to 32. Despite that statistic, the Storm made them pay when they got a chance in the 39th minute when a Hughes bomb was dropped cold by fullback Scott Drinkwater. Hughes then collected the spoils in the next set, linking with the rest of the star Melbourne spine for an 18-4 halftime lead. Despite a massive spray by Cowboys coach Todd Payten, Nick Meaney crossed two minutes into the second half after the Melbourne centre ran onto a Hughes grubber. The talented Cowboys attack finally kicked into gear and after Drinkwater saved a third Hughes try he scored one of his own after a Reece Robson dart from dummy-half. Robert Derby was in two minutes later to close the margin to 10 points but Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona stalled the Cowboys' momentum when he dragged four defenders over the line. Payten said his team beat themselves. "It's just pure disappointment, we didn't make a good team earn anything," he said. "When you crack so easily on your tryline, and then just give them leg up after leg up with tackle four or five penalties, play one, two errors, so it probably should have been more, to be fair. "It's frustrating and burning inside ... I hate when we beat ourselves, and I felt like tonight we did exactly that." Melbourne's Jahrome Hughes has stolen the spotlight from his North Queensland opposite Tom Dearden with the Storm halfback orchestrating a commanding 38-14 victory at AAMI Park. All eyes were on Dearden, who is favoured to usurp Daly Cherry-Evans as Queensland's State of Origin No.7 when teams for game two in Perth are announced. But reigning Dally M Medallist Hughes was the stand-out from both teams, scoring two tries and setting up two more as well as nine tackle-busts in one of his best performances of the season. Hughes embraced his running game to keep the Cowboys defence guessing, with Cameron Munster also up to the challenge as the superstar pair marked their 100th NRL game in the Storm halves. Hughes also pulled off a critical strip on Jeremiah Nanai close to the tryline to help his team win consecutive matches for the first time since round six. Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy, who this week signed to stay on in 2027, said Hughes had been battling a number of injuries including a broken hand and neck issues. "He has been playing pretty well, but that was a pretty special effort tonight, it was definitely his best performance this year," Bellamy said. "He's done remarkably well to have played as many games as he's played, with some of the injuries, they're just sort of worn him down a little bit mentally too, not being able to do the things that he's used to doing or is capable of doing. "So he's been really brave for us ... but it looked like he shook off a few of those injuries tonight." Melbourne started with a bang with tries to Eli Katoa and Hughes setting up a 12-0 after 18 minutes. A pin-point cut-out pass from Dearden to winger Jaxson Paulo put the visitors on the scoreboard two minutes later. Melbourne went off the boil and only desperate defence goal-line kept them ahead, with North Queensland dominating territory 68 per cent to 32. Despite that statistic, the Storm made them pay when they got a chance in the 39th minute when a Hughes bomb was dropped cold by fullback Scott Drinkwater. Hughes then collected the spoils in the next set, linking with the rest of the star Melbourne spine for an 18-4 halftime lead. Despite a massive spray by Cowboys coach Todd Payten, Nick Meaney crossed two minutes into the second half after the Melbourne centre ran onto a Hughes grubber. The talented Cowboys attack finally kicked into gear and after Drinkwater saved a third Hughes try he scored one of his own after a Reece Robson dart from dummy-half. Robert Derby was in two minutes later to close the margin to 10 points but Storm prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona stalled the Cowboys' momentum when he dragged four defenders over the line. Payten said his team beat themselves. "It's just pure disappointment, we didn't make a good team earn anything," he said. "When you crack so easily on your tryline, and then just give them leg up after leg up with tackle four or five penalties, play one, two errors, so it probably should have been more, to be fair. "It's frustrating and burning inside ... I hate when we beat ourselves, and I felt like tonight we did exactly that."
