The Raiders have tabled a mammoth contract to retain the services of star back rower Hudson Young with the Chiefs circling his signature, while another forward is set to depart.
The expansion club have made a major statement with their recruitment moves, signing Brian To’o this week to join the likes of Jarome Luai, Alex Johnston and Zac Lomax in PNG.
Young is the latest big-name player to be targeted by the Chiefs, but the Raiders have sharpened their pencil in a bid to retain his services before he hits the open market come November 1.
Round 24
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“It’s not as if they have lowballed him, it’s a good offer. The club is doing their best… but I think Canberra is being responsible with how they are going about it,” The Australian’s Brent Read said on NRL360 on Wednesday night.
“They made him a really good offer, I believe it was around $850,000 or $900,000 with ratchet clauses. With a ratchet clause that will probably end up being $1.1 million.
“That’s a pretty good deal.”
According to Read, Young’s options are to remain in the nation’s capital or make a move to Papua New Guinea, with crunch talks set to take place next week.
“I think he’s every chance, if they can’t get a deal done, Sam Ayoub his agent is going down to Canberra I think next week,” Read said.
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“If they can’t get a deal done and Sam indicates that Hudson potentially wants to explore PNG, I would think it’s in Canberra’s interest to do what Penrith has done and give him a week.
“I think it’s the logical thing, their season will end and he can go in September. Go and have a week and he can make a decision.”
Raiders enforcer Josh Papali’i is set to depart the club at the season’s end, while the future of maligned forward Corey Horsburgh has also reportedly been finalised.
Ricky Stuart lamented Horsburgh’s brain explosion that saw him sin binned for a slap on Dane Gagai in Round 23 in the dying stages of his side’s loss to the Knights.
From there, Horsburgh was dropped for Round 24 and now his move to the Perth Bears next season is set to be finalised in the coming days.
“It has moved quick. They are just waiting on the paperwork now and he will sign that paperwork and it will be a done deal,” Read said.
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“Anthony DeCeglie rang Don Furner this afternoon to let him know the paperwork is on the way. It’s three years, a good deal. Over $2 million or so.”
Considering the Raiders are set to be without Horsburgh and Papali’i, losing Young shapes as a mammoth blow for Stuart’s outfit.
“It would be such a blow to lose him know off the back of Josh Papali’i leaving at the end of the year, Joseph Tapine,” The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis said.
“He is supposed to be that bridge between the other young guys they have coming through like Noah Martin.”
DOGS’ FIGHT TO RETAIN STAR BACK ROWER
The Bulldogs are in a fight to keep Jacob Preston at the club with his agent revealing the gun back rower is set to hit the open market on November 1.
Preston is one of the game’s best young edge forwards and is set to command a pretty penny with his next deal.
However, according to WWOS, the Bulldogs’ latest offer to keep Preston in the blue and white was underwhelming.
“Jake would love to stay at the Dogs, but the figure they came up with and the one we are looking at are a fair way apart,” Preston’s agent Wayde Rushton told WWOS.
“Unless things change soon, we will start talking to rival clubs when the rules allow in November. I’m sure there will be plenty of interest.”
While Preston is undoubtedly a future rep star, the Bulldogs are in a tough position given they’ve also got the club’s other starting back rower Viliame Kikau on a pricey long-term deal.
It could mean Preston is squeezed out and free to take the next step of his career at a rival club, which would horrify Bulldogs fans.
In an interesting quote from a Bulldogs insider to WWOS, it seems that the club may not be prepared to have both Kikau and Preston on huge deals.
Kikau is on a contract worth roughly $800,000 a season.
“You can’t have two back-rowers on massive dollars, it screws up your salary cap,” the inside said.
Other Bulldogs players set to hit the open market on November 1 include Matt Burton, Max King and Mitchell Woods.
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DCE SET TO PLAY ON IN 2027
Veteran halfback Daly Cherry-Evans isn’t ready to hang up the boots just yet, with the Roosters star linked to a shock move to the Super League.
According to CODE Sports, Cherry-Evans has entered talks with Hull FC to discuss a potential one-year deal.
Cherry-Evans joined the Roosters on a one-year deal with an option for a second year, however the Chooks are planning around a Sam Walker/Hugo Savala halves combination next season, leaving DCE surplus to requirements.
The superstar halfback isn’t expected to continue his NRL career with another club but instead, is considering a swansong overseas.
While a Roosters coaching job from next season is still on the table, the 37-year-old reportedly has an itch to play on.
Hull FC has emerged as the most likely destination, meaning the curtain is set to draw on Cherry-Evans’ NRL career at the end of this season.
Cleary: “Fair for any player to cash in” | 01:06
PANTHERS POUNCE TO POACH YOUNG GUN FROM RIVAL
The Panthers have given their 2027 forward stocks a much-needed boost, reportedly inking promising Rabbitoh Liam Le Blanc to a deal.
Penrith are set to lose several forwards at season’s end. Liam Henry and Scott Sorensen will head to Perth, young gun Toby Crosby to the Super League and Freddy Lussick is off to Canterbury.
However, in a bid to help replenish his depth, Ivan Cleary and the Panthers have added the 21-year-old Le Blanc from next season according to CODE Sports.
Hailing from the North Queensland town of Ingham, the hard-hitting Le Blanc has been a solid contributor for the Bunnies this season, featuring in six NRL games.
He’s played in 27 games since debuting in 2024.
His signing is a win on the recruitment and retention front given the Panthers are in the midst of trying to re-sign several star players before the free agency window opens on November 1.
The club have managed to extend the contracts of Mitch Kenny and Tom Jenkins, however, Brian To’o is an early casualty, with the winger heading to the PNG Chiefs from 2028.
Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo are the next priorities for the club, with Penrith hoping to lock down Liam Martin and Paul Alamoti in the next couple of weeks as well.
It’s not the only reported signing.
Wide World of Sports reports the Panthers have also secured young halfback Harvey Smith.
The 18-year-old plays for Burleigh Bears, a feeder club for the Brisbane Broncos.
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