Rumoured Targets 3

[HarVeeGee]

He’s a an underrated player. Has improved a lot in his few years at Cronulla. Would be a good pick up.

Yeah he’s a proven starting calibre prop & I think he makes around $400K. Probably gives you about 80% of Leo at less than half the price, plays very physical and has good lateral mobility, & leaves space to sign another guy too.

Not an excitement machine, but you need solid, consistent, experienced forwards to give you a week to week baseline - and then the hope is that someone like Cody Hopwood can ascend and become your alpha dog, your elite Yeo/Carrigan tier middle. Still only 25 so best days should be ahead of him.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

According to zero tackle here are the off contract props who would be available to be signed for 2026.

PROP​

Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Paul Bryan, Mat Croker, Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui, Viliami Fifita, Wiremu Greig, Emre Guler, Tuku Hau Tapuha, Thomas Hazelton, Jack Hetherington, Jaiyden Hunt, Corey Jensen, Tui Kamikamica, Oregon Kaufusi, Josh Kerr, Josh King, Kaiden Lahrs, Ben Liyou, Jordan McLean, Shaquai Mitchell, Davvy Moale, Michael Molo, Mark Nicholls, Josiah Pahulu, Josh Papalii, Alex Seyfarth, Toafofoa Sipley, Sebastian Su'a, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Ryan Sutton, Martin Taupau, Leo Thompson, Sam Tuivaiti, Lazarus Vaalepu, Michael Waqa

36 players off contract

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Of that list, the main ones who would interest me would be:
Hazelton
Jensen
Kaufusi
Sipley

 

[Allstar Knights]

Greig would be handy

 

[Knight Tales]

Big Tom Hazleton would be good business. However it his motor where the questions lie. Is he a little too big for a long on field stint with the ever increasing mobility of the game across the park. Upside is he is only 25 or thereabouts.

 

[aqua_duck]

Of that list, the main ones who would interest me would be:
Hazelton
Jensen
Kaufusi
Sipley

Jensen will be 32 in 2026 so I’d be a little cautious there, wouldn’t say no to any of the others

 

[Special K]

Max Bradbury still a free agent? Time to come home?

Haven't seen any announcements but have seen photos of him in the 2025 Sharks polo and doing community work. Here he is doing the visit last week - https://www.sharks.com.au/news/2024/12/10/score-sharks-kicking-goals-with-help-from-nrl-pals/ . Perhaps a train and trial that you could squeeze him out of.

Hazleton would be good for anyone but he is still a while off being counted on week in and week out. The barge over tries cover up a lot. Tuku Hau Tapuha(basically the same size) from us could do more for 1/4 of the price with more aggression. Plus probably 1/6th the price of Leo. Kaufusi is reportedly on 400k as mentioned. Something has to give from our middle.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Jensen will be 32 in 2026 so I’d be a little cautious there, wouldn’t say no to any of the others

Jensen on a 2 year deal for around $500K per year would be good business imo. You know what you’ll get from him, hard running and hard tackling for around 30-40 mins per game week-in week-out.

 

[Mr_Knightside]

Obviously with any potential signings the key is the $ per year and the length of the deal to get the right value. At least prop is a position where there’s plenty of guys off contract so I’d be surprised if we didn’t pick up one or two of those players for 2026 onwards. A couple of real solid props for around $400K-$500K per year would do the job imo.