Broncos legend’s warning over pursuit of Storm star, Eels look to lock up trio: Transfer Whispers

A Broncos legend has warned the club of the dangers in signing Storm fullback Nicho Hynes. Meanwhile the Eels have moved to lock up a star trio in light of Mitchell Moses’ call on his future.

Read on for all the latest NRL Transfer Whispers.

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NRL: Mitchell Moses has ended any speculation regarding his playing future after re-signing with the Parramatta Eels….

NRL: Mitchell Moses has ended any speculation regarding his playing future after re-signing with the Parramatta Eels.

LOCKYER’S WARNING OVER BRONCOS HYNES APPROACH

Broncos legend Darren Lockyer has warned Brisbane to be careful in their pursuit of Storm star Nicho Hynes.

The 24-year-old has been in strong form this season, filling in for Ryan Papenhuyzen and coming off the bench at different times.

Hynes is keen to chase a starting role at an NRL rival, with Papenhuyzen entrenched as the Storm’s long-term fullback and has been linked with the Cowboys and Broncos.

While admitting that Hynes is a talented player, Lockyer believes there are always doubts around how players will perform when they leave the Storm system under Craig Bellamy.

“It’s always a little bit of a risk buying someone from the Melbourne Storm,” Lockyer said on WWOS’ QLDER.

“They don’t let them (good players) go…obviously the cap forces them out.

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“They’ve been coached by Craig (Bellamy), and Craig gets the best out of every individual.

“If you are buying someone from the Melbourne Storm, sometimes they go to another club and very rarely do they do as well as they did, at that new club.

“There is no doubt he has got some talent.

“I think being in the Storm system, he has learnt how to be disciplined, so there are some good things to like about him.”

Hynes has scored five tries in 20 games for the Storm since his debut in 2019 and produced five try assists in his last start against the Dragons in Magic Round.

There is a suggestion that Hynes could play five-eighth in the future, although Lockyer believes his best position for now is fullback.

“I’m just speaking from a commentator’s perspective, I think he’s a good fullback,” he said.

“I’m not saying he would be a bad five-eighth.

“He reads the game well – what I like about his skillset is that he can pass and he can kick.

“I think that’s important in an NRL team – if you want to be one of the good ones (fullbacks), I think having the pass and kick out the back is important.”

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NRL: After being announced as the Cronulla Sharks coach for the 2022 season, Craig Fitzgibbon speaks on Craig Bellamy and the halfback situation at the club….

NRL: After being announced as the Cronulla Sharks coach for the 2022 season, Craig Fitzgibbon speaks on Craig Bellamy and the halfback situation at the club.

EELS TURN ATTENTION TO STAR TRIO AFTER LOCKING UP MOSES

With halfback Mitchell Moses set to finalise a new long-term deal with Parramatta, the Eels have turned their attention to locking up the rest of their spine.

Fullback Clint Gutherson (currently $650,000 a season) is already signed on until the end of 2022, but an extension is reportedly a top priority for the club.

So is livewire hooker Reed Mahoney ($400,000 a season until end of 2022), who is free to negotiate with rival clubs from November 1.

Moses called on the Eels to keep inspirational skipper and good mate Gutherson at the club long-term as the Eels hunt an elusive drought-breaking premiership.

“I think Gutho’s the most important one, you’ve definitely got to wrap him up,” Moses told NRL.com.

“The standards we have at training, it’s pretty much come from Gutho.

“The way he trains, the way he leads us, to see him as a mate and a teammate, to see how much he’s grown in the leadership role he’s taken as a captain is something good to watch and I think Parra should be getting onto that straight away to wrap him up, he’s the next one that needs to be done.

“Like I said, he’s the one setting all the standards at training and the main reason for the footy we’re playing at the moment.”

At 26, Gutherson has scored 51 tries and 359 points in 124 games for the Sea Eagles and Eels since his debut in 2013 and played three Origins for the Blues last year.

Mahoney is only 23, but has scored 10 tries in 66 games for the Eels since his debut in 2018 and has been mentioned as a Queensland Origin bolter the last two seasons.

Meanwhile winger Blake Ferguson (currently $500,000 a season) is off-contract at the end of 2021, but his good form is likely to land him a new deal.

“Parramatta are really happy with the way Ferguson is going,” Ritchie said on NRL Tonight.

“Brad Arthur is a huge fan of Blake Ferguson. They have just decided at the moment to put all negotiations on hold.

“He is playing so well they just don’t want to cloud Ferguson’s head in terms of going into negotiations just yet.

“They want to keep him hungry. I don’t think he will be offered a deal just yet, but I think it will come and he will stay, but it might not be done until around August or September.”

31-year-old Ferguson has scored 122 tries in 241 games for the Sharks, Raiders, Roosters and Eels since his debut in 2009 and has played nine Origins for NSW and seven Tests for the Kangaroos.

NRL: Wests Tigers powerbrokers have been spotted flying to Brisbane in order to sign star Broncos Tevita Pangai Jnr and Jamayne Isaako….

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TITANS MOVE TO LOCK UP STAR ORIGIN DUO

The Gold Coast Titans are moving to lock down their future, with Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and AJ Brimson in negotiations to extend with Gold Coast long-term.

The club believes the star duo are critical in their bid to be a top four team going forward and want to ensure rivals don’t swoop in and poach them.

Channel 7 reported the Titans want to extend Fa’asuamaleaui on a multi-year deal and have started negotiations with the Maroons forward.

Fa’asuamaleaui is signed until the end of the 2022 season, but the club want him locked up until 2025.

Brimson is another priority signing and as he is also off-contract at the end of 2022 the Titans don’t want either player to be on the open market come November.

Originally published asBroncos great’s warning over Storm star, Eels move to lock up $3m trio: Transfer Whispers

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