Jahrome Hughes is set to snub potential earnings of $1.6 million a season from the Perth Bears to sign a multi-year extension with the Storm for around a million annually.
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Hughes is off-contract in 2026 and is free to negotiate with rivals from November 1, but Daily Telegraph journalist Brent Read revealed he is set to sign a two or three year extension with the Storm.
“I think they are very optimistic a deal is not far away and they have put a deal for a long-term lucrative extension to him,” Read said on NRL 360.
“My gut feeling is this is close and this will get done reasonably soon and Jahrome Hughes won’t get anywhere near November 1.
“He will be there I imagine for another two to three years on top of next year.”
However, Phil Rothfield believes the Storm are getting Hughes cheap given what he could command on the open market.
“I think the re-signing of Hughes is a massive story because if he went to market he could become the face of the Bears on $1.6 million a season,” Rothfield said.
“And if the Storm have locked him up for around a million it is a massive coup for that club.”
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However, Gorden Tallis believes that could have implications for young Storm playmakers Jonah Pezet and Tyran Wishart.
“What about the young kids underneath him at Melbourne in Pezet and Wishart?” Tallis said.
“Well Jonah Pezet, who Braith manages is the obvious one and my impression is they would love to keep Jonah at the club even though Jahrome is going to stay,” Read replied.
Anasta, who manages Pezet and Cameron Munster believes Pezet wants to stay, despite a get-out clause if Hughes recommits to the club.
“We haven’t had time to talk about it because he had a clause in his contract and signed a long-term deal not long ago, but if Jahrome stayed and re-signed then he is off-contract,” Anasta said.
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“But the indications from Melbourne are they want to keep him there.
“I know when we were negotiating we spoke about a loan for a year, which could be a possibility maybe in 2027 or wherever that may be.
“But all reports coming out of Melbourne is they still want him there.”
Read questioned if the Storm might lose Munster if Hughes and Pezet stay.
“What I find interesting is if Hughes stays long-term and then Pezet signs long-term does that have implications for another one of your clients Cameron Munster, who is off-contract at the end of 2027?” Read said.
“It may, but he has got a few more years Cameron so that is a long way away,” Anasta replied.
“At the moment no, but time will tell with that.”
Tallis warned Pezet may get the itch to play regular first grade sooner rather than later.
“Would he be happy to sit there because some young players do get itchy feet and he’s done his apprenticeship,” Tallis said.
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However, Anasta believes Pezet wants to repay the Storm for their faith in him.
“Well they have put a lot of faith and trust in him and he has had a few injuries of late and they have supported him,” Anasta said.
“He loves the club. He doesn’t want to go anywhere.”
However, Tallis questioned if the Storm can keep all their stars given the expansion sides coming into the competition.
“Can they keep them all?” Tallis asked.
Anasta pointed out the Storm have a number of stars coming off-contract that would be in the sights of the Bears.
“Well the issue is they have Papenhuyzen playing the way he is and he’s off and you’ve also got Coates, Warbrick and Harry Grant at the end of next year,” Anasta said.
“So there is a list of players that they now need to try and keep, so they are going to have to lose a couple I think.”
However, Read believes there is no way Grant leaves the Storm.
“Harry Grant is not going anywhere, they have had informal talks with his management, but my understanding is Harry has no interest in going anywhere,” Read said.
“He is the captain of that football club.”
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