The Wests Tigers have landed a huge win on the transfer market after convincing Sione Fainu to sign a three-year extension with the club and resist interest from the Perth Bears.
Watch the 2026 NRL Pre-season series plus the All-Star matches LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
Fainu was one of the Tigers’ big improvers in 2025 after being promoted into the club’s Top 30 roster.
His stellar form has been rewarded, with the Tigers offering him a three-year deal worth around $400,000 a season according to Code Sports, which the Sydney Morning Herald reports has now been accepted.
Fainu was a free agent with his current deal expiring at the end of this season and the Bears had reportedly show an interest in adding him for their inaugural season,
Along with his brothers Samuela and Latu, Fainu is considered a key piece of the Tigers’ future.
Samuela and Latu are both contracted through until the end of 2027.
Sione previously said he and his brothers “want to give back to the club” and help break a 15-year finals drought.
We want to give back to the club and play finals footy for the Tigers,” he said.
“We want to give back to Benji for what he has done for us.”
The Tigers are also quietly confident that star fullback Jahream Bula will sign a new contract with the club before the opening round of the 2026 season.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the Tigers have presented two different contract options to Bula and his management in an attempt to keep him at the joint-venture for the foreseeable future.
Set to be worth just under $1 million a season, one of the options is a two-year contract extension while the other one is a four-year extension which will keep him on their books until the end of the 2031 season.
The main issue between both parties has centred around the length of the deal.
It comes amid links to the Canterbury Bulldogs and unconfirmed reports that the Dragons are also interested in luring him away from Concord.
Currently Bula has a mutual option for 2027. If the Tigers decide to exercise the option, Bula will play the 2027 season on a salary of $900,000.
However, if the Tigers decide against retaining Bula at that price, he has the opportunity of taking up a player option at $800,000.
Turning 24 tomorrow, Bula has scored 23 tries in 57 games for the Tigers since his debut in 2023 and has scored five tries in five Tests for Fiji to date.
SHARKS CHASE SUPER LEAGUE STAR
The race for English international and Super League star Owen Trout is heating up with a new NRL team entering the race for his services.
After making no new signings for the 2026 season, Love Rugby League reports that the Cronulla Sharks are interested in landing Trout’s signature.
It is understood that the Perth Bears had previously shown an interest in his services but overseas broadcast journalist The Game Caller reports he won’t be joining the expansion club.
“I’m still a free agent at the minute, I’ve signed nothing,” he told the publication earlier in the week.
“I’m still in talks with a few clubs, including Leigh, and it’s not that I’ve gone to become a free agent to completely forget about Leigh.
“I’m hoping that by the start of the season, it’s done. That’s just me personally, so that I can concentrate on rugby and I’m not having to have meetings through the week before playing on a weekend.”
The 26-year-old has scored 21 tries in 134 games mainly for Huddersfield and Leigh in the Super League and played one Test for England last year.
TITANS BACKFLIP ON STAR AMID LINKS TO BEARS
The Titans have shifted their stance on Phillip Sami’s future, with rookie coach Josh Hannay reportedly making moves to keep the veteran flyer in his squad.
It was previously reported Sami would be free to depart the Gold Coast when his current contract runs out at the end of the 2026 season, being one of many players shown the door.
However, according to Code Sports, Sami is now negotiating an extension to remain with the Titans after Hannay had a change of heart.
The Dragons were interested in the services of the reliable flyer, while the Perth Bears also expressed a desire to recruit him to be a member of their foundation squad.
However, those negotiations went cold after it emerged his Titans extension was imminent, with Sami explaining Hannay saved his career on the Gold Coast.
“Josh has been massive,” he said.
“It meant a lot for him to say that (he wanted me) to me. It (my future) was up in the air in the off-season, there were a lot of reports out there.
“For him to give me that call and say he trusted me (was great). He thinks I can do a lot for the club. I’m grateful for the support and want to play good footy.”
Sami is also closing in on the club’s all-time try-scoring record, having tallied 71 across his 142 games.
Anthony Don holds the record, having crossed the white line 85 times in his 152 games.
Anderson ready to fight for Broncos role | 02:43
NRL LIFELINE FOR FORMER KNIGHT
Released by the Castleford Tigers at the end of last season, former Newcastle Knights fullback Tex Hoy has earned an NRL lifeline.
Last featuring in the NRL in 2022, Hoy has been spotted training alongside the Manly Sea Eagles first-grade side.
While it is unknown what contract he has signed with the club it is likely a train-and-trial deal – the same as Krystian Mapapalangi before he departed to the Super League.
Spending the last few seasons overseas, Hoy has 29 NRL matches to his name during a stint with the Knights between 2020 and 2022.
A former member of the Under-20 NSW Blues side, and the son of surfing legend Matt Hoy, he scored 50 points during these appearances and is still in the middle of his playing career.
Sharks are ‘Prime’ for 2026 Premiership | 04:38
FORMER STORM FLYER’S NEW CLUB
Dean Ieremia, a former outside back for the Melbourne Storm has reportedly earned an NRL lifeline after being farewelled by the club at the end of last season.
Battling multiple injury issues in the past few years, The League Scene reports that Ieremia has landed a train-and-trial contract with the Gold Coast Titans.
The 24-year-old has 23 NRL matches to his name with the Storm but has unfortunately failed to string consistent time on the field having ruptured his ACL and Achilles over the past 36 months.
Man who MUST partner $11m Dylan Brown | 06:12
JORGENSEN MAKES FINAL NRL CALL
Rugby Australia has had another win over the NRL, with Wallabies and Waratahs star Max Jorgensen resisting a potential big-money code switch to stay in union.
According to Code Sports, the talented outside back is set to sign a massive contract extension with Rugby Australia until the end of 2031 in a deal worth $3 million.
The Roosters were reportedly keen on Jorgensen, the Waratahs teammate of former Chooks star Joseph Suaalii.
Powerhouse back rower Angus Crichton will join Suaalii on the Tahs roster in 2027 ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Like Crichton, Roosters winger Mark Nawaqanitawase will be leaving the club for rugby union at the end of this season.
A former Wallaby, Nawaqanitawase’s first full season in rugby league last year was a raging success, with the 25-year-old leading the NRL in tries scored.
The Roosters are understandably keen to bring Nawaqanitawase back into the fold after the Rugby World Cup and they’re also open to welcoming back Suaalii.
Suaalii spoke about Jorgensen’s link with his former club before the news broke Jorgensen would be staying put.
“I love the Sydney Roosters. I’ve loved that club ever since I got there. I still do. But hopefully they don’t take Max,” Suaalii told Code Sports.
“He’s been killing it here. He’s a superstar, and he just keeps on getting better and better.”
TIGERS STAR SHOPPED TO RIVALS
Five-time NSW Blues representative Jack Bird has been linked with an immediate exit from the Wests Tigers weeks away from the start of the 2026 NRL season.
One of seven recruits brought in by the Tigers last season, Bird failed to make an impact at the club, which culminated in him dropping out of the first-grade side on numerous occasions in favour of other options.
Shopped to overseas clubs and granted permission to leave the joint-venture at the back-end of last season, Code Sports reports that the veteran has once again been shopped to teams in the Super League as he attempts to get his career back on track.
The publication reports that the 30-year-old had been in talks to sign with Darren Lockyer-owned London Broncos before a move to the club fell through after they failed to earn a promotion into the Super League.
Bird was reportedly part of a potential swap deal for Manly forward Nathan Brown, who would have returned to the club he started his career at in 2013, but the deal fell over.
Debuting in 2015, Bird is nearing the end of his playing career but can still offer a ton of experience to any side he joins and is valuable in a number of different positions.
However, he has failed to recapture the form that saw him represent the New South Wales Blues on five occasions in 2015 and 2016.
The 30-year-old has scored 36 tries in 173 games for the Sharks, Broncos, Dragons and Tigers since his debut in 2015 and won a premiership with Cronulla in 2016.
Bird has also played five Origins for the Blues, but repeated injuries at the Broncos stalled his representative career.
MANLY BID TO LOCK UP STAR
The Manly Sea Eagles are looking to lock up star centre Tolutau Koula with a long-term contract extension amid interest from the Perth Bears and the PNG Chiefs.
WWOS’ The Mole reported the Sea Eagles are desperate to re-sign Koula, who is being targeted with ‘mega offers’ to join NRL rivals.
Koula is off-contract at the end of the 2026 season, with an option in his favour for 2027, which means he has been free to negotiate with rival clubs from November 1 last year.
The Bears are reportedly circling Koula with a big money offer, while the PNG Chiefs will likely show interest for their inaugural season in 2028.
The 23-year-old is coming off his best season in the NRL scoring 17 tries in 22 games, taking his career tally to 38 in 82 matches since his debut in 2022.
Koula has also scored three tries in eight Tests for Tonga and won the Roy Bull Player of the Year award for Manly in 2026.
The versatile star can cover centre, wing and fullback, but would be the ideal man to fill the fullback role for an expansion team, given his speed and the excitement he would bring to the game and growing the club from the ground up.
Koula was caught in a tug of war between Manly and rugby union the last time his contract came up for renewal, after links to the Waratahs and the Wallabies as well as Japanese rugby.
MORE NRL NEWS
UNDER PRESSURE STARS: Question Dogs must answer; Truth Roosters can’t deny
‘WON’T BE A NEED FOR US’: Sharks star’s big warning to NRL after rule changes
‘HURT US A LOT’: Nicho’s big admission on Sharks reality that ‘everyone knows’
Are Flanagan & Atkinson the answer? | 06:28
Discussion about this post