Tariq Sims

Nine News reporter Danny Weidler revealed Sims has signed a contract to join the Storm in 2023, but the two clubs are currently hashing out a deal to make the move happen as early as this week.

"Melbourne want Tariq Sims to be playing for them now," Weidler said.

"They want him to boost their team now, and I think that could actually happen.

The former Cowboys and Knights forward also reckons he's putting up the best numbers of his career in the gym and gotten on top of the rehab required for his twice-broken left leg.

Sims started four matches at the end of 2017 played a full 80 minutes in three of those, having started just three of 20 games in 2017 (and one of eight in 2016) prior to that.

"Last year was one of those years where my role in the team was to come off the bench which was never that easy too because I've played so many games starting," Sims told NRL.com.

After 18 months at the Knights in a dominant leadership role, Sims has only been able to make the starting 13 in Paul McGregor's side once since joining the Red V midway through last season.

The emergence of Paul Vaughan up front and the dominant back-row of Tyson Frizell and Joel Thompson leaves the 27-year-old in unfamiliar territory for the first time since the 2013 season.

Sims joined the Dragons on Wednesday and was immediately thrown into the deep end when coach Paul McGregor named him on the bench in the Dragons' eventual 10-point win over the Storm on Saturday evening.

Sims was mobbed by the media after his first Dragons showing and didn't beat around the bush when NRL.com asked him about his Knights departure. 

"You know me, mate. I love Newcastle. I love the place and the people that are involved with the club," Sims said.

"But the club opted to go in a different direction. Things changed and they changed quickly.