Transfer Whispers

Melbourne lost Brandon Smith, Christian Welch and George Jennings during their gutsy win over the Tigers on Saturday. Smith suffered a broken hand in the opening minute and will undergo surgery, while Welch and Jennings suffered a ruptured Achilles and ACL respectively.

There’s been rumours linking off-contract Dragons star Tariq Sims to the Storm and Storm coach Craig Bellamy didn’t completely shut down that talk when asked about it after the game.

Now News Corp’s Phil Rothfield is reporting a Sims switch to Melbourne could happen sooner than anticipated.

The Knights are ready to hand Milford a $150,000 lifeline after his move to the Rabbitohs this year collapsed, according to The Courier Mail.

Souths signed the playmaker for 2022 but the NRL refused to formally register the deal following his arrest last September for allegedly assaulting three people, including two women, during an alcohol-fuelled incident in Brisbane.

Smith will join the Roosters in 2023, reportedly making up his mind without talking to the Storm despite promising to give them final bidding rights, according toThe Sydney Morning Herald.

The Kiwi was being pursued by a host of clubs but hadn’t commented on his dealings publicly until praising the Roosters on a podcast over the weekend.

Elsewhere, the Broncos have ruled themselves out of the race for Reed Mahoney, while also confirming they won’t be throwing an ex-Raider a lifeline.

The Dolphins have been linked to a big-name Eel and a rising Dragons star, while a young Knight has inked a new deal — but a club legend wants to see him make a permanent positional switch too.

MANLY’S TEEN SENSATION

All the young gun talk last season was about Joseph Suaalii who got an exemption to play NRL before his 18th birthday, his Roosters teammate Sam Walker and Bronco-turn-Warrior Reece Walsh.

That means from Monday, players who come off contract at the end of 2022 can start negotiating with rival clubs for 2023 and beyond.

There’s a name of star players that fall into that category like Kalyn Ponga, Clint Gutherson, Harry Grant, Cody Walker and Angus Crichton, but they are all a very good chance of agreeing to a new deal with their existing club.

The same can’t be said though for several other big-name players, who have either publicly confirmed they will go to market, or have been strongly linked to a new club.