Manly’s potential move for Kyle Flanagan is far from a done deal according to Paul Kent, with one particular stumbling block standing in the way.
Meanwhile, with the Raiders looking to plan for life after Jack Wighton, could they target another representative star?
Plus, the Tigers have bolstered their backline depth with a left-field signing from the Queensland Cup.
Read below for all the latest NRL Transfer Whispers!
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Does Moses ‘have too much influence?’ | 01:04
POTENTIAL PLAYER SWAP THE REASON FOR ‘HOLD-UP’ IN FLANAGAN MOVE
The Sea Eagles are reportedly “confident” in landing out-of-favour Bulldogs playmaker Kyle Flanagan but there is one major sticking point to the deal, according to Paul Kent.
Appearing on Fox League’s ‘NRL 360’ on Tuesday night, Kent said that Canterbury-Bankstown is looking into the possibility of getting a player in return should Flanagan leave for Manly.
That is proving a stumbling block in discussions between the two clubs about a potential move.
Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould has consistently denied there are any doubts over Flanagan’s short-term future at the club but that is at odds with what Kent is hearing from Manly.
“As surprised as Phil Gould is that no one has approached him, Manly are surprised to hear it,” Kent said.
“They have certainly had the discussions about getting Flanagan there. My understanding is the hold-up is because the Bulldogs are exploring getting a player in return as a bit of a swap. “But it is a long way from being rubber-stamped. It may not happen at all but everyone at Manly is confident it will happen. They have spoken to someone at Canterbury.”
Senior rugby league reporter David Riccio, meanwhile, reported on ‘NRL 360’ that Manly will be particularly keen to get the deal done with the Origin period looming.
“Manly’s interest clearly stems from Daly Cherry-Evans being involved in Origin [and] Josh Schuster, whose future is a genuine week-to-week proposition,” Riccio said.
“That leaves them down to Cooper Johns through an Origin period.”
The Bulldogs don’t have much established halves depth of their own, with Josh Reynolds brought into the NRL side last week as the team eases Karl Oloapu into top-grade action.
Oloapu is widely considered the Bulldogs’ future halves partner alongside Burton, further casting doubt over Flanagan’s long-term standing at Belmore.
Flanagan is already off-contract at the end of this year but Gould denied that there was any talk about an early exit for the 24-year-old.
“I haven’t had one approach, haven’t had anyone call me about it whatsoever, it’s just another bit of scuttlebutt in the media,” he said on Channel Nine’s ‘100% Footy’ on Monday night.
“I don’t know what’s brought the story up.
“Kyle Flanagan was confused because he rang the coach on Saturday night the first time he saw the report, saying ‘I know nothing about this’.
“We haven’t even spoken to him, it’s not even an issue.”
That though did not exactly line up with comments from Kyle’s father Shane, who said there is a “little bit of truth” to the reports but added any move is “a long way off”.
“There’s been no conversation, his manager’s been overseas,” Shane, who is also an assistant coach at Manly, said on 2GB’s ‘Wide World of Sports Radio’.
“I stay out of it completely, there’s one spot left in the Manly roster and we feel we might need a half. With Josh Schuster out at the moment, he’s going to be out for three or four weeks, and Daly Cherry-Evans going to Origin, it’s a position that we feel that we might need someone, but it’s a long way off.
“As I said, I stay out of it, I let the club deal with that, and I just be his father these days … I’m not digging my nose in that area.
“… Kyle’s got some options without a doubt, I know that, he’s got some options if he doesn’t stay at the Bulldogs, and that’s not a shut door at the moment. Let’s be honest, I don’t think he’ll stay there, but he’s got some options.”
‘An $800K player they can’t pick’ | 01:08
HUNT TO REPLACE WIGHTON?
It’s no secret the Raiders are keen to spend to recruit a big star to their club with Jack Wighton signing with South Sydney from 2024.
You can read here on who we think the Raiders could target, but another named that has popped up in recent days is Dragons and Maroons star Ben Hunt.
According to Nine reporter Danny Weidler, Hunt is “the style of player and person they (Raiders) would like at their club.”
“There’s obviously a lot of money they’re going to have in their cap and they’re going to be able to spend it on a quality half,” Weidler said.
“I’ve been speaking to some people at Canberra. They’ve been linked previously to Luke Brooks, they’re saying that ship has probably sailed.
“I think privately a player they’d really love to have is Ben Hunt.”
While Hunt is contracted with the Dragons until the end of 2025, he may be gettable before then.
He has been embattled coach Anthony Griffin’s biggest supporter but it appears Griffin is on the way out.
If Griffin leaves the Dragons, Hunt has said publicly that he “wouldn’t really be keen to starting fresh”.
“You would definitely have a think about it and reassess maybe,” Hunt said last month.
Obviously, there’s a lot that has to happen for a Hunt-to-Canberra move to become a reality, but the Raiders will leave no stone unturned in their search for a marquee player.
NRL admits touch judge got it wrong | 01:48
TIGERS SIGN TALENTED BACK
The Wests Tigers have raided the Queensland Cup ranks, signing Wynnum’s Tony Pellow effective immediately, as per WWOS’s The Mole.
The versatile Pellow can play fullback, centre and halfback and provides some much needed depth for the one-win Tigers.
For the Seagulls this season, Pellow has recorded five try assists, 12 tackles busts and two tries in five games.
The 26-year-old is expected to debut in the NSW Cup for the Western Suburbs Magpies next weekend.
If he was to impress in the NSW Cup, it won’t be a surprise to see Tim Sheens call on him for first grade in the near future.
Pellow previously played his trade for St George Illawarra in the NSW Cup before catching on in the Queensland Cup for the Brisbane Tigers and then Wynnum.
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