Market Watch: Shark dramaMarket Watch: Shark drama2:07
NRL Market Watch: Jack Bird frenzy, Roosters offer opportunity, Luke Lewis in limbo
12 minutes agoby NATHAN RYANSource: FOX SPORTS
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WELCOME to Market Watch, your home for the latest news on player movements at your club.
From transfers, new deals, rumours and retirements.
Check it all out here!
BIRD BIDDING KICKS OFF
The fight for NSW Origin star Jack Bird is under way.
Market Watch can reveal the young star has eight clubs including his own vying for his prized signature.
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Newcastle and the Gold Coast aren’t among the eight but Market Watch understands they could soon join them.
Both teams wouldn’t rule out making a play for the young star and are monitoring his movements but the Sharks have been told they will be given the final right of reply when it comes to any deal Bird is considering.
Jack Bird celebrates winning the grand final.Jack Bird celebrates winning the grand final.Source: News Corp Australia
A premiership winner at the age of 21, the Sharks will need to pay market value for the 2015 Dally M rookie of the year which will start at around $600,000 and could reach as high as almost $1 million-a-season.
It’s understood Bird is negotiating with rival clubs as a fullback, five-eighth and lock with his journey in the centres not likely to continue unless he stays on at the Sharks.
Centre is now regarded as one of the lowest paid positions by the game’s best recruiters but due to his versatility, Bird is an exception to that line of thinking.
Coach Shane Flanagan embraces Jack Bird.Coach Shane Flanagan embraces Jack Bird.Source: News Corp Australia
The Sharks have several top line players off-contract including Valentine Holmes, Chad Townsend and Wade Graham.
The club has made no secret of making Bird and Holmes their priority re-signs with negotiations well under way to extend the pair.
Holmes is expected to move into the No.1 following the release of Ben Barba and is asking for a substantial pay rise with his time on the wing now over.
On tour with the Australian Test side, Holmes can also expect offers in excess of $600,000.
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PANTHERS’ NEXT TARGET
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak — you’re next.
This week Waqa Blake extended his stay with the Panthers, a deal Market Watch revealed three weeks ago, and while the club has already re-signed the majority of their hottest young talents, they aren’t finished yet.
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Penriths pre-season underwayPenriths pre-season underway1:04
New Zealand international Watene-Zelezniak is next on their list with the speedy winger eyeing a two-year extension which will keep him at the club until the end of 2019.
A speed demon who can also play fullback, the 21-year-old made his Test debut in the Anzac Test earlier this year.
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LEWIS LEFT IN LIMBO
Luke Lewis has been left in contract limbo.
The 2016 Clive Churchill Medal winner is still without an NRL deal for next season but Sharks fans need not panic just yet, Market Watch understands Lewis reached out to club management earlier this week in order to speed up the process.
What makes things even more interesting is that Lewis is without a manager and representing himself.
While the former Origin star announced in August he would be staying on with the Sharks in 2017, the backrower never put pen to paper.
Wade Graham takes a bite of Luke Lewis's Clive Churchill Medal with Valentine Holmes.Wade Graham takes a bite of Luke Lewis's Clive Churchill Medal with Valentine Holmes.Source: News Corp Australia
Lewis is yet to see a contract or iron out the finer details of his proposed one-year extension but if all goes according to scrip, the 33-year-old should have a deal lodged with the NRL on Friday.
A veteran of the game, Lewis is still playing as well as ever and is understood to want to play on beyond next season.
Despite his desire to keep going, he is comfortable with signing 12 month extensions at this stage of his career.
Both parties hope to have a deal signed off on by the end of the month, in time for when Lewis is due to return for pre-season training.
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ROOSTERS GIVE OPPORTUNITY
The Roosters have handed former Wests Tigers lock Brenden Santi a one-year-deal.
The former Italian international spent two seasons with the Tigers, making his NRL debut in 2014 before he moved to Townsville in 2016 to play for the Blackhawks.
A former Australian Schoolboys representative, Santi is a Bulldogs junior who played NYC with the Tigers.
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TRAIN AND TRIAL
Tyler Cornish playing for Wyong.Tyler Cornish playing for Wyong.Source: News Corp Australia
He was Mitchell Pearce’s understudy for the past two seasons, now Tyler Cornish is training for a contract with the Titans.
Like Cameron Cullen did last year, before netting a one-year-deal, the former Roosters half has joined the Gold Coast pre-season for an opportunity.
Having spent the last two years playing for the Roosters’ feeder team Wyong in the NSW Cup, Cornish was replaced by his older bother Mitch by the Tricolours for 2017.
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RAIDERS OFFER OPPORTUNITY
Cronulla backrower Anthony Moraitis has joined Canberra on a full-time train and trial deal until February.
A standout for Newtown in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW, the recipient of the Jets’ Coach’s Award was part of Cronulla’s NRL squad in 2016 but was not offered a new deal for 2017 which prompted the trial with the Raiders.
Similar to Dave Taylor, he will need to impress the Raiders’ staff before the club makes a decision on whether or not to keep him on next season.
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MOSELEY MOVES NORTH
Kierran Moseley at Titans training.Kierran Moseley at Titans training.Source: News Corp Australia
Gold Coast hooker Kierran Moseley has signed with North Queensland feeder team Townsville for season 2017.
The 22-year-old made his NRL debut for Penrith back in 2014 before moving to the Titans but was not offered a new deal for next season.
Moseley made just four appearances in the top grade this season, taking his NRL tally to 21 and has joined the Blackhawks after failing to secure an NRL contract.
Moseley will battle it out with former Cowboy and Indigenous All Star Anthony Mitchell for the starting No.9 jersey next season.
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**SHHHHH\
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Which Sydney club is shopping some of their higher-paid players thanks to the pinch of the salary cap?\
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This club has gone to the length of finding one of their outside backs a new home with a non-Sydney based team but the player refused to leave after recently purchasing a new home.\
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The player isn’t off-contract in 2017 either, so they’re stuck with him, unless they can find a team in Sydney who will take him on.**
