Ronaldo Mulitalo is expected to explore his options on the NRL’s open market as the Cronulla winger prepares to join a long list of top-calibre names coming off contract.
The 24-year-old recently indicated to the Sharks he wants to gauge his worth as he enters the final year of his contract at the end of 2025.
Mulitalo will be free to talk to clubs come November 1.
There is no indication the New Zealand international has a desire to leave, having been an ever-present for the Sharks since his NRL debut in 2019.
Cronulla have indicated they want to keep Mulitalo, who is a one-club man.
But they also have playmaker Braydon Trindall, edge forward Briton Nikora and captain Cameron McInnes coming off contract.
Ronaldo Mulitalo celebrates with Cameron McInnes (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
That could potentially have a bearing on Mulitalo’s future with the winger, who has amassed 83 NRL tries in 110 games, likely to attract plenty of interest come November 1.
Mulitalo enters NRL free agency at an intriguing time with plenty of movement expected among top-tier outside backs in the next contractual year.
Brisbane are striving to keep hold of Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo, while Josh Addo-Carr’s future at Canterbury remains unresolved, with the former NSW State of Origin winger previously linked with a move to St George Illawarra.
Reports in England have also suggested that Parramatta winger Maika Sivo is a target for former Eels coach Brad Arthur, who is now at Leeds.
While aware of the speculation, Parramatta told AAP they have yet to receive an official request from Sivo’s management to speak with the Super League side.
The Eels have already offloaded Reagan Campbell-Gillard and have given captain Clint Gutherson the chance to explore his options for 2026.
Gutherson has been linked with a move to the Dragons, who are facing an uncertain future with their own skipper.
Veteran Dragons captain Ben Hunt is all-but certain to find a new club in the coming months after several reports that he will look to relocate his family to Queensland for 2026.
Hunt would likely still have to see out 2025 in Wollongong, unless the Dragons are able to find a suitable replacement in return for letting him leave early.
Amid the Ben Hunt contract drama at St George Illawarra, the Red V are mulling over a move for Tiger Adam Doueihi, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Doueihi, who can play across the backline, is only signed at Concord for 2025 and can negotiate for 2026 onwards from November 1, though Wests could be open to an immediate release.
The 26-year-old will reportedly earn $350,000 next season, so could be a bargain buy for the Dragons.
Mal Meninga has hailed Todd Payten’s historical captaincy call on Tom Dearden as the playmaker prepares for a high-stakes, full-circle Kangaroos Test debut.
The 23-year-old will partner fellow debutant Mitch Moses in the halves for Australia on Friday night against Tonga as the Pacific Championships begin at Suncorp Stadium.
The venue was the source of nightmares for Dearden across three seasons at a battling Brisbane between 2019-2021, when he had come onto the scene with massive hype and expectation.
Eventually offloaded to North Queensland, the teenage half endured more NRL torment in an underperforming team and at one stage boasted a personal win-loss record of 5-29.
Things suddenly clicked for the Cowboys and their tough playmaker, a 17-6 2022 season kick-starting a career resurrection that will reach new heights on Friday night.
Proven pair Nathan Cleary and Cameron Munster both need off-season surgery and were unavailable for selection.
Meninga has overlooked Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans and trusted five-eighth Dearden alongside the fit-again No.7 Moses.
He said Dearden’s form for Queensland in a losing side and his ascension to the North Queensland captaincy – at 22 he was the youngest to earn the nod – had sealed the deal.
“It’s a growth period for most players; they’ve got to find their feet,” Meninga said of Dearden’s school of hard knocks.
“Tommy had an opportunity early and you learn from your experiences.
“It was great faith by Todd to make him and Reuben (Cotter) captains.”
Tom Dearden is tackled. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)
Tongan co-captain Jason Taumalolo expects Dearden and Moses, who hasn’t played since rupturing his biceps in a series-winning performance for NSW in July’s State of Origin decider, to click.
“You can try and out-compete him but it’s never the case with Tommy, whether he’s defending or attacking, it’s at 110 per cent,” he said of his Cowboys teammate.
“We’ve just got to hope he’s not gelled too much with the team and drops some balls.”
Australia were shocked by Tonga in their last meeting five years ago and are coming off a 30-0 thrashing from New Zealand in their last Test.
This Tongan squad boasts one of Test rugby league’s most imposing forward packs, that should give Isaiya Katoa and Tuimoala Lolohea opportunities in the halves.
Three-straight losses to New Zealand in 2014-15 were the last time Australia’s lost twice or more consecutively to the same team, the first time since 1978, and cost coach Tim Sheens his job.
The significance of the occasion is not lost on Dearden, who says their last-start defeat by the Kiwis has been discussed this week.
“It was disappointing … I know we’ll be ready to go to make sure that that doesn’t happen again,” he said.
“It means everything; I know as a kid, playing for the Kangaroos and wearing the green and gold, it’s the highest honour there is in rugby league.
“To get the opportunity to be alongside and train alongside some of the best players in the world is really exciting.
“It’s about doing the right things with the ball and making sure we tackle them first. There’s lots of strong carriers of the ball.”
Meninga says Port Moresby-born Xavier Coates is just as proud of his “green and gold culture” ahead of his Kangaroos debut.
The Melbourne Storm flyer will debut for Australia on Friday against Tonga at Suncorp Stadium when the Pacific Championships begin.
A veteran of 10 State of Origin games for Queensland, the Port Moresby-born Coates has one Test cap for PNG to his name.
New Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou was hopeful he’d again turn out for his side, who begin their campaign in Fiji on Saturday.
Xavier Coates flies high in the left corner at AAMI Park (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)
But the high-flyer chose Australia and Meninga will reward him with a maiden cap in Brisbane.
“We all come from different backgrounds, parts of everywhere,” Meninga said.
“Xavier’s really proud of his Australian heritage to his father’s side.
“He’s played 10 Origin games for Queensland, was brought up on the Gold Coast.
“He’s passionate about Papua New Guinea, don’t get me wrong.
‘But he’s got the green and gold jersey on and that’s something he’s aspired to all his life.
“He deserves to be here and he’s just as proud of his PNG culture as he is his green and gold culture.”
Coates, whose younger brother Phillip played for the Junior Kumuls against the Australian Schoolboys in Port Moresby on Sunday, remains eligible to play for PNG at the 2026 World Cup.
“I wanted to pick him for the Pacific Championships, I know how much representing PNG means to him because I’ve spoken to him over the phone,” Demetriou said last week.
“But I also know that Xavier has two heritages and it’s a pretty special honour for him to represent Australia.
“He has done everything else but I suppose we’ll let him do that (play for Australia), tick that box and then he can get back to the Kumuls before the World Cup.”
with AAP
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