Only contracted with the Gold Coast Titans for a further 12 months, mixed reports have emerged surrounding one of the brightest young forward talents in rugby league as he contemplates his future.
Debuting in the final round of the 2025 NRL season against the Wests Tigers, Cooper Bai may have only made a single appearance, but the Under-19s Queensland representative showed plenty of promise, impressing fans and club officials.
Finishing the year by representing Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister’s XIII squad, the teenager has caught the attention of multiple teams, having been free to speak and negotiate with rivals since November 1.
With the Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters previously expressing an interest in him, The Daily Telegraph reports that the Castleford Tigers have become the latest club to enter the race for his services.
However, what is interesting is that this news outlet believes he will sign a one-year extension with the Titans, while The Courier-Mail understands that the Tigers are currently the frontrunners for his signature.
“Cooper is critically important to our future. Anyone in our game, particularly in southeast Queensland, was well aware of his reputation as a kid coming up.,” Gold Coast Titans coach Josh Hannay said via The Courier-Mail.
“Then we saw what he was able to do in his debut in the last game of the season. He showed despite his youth, the world is at his feet. He is one of the most mature 19-year-olds you will ever find.
“He is driven away from football, he is studying criminology, so there is a very smart, measured and mature man behind the footballer and that gives us great confidence.
“He has all the attributes of being a player that can have a long, sustained successful career in this game at the Titans. He is representative of the kids we want to keep at this club.”
The son of former NRL player Marcus Bai, Cooper made two tackle busts, 15 tackles and 76 running metres in his first and only first-grade appearance, while he crossed the line for a try before it was disallowed.
Adding to this, he scored five tries, made 22 tackle busts and 172 tackles and averaged 148 running metres per game in his seven QLD Cup appearances for the Tweed Seagulls.
“I played against his father Marcus Bai and he is one of the hardest guys I ever had to tackle,” ex-NRL, State of Origin and international player Gordon Tallis told The Courier-Mail.
“He was off the back fence, he was built low to the ground and if his son has his dad’s fabric, which it looks like it does, he will be pretty special.
“I watched him play in the Queensland under-19s and he was one of the best players on the field.
“Cooper Bai is young. The talent has got him this far. When you are 17 or 18, talent gets you this far, but it looks like Cooper has a great attitude and he has a great sounding board in his father.
“Subconsciously, he would have watched and heard his dad and how he got to the top.”
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