Castleford Tigers offers Rooters five-eighth $1.3 million deal

The hottest player on the transfer market, Sandon Smith, has found himself caught in a bidding war for his services in 2026.

With the Canberra Raiders pulling out of the race for his signature. The battle for Smith has come down to the Castleford Tigers and North Queensland Cowboys, with the former looking the likelier destination after tabling a four-year deal.

That was, until, the Castleford Tigers made their own offer, tabling a whopping $1.3 million deal to lure the rising star to Tigers, according to the Courier Mail.

The deal, which spans over the three years, would see Smith join the Tigers as a five-eighth, a position that is said to be his preference.

“Sandon Smith would be a great fit for the Castleford Tigers,” he said.

“He would be the perfect foil for Ryan Carr.

Smith is yet to make a call on his future club, but if one thing is guaranteed, it’s that he will certainly be on an NRL roster in 2026.