NRL club offers five-eighth $1.3 million deal to lure the star to Townsville

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 earlier this week, the battle for Smith has come down to the Newcastle Knights and North Queensland Cowboys, with the former looking the likelier destination after tabling a four-year deal.

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

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

He would partner with Maroons halfback Tom Dearden, which would certainly be tempting for a young star like Smith.

Former Queensland Origin star Scott Sattler told the Courier Mail that he believes a Smith-Dearden alliance could ignite the Cowboys.

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

“He would be the perfect foil for Tommy Dearden.

“It would allow Tommy to develop into the leader where he owns the team in the No.7 jumper and lets Sandon be the guy that pulls the trigger when he needs to.”

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.