The Perth Bears are hungrily eyeing out the November 1 free agency window, as they look to land a big fish to lead them in their inaugural NRL season.
While there are a stack of young guns and solid veterans off contract that would be open to making the switch to Perth, it seems Mal Meninga and his Bears have their sights on a bigger target.
Gold Coast Titans skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is set to hit the open market at the end of the year, as he looks to test his value.
The Courier Mail reports that the Titans now face the mammoth task of retaining the Maroons star, as the Bears line up a $7.5 million deal that will span over five years.
If Fa’asuamaleaui were to sign the deal, it would make him the highest paid player in league history.
While he is currently in the midst of a ten-year deal at the Titans, his contract has a get out clause that he can activate which would see him leave at the end of 2026.
His manager, Simon Mammino, declared while Tino is happy where he is, the prospect of testing his value is too tempting to pass up.
“We will be testing the market,” Mammino told the Courier Mail.
“At this stage, he wants to stay at the Titans, but it’s a business and we’ll be having a chat to interested parties, including the Perth Bears.”
While Mammino stressed that “in a perfect world” he would stay with the Titans, whether he does or not “remains to be seen.”
The Bears can table an official offer from November 1.
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