Will he depart the Rabbitohs?
The free agency window for 2027 is well underway, and one of the players who should be attracting plenty of interest ahead of a contract upgrade is South Sydney Rabbitohs halfback Jamie Humphreys.
The halfback, who can also line up at hooker, but made it clear during the most recent season that the number seven is his role moving forward, is off-contract with the Rabbitohs at the end of 2026.
Just 23 years of age, Humphreys joined South Sydney ahead of 2025 from the Manly Sea Eagles with frankly few expectations, but an excellent pre-season saw him win the number seven jumper, and it became clear as the campaign went on that he was their first-choice halfback.
Humphreys has always had the talent to become an NRL-level talent, and that is a view which is shared among scouts and fans on the Northern Beaches. They, of course, would have watched on with disappointment as he did it for another club.
Only injuries stopped Humphreys from having a properly fantastic season, with the Rabbitohs slumping well down the ladder in what was an injury crisis for much of the campaign.
Wayne Bennett and his recruitment staff will undoubtedly be keen to retain Humphreys, but his current deal with the Maroubra-based outfit is believed to only be worth about $150,000 per season.
That won’t be nearly enough to keep him around, but there are also no prizes for guessing the state of the Rabbitohs’ salary cap given other big-money deals for Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Murray and others around the club.
If Humphreys does take his exit from South Sydney at the end of 2026, here are the clubs who could make a play for him.
1. Perth Bears
The Bears have their first seven players locked up at the time of publication, including Toby Sexton, who will almost certainly start as the club’s first halfback.
The jury is still somewhat out on Sexton though – while the former Bulldog had them sitting at the top of the table during the first half of 2025, he fell out of favour at Belmore and had previously struggled on the Gold Coast.
Struggling on the Gold Coast isn’t exactly a new phenomenon for a young half, but there will still be plenty of curious eyebrows pointed in the direction of the west during 2027 as Sexton takes over.
Humphreys could well be an excellent option at halfback, but his versatility means he could be a signing that you recruit now, and work out where to play later.
The 23-year-old grew up as a hooker, but also has the running game to play at five-eighth. Could he be a halves pairing for Sexton, or even transition back into the middle third where his smarts and creativity at dummy half make a difference?
Some suggestions have even painted him as a lock forward in the making.
2. North Queensland Cowboys
The Cowboys are going to be an intriguing watch in the contract space over the next 12 or so months.
While Tom Dearden is contracted long-term and will play either the number six or seven role – pending who he is partnered with and what fits the team best – there are real questions around the rest of the squad.
The Cowboys have virtually as many open spots as any club for 2027 at this stage, and are looking to reshape and rebuild their roster. Todd Payten has to give the club something to cling onto if he wants to keep his job given the poor 2025 campaign.
Humphreys could be the sort of player who fits in nicely with the Townsville-based system though.
He runs the ball well and will fit in with an attack first mindset. Jake Clifford would seem a likely departure at the end of the year, and a halves partnership of Dearden and Humphreys – with Humphreys taking the lower end of the salary cap space – is an intriguing prospect.
3. St George Illawarra Dragons
On the surface, the Dragons continuing to chase halfbacks makes less than a lot of sense.
But it’s what the club have indicated time and time again. Shane Flanagan reconfirmed the club’s chase of a half and prop recently when speaking to Zero Tackle.
Daniel Atkinson joins for 2026 and will still be there in 2027. He has a chance to take over the number seven jumper, but the jury is still out on the utility, so really, it’s actually not a huge surprise that the Red V would still be in the market for an upgrade.
The thing is, Atkinson can play just about anywhere around the backline, even if a number of good judges believe he will turn number seven into his position.
The Dragons have real questions around their number six jumper too, with Lyhkan King-Togia and Kyle Flanagan both in the mix this year.
Youngster Kade Reed is also working his way through the system, but Humphreys would be an immediate upgrade.
Hooker is also a long-term question mark with Damien Cook’s retirement on the horizon.
4. Gold Coast Titans
The Titans seem to be permanently unclear of their direction in the halves.
Jayden Campbell has seemingly been re-signed as the long-term halfback, Lachlan Ilias has joined the club, and AJ Brimson appears to be on the outer at fullback with Keano Kini to return from long-term injury.
The Titans have options, but confidence in those options is hard to find.
That could well be where Humphreys comes in.
Hooker isn’t much more certain.
Sam Verrills is off-contract at the end of 2026, and they could well be on the lookout for a versatile option like Humphreys that they can play where and when needed.
Whether Humphreys would even entertain that sort of move remains to be seen.
5. Newcastle Knights
The Knights have added Dylan Brown to their roster long-term from the start of 2026, with the New Zealand international becoming the game’s highest-paid player.
Add his contract to the seven figures the club pays for Kalyn Ponga, and it’s fairly clear the Hunter-based outfit can’t afford to break the bank for too many more signings.
They have options to partner Brown in the halves, whether that be in the six or seven. Fletcher Sharpe is certainly the play to start the year, but the jury is out on whether a halves partnership of Brown and Sharpe would work.
Sandon Smith has also joined the club, but the talk is he will be lining up to spend more of his time at dummy half than in the halves.
You’d argue it won’t. Two predominantly ball-running halves has been tried plenty by other clubs without a whole lot of success.
Kalyn Ponga’s future is also up in the air at best, which could lead Sharpe to the number one jumper.
Humphreys could add the controlling influence Newcastle need moving forward in the halves. Correctly priced, a good foil for Brown. It’s an option the Knights may need to look at.
6. Canberra Raiders
The Raiders have added Coby Black to their long-term plans, while Ethan Sanders is also at the club.
The duo will contest the number seven jersey heading into 2026, but the jury is still frankly out on both options.
Black being released by the Broncos despite being talked up as the future of the sport has raised eyebrows, while Sanders hasn’t hit his potential in the nation’s capital after moving from the Parramatta Eels.
The blue and gold at the time were exceptionally frustrated to lose Sanders, but right now, he hasn’t looked likely to push for a permanent first-grade spot.
The Raiders, who have looked for an experienced option to replace Jamal Fogarty but struggled to find one, could still head in that direction for 2027.
Ethan Strange can shift out to the centres if they need to free up both the number six and seven jumper, and Humphreys is the sort of player the Green Machine should be taking a close look at.
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