Storm star Hughes target of Warriors
AUCKLAND: The Warriors are swooping in to sign Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes.
With captain and fullback Roger TuivasaSheck, who is on about $1 million a year, walking out on the Warriors next year to play rugby, the club has significant cash to spend.
Australian outlets are reporting the Warriors have tabled a big threeyear offer of more than $800,000 a season to Hughes, who is originally from Wellington.
NRL.com reported the Warriors and Melbourne Storm, the 2020 NRL champion, are not commenting.
The offcontract
Hughes has played at fullback but it would be a surprise if he agreed on a shift to Auckland that would involve him not playing in the halves.
His shift here would put the pressure on current halves Chanel HarrisTavita and Kodi Nikorima.
Hughes (26), who moved to Australia in his teens, is also being chased by the Cronulla Sharks.
He has grown into an outstanding half at the Storm, following in the footsteps of the great Cooper Cronk.
One Australian report claimed that even though the Storm has money free due to the impending departure of Cameron Smith, it would still struggle to match the Warriors’ offer.
‘‘Melbourne sources have indicated they are comfortable with their retention bid for Hughes, which is believed to have seen their original twoyear extension offer upped to include an additional season,’’ NRL.com reported.
New South Wales coach Brad Fittler, one of league’s greatest playmakers, has suggested Hughes might be best advised to remain part of the champion Melbourne formula.
‘‘[That Melbourne formula] when you move away, once you lose that strength in the foundations, it is easy for your game to fall apart.’’
Meanwhile, Melbourne’s new era without Smith will officially begin today when the Storm unveils its new captain.
Last year’s vicecaptains, Dale Finucane and Jesse Bromwich, are the likely choices.
Cameron Munster put his hand up through the season to take on the captaincy duties while young gun Ryan Papenhuyzen was a surprise choice as skipper in the final round when Melbourne rested the other leaders, but it is unlikely coach Craig Bellamy will look to those two just yet.
‘‘Mr Reliable’’ Finucane (29) is a favourite of Bellamy’s while Bromwich has long been the Storm’s pack leader although at 31, age may count against him.