The North Sydney Bears have made three new signings, bringing in a Manly Sea Eagles front-rower and Parramatta Eels outside back to the club for the remainder of the season.
Preparing for the backend of the 2025 NSW Cup season, the Bears have confirmed that they were able to bring in Aitasi James (Manly Sea Eagles) and Ethyn Martin (Parramatta Eels) before the June 30 deadline.
Joining from the Northern Beaches, James will replace the departed Ben Talty, who made his first-grade debut for the Brisbane Broncos last weekend.
A member of the Sea Eagles Top 30 roster, the front-rower will bring a wealth of experience to the squad and has played six NRL matches over the past three seasons, with five of them coming for the Wests Tigers in 2023.
Ethyn Martin has also been brought in by North Sydney after departing the Parramatta Eels where he came through their pathways system and played eight NSW Cup matches for them over the years.
Lightning quick, Martin is originally from New Zealand and made his debut for the club last week against the Newtown Jets in Round 18.
The Bears have also welcomed back Kieran Hayman to the club on a two-year contract until 2026 after beginning the year on a train and trial contract with the Gold Coast Titans.
Training with the Titans in the pre-season in the hope of progressing into the NRL, he went on to make 11 appearances for the Tweed Heads Seagulls but unfortunately never got to showcase his talents on the first-grade stage.
” the front-rower will bring a wealth of experience to the squad and has played six NRL matches over the past three seasons,” Does not sound like “a wealth” to me.
“Ethyn Martin … came through the (Eels) pathways system and played eight NSW Cup matches for them over the years.”
I suppose these guys are a couple of cheap, depth players. Maybe we should be open about this, rather than making them out to be something they are not.