The Luke Metcalf saga at the New Zealand Warriors has taken a significant turn.
Once earmarked as the long-term successor to Shaun Johnson, the 27-year-old now finds himself in an awkward position.
Currently, the halfback is contracted until the end of 2028, but permitted by the club to explore his options on the open market.
The catalyst is no mystery. Metcalf suffered a season-ending ACL injury midway through 2025 while playing some of the best football in his career, leading the Dally M Medal race before going down.
In his absence last season, the Warriors struggled during the back end of the season.
The club would go from the top four to sixth place and lose the elimination final at home against the Penrith Panthers.
This season, Tanah Boyd has taken charge with Metcalf initially on the sidelines to start the year, finding his groove and hasn't looked back as the Warriors are currently 2nd on the ladder.
Boyd has officially extended with the Warriors until the end of the 2029 season, turning down Wayne Bennett's offer from the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
With youngsters Jett Cleary and Luke Hanson also coming through the system, the path to halfback for Metcalf, with his injury history, is closing.
Metcalf has ambitions to play halfback, not five-eighth, as he played two games in the six jersey this season with Boyd wearing no.7.
That desire, and both parties' willingness to facilitate a move as early as 2027, puts a host of clubs on alert.
Here are the five clubs that make the most sense.
3. Perth Bears
Despite reports that Jamie Humphreys will sign a three-year deal with Perth Bears, it is worth noting that Toby Sexton only signed a two-year deal and Wishart, despite signing a five-year deal, could be the team's long-term dummy half if that is the path Mal Meninga and Ben Gardiner choose.
The Bears have been heavily criticised for a lack of a marquee on the roster currently, and signing Metcalf could be worth a play.
Jamie Humphreys also has the versatility to play dummy-half and in the back row, which would allow the Bears to have those four players at their club together.
The majority of the Bears' signings so far have been players who can cover different positions, and signing a player like Metcalf to play halfback would allow those players to fit into those new roles quickly.
The Bears were a club Metcalf considered before signing the extension with the Warriors, and with Perth looking for a selling point, it would be understandable for the Bears to sign Metcalf and promote him as their guy for the first few years of their existence before they lean into their long-term players.
