The Perth Bears preparation for their inaugural season took an unexpected turn recently when South Sydney Rabbitohs half and hooker Jamie Humphreys decided he wouldn't be joining the club for their inaugural season.
The deal had been as good as done, if you listened to the reports circulating, for weeks.
But then he backflipped. Decided moving across the country to join a squad that, on paper, is a long way away from where it needs to be, wasn't the best move for his career.
Instead, he decided to go back to the open market, where he has been since November 1, and take his chances there.
The Rabbitohs seemingly don't have the money, or, given the form of Ashton Ward, even the appetite to play Humphreys in anything other than a bench role, but his current club could yet become his future club if things go one way in the coming days and weeks.
Humphreys backflipping this late in the piece is an eyebrow-raiser given most clubs are well and truly closing on full squads for next year, but he is too good to not land a deal somewhere.
Here are the five clubs who could land him for 2027 and beyond.
4. Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are about to watch a heap of experience go out the door with Jarome Luai handed an early release to join the Parramatta Eels in 2027 before heading to the PNG Chiefs in 2028.
The joint-venture clearly have plans to prepare for the future, with Latu Fainu and Javon Andrews potentially the long-term halves combination.
Adam Doueihi is also at the club, and Jared Haywood will eventually take over from Apisai Koroisau at dummy half.
But with Luai gone, there will be an extraordinary amount of focus on young talent next year for Benji Marshall in a side who are going to likely miss the top eight yet again following a dismal second-half fadeout.
It's not that Humphreys is old, but he certainly has more experience than others in the Tigers' system, and whether starting in the halves or playing from the bench, the joint-venture who need reinforcements could look at him.
