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.

3. North Queensland Cowboys

For whatever reason, Todd Payten seems hellbent on dropping Jake Clifford every time he gets the chance.

He did it numerous times last year without success, and tried it again last weekend agains the Dolphins with another loss.

Clifford has been re-signed, but the Cowboys were also in the running for Chanel Harris-Tavita before that, and the loss of Scott Drinkwater to the St George Illawarra Dragons and Mason Barber to the Perth Bears means Jaxon Purdue is the likely fullback in 2027.

That takes him out of the running to play in the halves, while the Cowboys are also short on depth in key spine positions.

There are dummy halves in the system, but only Reed Mahoney is a suitable starter at this stage.

Humphreys may have to get used to a bench role at most clubs who would be interested, but the Cowboys, with money to burn and plenty of spots to fill, could certainly be one of them.

The idea long-term of a Humphreys and Tom Dearden halves combination is one that seems exciting.