Details have surfaced that Melbourne Storm star Harry Grant has a secret option he could decline to become a free agent this November 1.
On November 20, 2025, Melbourne Storm confirmed a two-year extension that would keep him at the club until the end of the 2028 season.
Grant had activated a player option to remain for 2026 back in 2024.
However, Sports Confidential reported that despite the NRL website saying Grant was signed on in 2028, per Melbourne's announcement, Grant has a player option for the 2028 season that must be activated or declined by November 1, which is five weeks away.
The Queensland Maroons dummy-half could join a stacked free agent class with superstars Latrell Mitchell, Nathan Cleary, Herbie Farnworth and more.
Although Grant has the option to decide on his future, the Storm remain confident he will stay at the club, and they can convince him to activate the option as well as sign a long-term extension.
Melbourne are willing to 'move heaven and earth' for their captain to stay at the club.
Grant has been with the Storm since 2018, except for the 12 months he spent with the Wests Tigers through an agreed loan/swap for Paul Momirovski in 2020, when the club last won an NRL premiership.
Melbourne have made it their priority to extend their juniors and Victorian talent for the future, with young dummy-half Jai Bowden signing a deal until the end of the 2030 season.
Cameron Munster is off-contract at the end of the 2027 season and has teased exploring his options to return to Queensland, so Grant could join his teammates talking to rival clubs.
The Storm also have Xavier Coates, Jack Hetherington, Jack Howarth, Eliesa Katoa, Josh King, Ativalu Lisati, Josiah Pahulu, Trent Toelau, Kelma Tuilagi, Stefano Utoikamanu and Manaia Waitere off-contract at the end of the 2027 season.
Jack Howarth has been made expendable by the Storm, as he looked to join the Eels in 2027.
However, Melbourne were looking to exchange Howarth for Zac Lomax from Parramatta, as the blue and gold had his NRL rights.
Zac Lomax, however, wanted to complete his stint in Super Rugby before heading to Papua New Guinea in 2028.
If Grant becomes available to rival clubs by declining his player option, a lot of clubs would be interested in his services.
This is not the first time that Grant had some kind of option in his contract.
In the 2021 off-season, when he was off-contract at the end of 2022, Grant had considered his options in free agency and in April 2022, the club activated their end of the mutual option that was in his contract at the end and agreed to an extension.
The Dolphins before their inaugural season in 2023 expressed their interest in several dummy halves off-contract, including Grant, as well as the Brisbane Broncos, Wests Tigers and the Canterbury Bulldogs.
