Fringe New Zealand Warriors outside back Rocco Berry is set to join the Melbourne Storm.
Berry's talent has never been a question throughout the first part of his career, but his fitness has.
Spending plenty of time on the sidelines has limited Berry before, but not to the extent it has this year, with the centre and winger who played rugby union as he grew up before joining the Warriors as a prodigy yet to play a game of NRL yet this season.
The outside back has played 52 games since his debut though, with the 25-year-old showing plenty in those games.
News Corp are reporting though that Berry has undergone a medical exam in Melbourne in a move that could be made official in the coming weeks.
The Storm are in the process of revitalising their side for 2027 after the trickiest season the club have faced in more than two decades.
Melbourne have already confirmed Will Warbrick is going the other way to Auckland, while Nick Meaney is set to join the Perth Bears.
The club have signed Jamayne Isaako from the Dolphins and Bronson Xerri from the Canterbury Bulldogs, but it's also tipped Jack Howarth will join the Parramatta Eels for 2027, leaving the door open for their own young talent or a new signing to fill the void.
Melbourne being interested in Berry could be confirmation of Howarth's move and their future plans all rolled into one, with the club having also recently been in talks with Zac Lomax before he decided the PNG Chiefs would be his new home for 2028.
The Warriors have no need for Berry and it's understood they didn't offer him a new contract beyond his current deal.
The club's signing of Warbrick comes after they added Alofiana Khan-Pereira this year, and while Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is set to leave at the end of this year for the English Super League, they still have the likes of Adam Pompey, Ali Leiataua and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad in their ranks to play in the centres. Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak could also find himself on the outside looking in next year after recently re-signing.
