Melbourne Storm halfback Jonah Pezet's preference might be to remain at the club, but he has admitted that all options are on the table.
Coming off an excellent performance against the Canterbury Bulldogs in Friday night's qualifying final, where he was standing in for Jahrome Hughes, interest has increased in where Pezet's future may be.
The young half is rated as one of the best juniors anywhere in the game, but he elected to re-sign with the Storm last year on a long-term deal.
Despite that, a clause was inserted that makes him a free agent now that Jahrome Hughes has also re-signed with the club.
There is some speculation that Cameron Munster could head to the Perth Bears, which would ultimately free up the number six jersey for Pezet, but that is no guarantee of happening either.
The idea has since been floated that Pezet could be loaned out to a club for 2026 before returning to Melbourne in the same way that Harry Grant was once loaned to the Wests Tigers when he was stuck behind Cameron Smith.
Pezet, speaking on NRL 360 said all options are on the table.
“As I said before, I am focused on the finals series for us. But I am sort of an open book at the moment to any sort of loan deals or whatever that might be,” he said on the Fox Sports show.
“Obviously the club has had a fair bit of experience in 2020 loaning out Harry (Grant) there for a bit.
“But as the man in the studio would know that's sort of his job and my job is to play good footy and to give him the most amount of options that we can look forward to.”
Pezet, who is likely to be dropped for the preliminary final with talk that Hughes will be fit to return from a broken wrist, may well have played his last game - for the time being, at least - in Storm colours.
Melbourne are desperate to retain him one way or another, which is why they are open to the loan, and his agent, Braith Anasta, confirmed that Pezet is technically off-contract, but is looking for a one-year loan with Pezet's long-term preference to remain in Melbourne.
“As it stands right now, technically he is off contract. I had the clause in there with Jahrome... we have been looking for the one-year loan,” Anasta said.
“But we are not sure where this is going to land right now, it's sort of up in the air. But technically, he is a free agent.
“Of course (his preference) is to stay, but he is also a smart kid. Jahrome is the No. 7 and he's just re-signed.
“We saw the other night how he plays as a No. 7.”
Adding to the intrigue is the fact Anasta also manages Munster, who may now be the roadblock standing in the way of Pezet remaining in Melbourne.
