Cameron Munster has only just escaped the constant headline cycle of speculation linking him to the Perth Bears, but he could be about to jump right back into it.
And this time, he is off-contract when it matters.
While the mooted move to the Bears at the end of 2026 - potentially on a long-term deal to be the club's inaugural star - was always going to be scratchy given he would have needed a release from the Storm, the same can't be said if the PNG Chiefs come knocking.
Off-contract at the end of 2027, Munster is likely to be targetted by head coach Willie Peters and head coach Willie Peters for the 2028 campaign when the Chiefs will join the competition based in Port Moresby.
The club, who can offer tax-free breaks, will be able to outdo any other club financially, and if Munster wants to take a punt on a huge pay day to end his playing career, then the Chiefs could provide him a new home.
While the Chiefs have promised to make a play for him, it has now been revealed he is indirectly linked to the head coach Willie Peters through his manager Braith Anasta.
There is no doubt the Storm will want to retain Munster, and while the club will kick-off contract negotiations with him soon, November 1 is just six months away, and if he isn't locked down by then, the Queensland captain will be fair game.
Journalist Brent Read revealed the link on Triple M Radio.
“Braith Anasta manages Willie Peters. Braith Anasta manages Cameron Munster. Cameron Munsters comes off-contract at Melbourne at the end of 2027, which coincides with PNG,” Read said on Triple M's Sunday Sin Bin.
“Now they can't talk to him yet because obviously he's a November 1 guy but I rang Melbourne this week because there are some murmurs that PNG may take a look at Cam Munster.
“I spoke to Matt Tripp. Trippy said we want to keep Cam Munster at this footy club we don't want him going anywhere,” Read added.
“We want to sit down with him and try to extend him so he's a one-club man and he finishes his career at the Melbourne Storm but he hasn't been able to commence those talks yet - I'd imagine that'll happen pretty soon.
“And as I said there's a bit of a whisper going around, that Braith Anasta connection with Willie might lead PNG to sound out Cam Munster.”
Despite Tripp's comments, the Storm were not going to stand in Munster's way - particularly before the departure of Jonah Pezet - if he wanted to leave for the Bears and finish his career elsewhere.
The Storm owe Munster plenty for his incredible volume of work over the years in the Victorian capital, and this time they will have no wiggle room if the star elects to move on.
Melbourne's salary cap is a little more roomy than it was 12 months ago, it has to be said, given the departures of Ryan Papenhuyzen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona, while the future of Eliesa Katoa, currently out after a traumatic head knock playing for Tonga at the 2025 Pacific Championships, is also up in the air.
