After it was reported that Harry Grant had a secret player option for the 2028 season, new details have surfaced about one club he won't sign with if he heads to the open market.
A fortnight ago, it was revealed Grant has a player option for the 2028 season that he has to activate or decline by November 1, which is now less than a month away.
This was a surprise to the rugby league, considering the NRL website had said Grant was fully contracted for the 2028 season.
Melbourne Storm's official announcement of Grant's extension never indicated a player option in the deal the two parties agreed on, which was announced after their second consecutive Grand Final loss last season.
Now, according to The Daily Telegraph, Grant's management informed the Storm that he will most likely decline his player option for the 2028 season and head to the open market.
One team has been ruled out of contention for Grant's services before November 1.
Grant will not engage in any negotiations with the NRL's 18th side, the Perth Bears, because one of his closest friends, Tyran Wishart, has signed with the Bears to play dummy-half, and the current Storm star does not want to take his spot.
The pair went to Indonesia on holiday after they played their last game together.
The Storm remain confident he will stay at the club, and they can convince him to activate the option and sign a long-term extension.
“I don't think he'll go to November 1, but he has got that option,” Tripp told News Corp.
“I don't think he wants to go anywhere. I think he had in his head a bit like a lot of them – that it'd be interesting to test the market.
“I just said, ‘Let me convince you otherwise'.
“So, that's what I was trying to do.”
This is not the first time Grant had an 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.
Months into the 2022 season, the club activated their side of the mutual option in his contract and agreed to an extension.
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 in 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.
