The Perth Bears are circling two of the most underrated players in the NRL competition as they prepare to build their inaugural roster and are now free to speak with players from rival teams who are off-contract at the end of the 2026 season.
With no signings yet, the Bears will be one of the most active teams on the transfer market as they aim to recruit at least ten players before the end of 2026, in under two months.
Over the past few months, the expansion team have been linked with several stars, including Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and Selwyn Cobbo, as well as others such as Toby Sexton and Gehamat Shibasaki.
Now the club have two more players in their sights, with sources telling Zero Tackle that they are interested in recruiting Jesse Colquhoun (Cronulla Sharks) and Tyran Wishart (Melbourne Storm), who they see as potential targets.
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Considered one of the most underrated talents in the NRL, Wishart is only contracted at the Storm for a further 12 months and is bound to attract plenty of interest on the open market due to his versatility which can see him play nearly every position in the forwards and back-line.
Commonly used off the interchange bench at the Victorian-based side, the 25-year-old and two-time Prime Minister's XIII representative has made over 80 appearances in the NRL but a move to the Bears could see him be one-half of their starting halves pairing.
It is understood that the St George Illawarra Dragons have also expressed an interest in him as they look to replenish their spine.
Meanwhile, Colquhoun took the NRL by storm at the backend of 2025, starting at lock in the final five matches due to Cameron McInness sustaining a season-ending injury.
The 24-year-old has only registered 29 matches over four seasons due to several injury issues, but showed his potential when he is on the field for a consistent period and injury-free.
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Set to play a larger role next year for the Sharks, he could easily wear the No.13 jersey for the Bears once they enter the competition or even slot in one of the starting back-row spots.
Due to the Sharks' struggles with their salary cap, it is almost certain that he will receive a higher salary if he decides to test the open market and speak with rival teams. If he stays, there is no guarantee he will receive the same payout.
