The free agency window for 2027 is well underway, and one of the players who should be attracting plenty of interest ahead of a contract upgrade is South Sydney Rabbitohs halfback Jamie Humphreys.

The halfback, who can also line up at hooker, but made it clear during the most recent season that the number seven is his role moving forward, is off-contract with the Rabbitohs at the end of 2026.

Just 23 years of age, Humphreys joined South Sydney ahead of 2025 from the Manly Sea Eagles with frankly few expectations, but an excellent pre-season saw him win the number seven jumper, and it became clear as the campaign went on that he was their first-choice halfback.

Humphreys has always had the talent to become an NRL-level talent, and that is a view which is shared among scouts and fans on the Northern Beaches. They, of course, would have watched on with disappointment as he did it for another club.

Only injuries stopped Humphreys from having a properly fantastic season, with the Rabbitohs slumping well down the ladder in what was an injury crisis for much of the campaign.

Wayne Bennett and his recruitment staff will undoubtedly be keen to retain Humphreys, but his current deal with the Maroubra-based outfit is believed to only be worth about $150,000 per season.

That won't be nearly enough to keep him around, but there are also no prizes for guessing the state of the Rabbitohs' salary cap given other big-money deals for Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Murray and others around the club.

If Humphreys does take his exit from South Sydney at the end of 2026, here are the clubs who could make a play for him.

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1. Perth Bears

The Bears have their first seven players locked up at the time of publication, including Toby Sexton, who will almost certainly start as the club's first halfback.

The jury is still somewhat out on Sexton though - while the former Bulldog had them sitting at the top of the table during the first half of 2025, he fell out of favour at Belmore and had previously struggled on the Gold Coast.

Struggling on the Gold Coast isn't exactly a new phenomenon for a young half, but there will still be plenty of curious eyebrows pointed in the direction of the west during 2027 as Sexton takes over.

Humphreys could well be an excellent option at halfback, but his versatility means he could be a signing that you recruit now, and work out where to play later.

The 23-year-old grew up as a hooker, but also has the running game to play at five-eighth. Could he be a halves pairing for Sexton, or even transition back into the middle third where his smarts and creativity at dummy half make a difference?

Some suggestions have even painted him as a lock forward in the making.

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4 COMMENTS

  1. Shane Flanagan said yesterday that the Dragons want “another half”.

    So Humphreys and Anderson make sense as a half pairing. King Togia can play 6 when one of them is injured, with the other one playing 7.

    Kyle takes over at hooker when Damien Cooke calls it a day, and until then he hones his hooker skills in NSW Cup. I’m sure Shane could sell that to his lad !