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.

5. Newcastle Knights

The Knights have added Dylan Brown to their roster long-term from the start of 2026, with the New Zealand international becoming the game's highest-paid player.

Add his contract to the seven figures the club pays for Kalyn Ponga, and it's fairly clear the Hunter-based outfit can't afford to break the bank for too many more signings.

They have options to partner Brown in the halves, whether that be in the six or seven. Fletcher Sharpe is certainly the play to start the year, but the jury is out on whether a halves partnership of Brown and Sharpe would work.

Sandon Smith has also joined the club, but the talk is he will be lining up to spend more of his time at dummy half than in the halves.

You'd argue it won't. Two predominantly ball-running halves has been tried plenty by other clubs without a whole lot of success.

Kalyn Ponga's future is also up in the air at best, which could lead Sharpe to the number one jumper.

Humphreys could add the controlling influence Newcastle need moving forward in the halves. Correctly priced, a good foil for Brown. It's an option the Knights may need to look at.

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 !