Melbourne Storm forward Tariq Sims may have played his last NRL game.
Despite earlier reports that the Storm were only working through the final details of their 2024 salary cap before offering Sims an extension, News Corp are now reporting that the Calatans Dragons are favourites for his signature.
The veteran forward, who has played 236 NRL games across his time with the North Queensland Cowboys, Newcastle Knights, St George Illawarra Dragons and Melbourne Storm, is in the twilight of his career and it was believed he wanted to finish in Australia.
His move to Melbourne was touted as a strong buy for the club in the lead up to the 2023 NRL season given Craig Bellamy's side had lost a mountain of experience, with Kennath Bromwich, Jesse Bromwich and Felise Kaufusi joining the Dolphins for their inaugural season, while Brandon Smith also left to the Sydney Roosters.
Instead of hitting the ground running though, injuries all but blocked Sims from having a pre-season, and while he wound up having 15 NRL games for the Storm this year, he hasn't hit the mark expected of him.
Despite that, the Storm were believed to be keen on keeping Sims for another year if they could make it work under a stretched salary cap which has large top-end deals for Ryan Papenhuyzen, Harry Grant, Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes among others.
The re-signing of Nelson Asofa-Solomona this year wouldn't have helped things either.
It now seems as if that squeeze will see Sims exit the Storm bound for the south of France where he will become the latest NRL player to finish his career abroad.
Catalans have been well known as a landing spot for NRL talent, with high-profile halves James Maloney and Mitchell Pearce both electing to finish their careers with the club.
An ex-Origin player, Sims will has plenty to offer and has averaged 66 metres per game this year in the NRL despite limited minutes.
The forward, who has moved into the middle third after spending most of his career on the edge, is reportedly set to tign a two-year deal with the Dragons to end his career, and he will take the spot of Siosiua Taukeiaho, who is returning to the NRL next year in a yet to be confirmed move, likely to the Canterbury Bulldogs.
