The Perth Bears have managed 13 signatures to date, but with none for more than a month, anxiety is building around who may be next, and what they will need in 2027 to be competitive.
Mal Meninga has made it clear the expansion outfit will not rush the process of bringing players to the club, but by the same token, more faces will only help their push to recruit.
Their misses - having chased Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Cameron Munster - will be felt in a big way.
There has been speculation in recent times around Siosifa Talakai and Billy Burns relocating from the Sharks, and while the duo would help, there are plenty of other names the Bears are surely locked in discussions with.
Here are the five players they must look to sign next.
» Players off-contract at the end of 2026
» Perth Bears signing tracker
4. Morgan Smithies
The lack of power in the forwards should be ringing alarm bells at the Bears, particularly when you look at what is left off-contract heading into 2027.
Their rumoured signing of Siosifa Talakai certainly addresses that to an extent, but they will need more both in the middle and on the edge.
Morgan Smithies has been extremely impressive since joining the Canberra Raiders, and despite talks in November that he was on the cusp of re-signing, there still is no done deal beyond the end of 2026 for the Englishman.
The Bears should be swooping.
He is good enough to cut it at NRL level, and the club could offer him a far increased playing and leadership role to what he currently has at the Green Machine.
