WESTS Tigers have some competition for Warriors utility Tuimoala Lolohea with North Queensland firmly in the race for his signature.

Fox Sports NRL reporter Nathan Ryan revealed that both clubs have tabled offers to the former Kiwi Test star, believed to each be two-and-a-half years in length.

“The Cowboys have joined the table late,” Ryan said.

“Lolohea is meeting with his management tonight to go through his options. We could have a decision as soon as (Tuesday) morning.”

Round 19

Having recently been granted permission to negotiate with rival clubs after falling out of favour with the Warriors, Lolohea is now flush with options.

Caught playing the Mr Fix It role for much of his 52 game NRL career, the 22-year-old has played wing, fullback and five-eighth over the course of his four appearances in first grade this season.

But he hasn’t been sighted at NRL level since round four.

The young gun met with Tigers coach Ivan Cleary while in camp with the Tongan Test side in Sydney last week.

As revealed by foxsports.com.au, Lolohea is viewed by the Tigers’ decision makers as the ideal candidate to take James Tedesco’s No.1 jersey next year.

Lolohea is expected to make a call on his future this week and the Tigers are the frontrunners.

Heavily in the club’s favour is his relationship with Tigers-bound prop Ben Matulino and the fact he does have some family residing in Sydney.

While it’s been reported Newcastle have also entered the race, foxsports.com.au understands they made little more than an inquiry into the status of his contract and have decided not to table an offer.

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CLEARY’S BREAKING THE BANK

The Tigers have started splashing the cash to rebuild the club following the devastating departures of Aaron Woods, James Tedesco and Mitchell Moses with Dragons prop Russell Packer the club’s latest big money target.

Reporting for NRL Tonight, Fox Sports’ chief NRL reporter James Hooper has revealed the Tigers have tabled a massive four-year-deal in an attempt to lure Packer to Concord to join close mate Ben Matulino in the front row for 2018 and beyond.

“The Tigers have tabled a four-year-deal worth about $700,000-a-season,” Hooper told NRL Tonight.

“The Dragons are only offering a three-year-deal.”

St George Illawarra’s offer is understood to be worth about $100,000-a-season less than the Tigers’ offer, giving Cleary the inside running to secure one of the NRL’s best redemption stories.

Russell Packer in action for the Kiwis. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Corp Australia

According to Hooper, the Tigers are also continuing their chase of out-of-favour Warriors utility Tui Lolohea, and have secured two Super League signings.

Hooper said the Tigers had finalised deals to bring former Storm centre Mahe Fonua and former Bulldogs winger Corey Thompson to the club for 2018.

Bulldogs star Josh Reynolds and the Warriors’ Matulino have already been announced by the Tigers after Cleary moved quickly to replace his three big name departures.

Ben Ikin, Nathan Ryan and Ben Glover chat to Newcastle coach Nathan Brown about his plans for the future including key recruitment targets.





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JT OUT FOR A MONTH

Channel Seven reports Johnathan Thurston will be sidelined for a month after meeting a specialist for his shoulder injury.

Thurston suffered the injury in the Anzac Test and there were fears he could be out for anywhere between two months to the rest of the season.

The Cowboys released a vague statement saying the skipper will not need surgery but will be monitored.

KNIGHTS WITHDRAW SKD OFFER

The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield has revealed how close Shaun Kenny-Dowall came to signing with Newcastle from next season until the Knights pulled the offer after the Roosters flyer was allegedly caugh with cocaine at a Sydney nightclub.

Kenny-Dowall has since been stood down by the Roosters indefinitely pending an internal investigation.

“He had a four-year contract sitting on Darren Mooney and Nathan Brown’s table ready to sign,” Rothfield told NRL 360.

“It was done late last week, they just needed him to sign it.

“Four years, $300,000 a year so he’s blown a $1.2 million contract.

“Understandably, the Knights have withdrawn the deal.”

STERLO WANTS STIFFER PENALTIES

Former rugby league player Peter Sterling has called on the NRL to come down harder on players who are found guilty of drug offences.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall faces drug possession charges, while Kevin Proctor and Jesse Bromwich were captured by CCTV cameras allegedly snorting cocaine off a dealer’s phone outside a nightclub after the Anzac Test.

“The damage done to the game that I love and did so much for me cops a hiding on the back of these incidents and I think that players get hit with a feather, I really do,” Sterling told Triple M Dead Set Legends.

“I know that our player’s sign a contract and when they sign that contract there are certain standards that need to be met and when they done meet those standards there should be very strong consequences.

“I just want players to be held accountable for their actions, I want them to take responsibility, I want them to understand that they are role models whether they like it or not and if they don’t want to abide by those standards then don’t sign the contract.

“Our players are better educated than they’ve ever been so it just doesn’t wash with me that ‘I made a mistake’. I’m over it. I think 12 weeks first offence and that’s 12 games and then second offence two years.”

HINDY: MILF NOT READY FOR ORIGIN

Former NRL player Nathan Hindmarsh doesn’t believe Brisbane star Anthony Milford is the right player to replace Johnathan Thurston in the Queensland Origin side.

Thurston is looking likely to miss the series opener which leaves the door open for a host of playmakers including Milford, Corey Norman, Daly Cherry-Evans and Michael Morgan.

“He’s a great player, don’t me wrong. He’s an off-the-cuff style of player who’s great to watch when he’s on,” Hindmarsh told Tomorrow’s News Tonight.

“But for an Origin arena where you need that direction, someone to take control in the halves, I don’t think Milford’s at that point yet.

“I’d like someone who’s more like an Ash Taylor or Corey Norman who can control a side.”

Norman himself wouldn’t be drawn into Origin selection speculation when asked on NRL Tonight.

“For me, I’m just going to worry about my game at Parra and let my football do the talking,” Norman said.

“If the opportunity comes, it comes.”

GAGAI DESIGNS KNIGHTS JERSEY

Newcastle flyer Dane Gagai has revealed some of the inspiration that went into the design of the Knights jersey for Indigenous Round.

All 16 NRL clubs will wear Indigenous themed kits in Round 10, with Dagai and teammate Jaelen Feeney putting their heads together to come up with the design.

“I played around in the old school books,” Gagai told NRL Tonight of his artistic ability.

“Me and Jaelen spent about a week on it bouncing ideas back and forth.

“The first thing we had to do was get permission from the Indigenous Land Council and they gave us their blessing.

“We wanted to come up with a concept of everyone coming together.

“So on the Knights jersey you’ll see the Torres Strait Island design at the top and the Indigenous Aboriginal design on the bottom and the Aboriginal flag on the back.

“We also put the Southern Cross on there so everyone can relate.”

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