Cooper Bai’s management has told the Gold Coast Titans he won’t re-sign, according to reports, with the Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters reportedly joining the PNG Chiefs in the race for the 19-year-old forward.
The Storm, Roosters and Chiefs are the three clubs in the mix, Zero Tackle reported, citing News Corp. The report said Bai had no interest in returning to the Titans for the 2027 pre-season and would have a new club in the coming weeks, although it was unclear whether the Titans had given him permission to leave before his contract ends.
Bai had been signed with Gold Coast until the end of 2028, but Zero Tackle reported that the final year of that deal is a player option. The Titans had not publicly commented on the reports.
Chiefs talks in Port Moresby
Bai flew to Port Moresby this week after the Titans gave him permission to explore his options ahead of the 1 November contracting window, and he is high on the Chiefs’ list of targets for their first NRL season in 2028, the ABC reported, via AAP.
Read more: Cooper Bai Flies to PNG for Chiefs Talks Over Reported $3m Deal
He has 24 games to his name, according to Zero Tackle, plus two Tests for Papua New Guinea, and had been due to visit PNG on a family holiday after a hamstring injury ruled him out of the Kumuls’ World Cup campaign.
Father Marcus has his say
Bai is the son of PNG great Marcus Bai, who played 144 games for the Storm. Marcus told AAP he was angered last year when his son turned down a deal with Melbourne to stay on the Gold Coast.
“He promised one thing … and then he went and did the other thing, and I was cranky with him,” Marcus said. “I said you’ve got to be fair and square, that’s not how you treat the clubs and people.”
Read more: Joey Manu Could Return to Roosters in 2027 Before PNG Chiefs
He said the pair had since moved past the rift, and that Cooper had shown maturity by asking the Titans for permission to visit the Chiefs. “He’s only young. He’s still finding his feet, and if he comes here there will be a lot of pressure on him,” Marcus said.
Marcus, who sits on the Chiefs board, would likely stand down from it if his son signed with the club, according to the report.
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