In-demand Pezet triggers Storm exit clause to explore his options

Jonah Pezet has told Melbourne bosses he’s activating the clause in his deal that lets him test the open market, after the club re-signed superstar starting halfback Jahrome Hughes through to the early 2030s.

Parramatta, Canberra, North Queensland, and the Gold Coast have already formally reached out to the youngster, while Melbourne is preparing a re-signing package they hope will tempt him to stay in the south anyway.

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St George Illawarra is also very interested in signing Pezet to play alongside another new recruit for the Red V in Daniel Atkinson, but after the debacle with Lachlan Ilias through 2025, player agent and media figurehead Braith Anasta has been very vocal about the fact that he doesn’t want to send any more players to the club for the foreseeable future.

Pezet is chasing one very simple thing: A starting role in the NRL. He’s been stuck behind Hughes and Cameron Munster (quite fairly) for some time now, and wants to crack into the top league properly before he’s too much older.

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He may yet get that with the Storm, should Munster take up a $1.5 million deal that he’s been offered from the Perth Bears to lead the expansion side; Pezet can play halfback or five-eighth and would happily stay to deputise Hughes with Craig Bellamy’s star-studded runners-up. Munster is still deciding whether he wants to leave Melbourne next year.

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Pezet may also take up a loan deal, which would mean he could return to the Storm in 2027 after a one-year spell with another NRL club. On that front, the Raiders would be his top pick, considering they only need a one-year player.

Beyond that, Canberra would then expect to have Ethan Sanders at no.7 into the 2030s.