2024 NRL Transfer Centre: Titans poach Raiders back, Riki re-signs as Broncos seal four deals, Sharks lock in key forward

The Titans have added to their outside back options with the signature of Harley Smith-Shields from the Canberra Raiders.

Smith-Shields has featured as a centre, wing and fullback in the capital across 15 NRL games, and was largely out of the Raiders’ team from the first 6 weeks onwards despite starting the season for Ricky Stuart’s men.

He had been a major standout at junior level and is still just 23, and will look to rebuild his career on the Gold Coast. Smith-Shield missed the entire 2022 season with an ACL injury sustained in a pre-season trial match.

“Harley has shown he has a high level of football IQ and is looking for an opportunity to take his game to the next level,” said Titans coach Des Hasler.

“He adds to our outside back stocks and I’m confident he will be pushing to be part of our first grade squad on a regular basis.

“We look forward to welcoming him to the Gold Coast and are excited to see where he can take his football at the Titans for 2024 and beyond.”

Brisbane have re-signed rising second-rower Jordan Riki for another three years, just two days after also keeping fellow back-rower Brendan Piakura at the club until the end of 2027.

It comes as Cronulla secured prop Toby Rudolf to a new two-year contract that ties him down through 2026.

The 23-year-old Riki had a breakout season in 2023 where he played 22 games and established himself as a strong ball runner and iron clad defender during the Broncos’ charge to the grand final.

Piakura, 21, had earlier inked his own three-year extension in a week where the Broncos also extended veteran winger Corey Oates for one year.

Riki made a name for himself in 2023 with the improvement in his kick-chase game which developed into one of the best of all NRL forwards.

He has now played 67 first grade games for the Broncos after making his debut in 2020 during the low point of the club securing a maiden wooden spoon.

Coach Kevin Walters said Riki was a key figure in the Broncos roster now and a vital cog in the squad he was building for the future.

“Jordan bought into what we are building here at the Broncos from the very start,” Walters said.

Brisbane have finalised a deal for veteran winger Corey Oates to remain at the club for 2024 while also adding Dragons forward Jaiyden Hunt on a two-year contract.

Rudolf has re-signed with the Sharks through to the end of 2026, having been an integral part of the club’s forward pack since his NRL debut in 2020.

A toe injury restricted him to only 15 appearances this season, but he averaged 108 metres and 30 tackles and was particularly strong to start the campaign.

“I’ve been here for my whole NRL career and I’m going to be here for a little bit more of it,” Rudolf said.

“If I can finish here that’d be the icing on top. It’s a special place and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Meanwhile, the NRL has granted former representative centre Michael Jennings permission to be provisionally registered with the Roosters as he looks to make a comeback next year.

Jennings has not played since he was pulled from Parramatta’s line-up on the eve of the 2020 finals series for testing positive to a performance-enhancing drug.

He was subsequently banned for three years and has also faced court during his suspension where he was found guilty of assaulting his former wife.

The NRL issued a statement to say Jennings would be allowed to sign a train-and-trial deal with the Roosters.

“The NRL continues to liaise with the Roosters regarding the conditional registration of the player to a train and trial contract. The player will be provisionally registered subject to his acceptance of the specific conditions to be imposed on his registration.”

Jennings has played 298 NRL matches for Penrith, the Roosters and Parramatta, represented NSW, Australia and Tonga in a career which kicked off in 2007.

He was a part of the Roosters’ 2013 premiership-winning side during a three-year stint at the club.

League

The Roosters have boosted their pack with the re-signing of young forward Siua Wong until the end of the 2026 season.

“I’ve loved the Roosters since the day I joined the club as a young teenager,” said Wong, tipped to be a long-term star.

Meanwhile, Wests Tigers winger Charlie Staines has put an end to any uncertainty over his future, inking a fresh two-year deal to stay at the NRL club until the end of 2025.

Off contract at the end of last season, Staines has technically spent the past three weeks as an unsigned free agent with no contract for 2024. The preference was always for the 23-year-old to remain at the club, but the Tigers needed to release players from their squad to accomodate that.

That became possible on Tuesday, when Triston Reilly and Brandon Webster-Mansfield were let go from the Tigers’ top 30.

Cronulla have released veteran playmaker Matt Moylan to Super League club Leigh Leopards.

The 32-year-old playmaker, who played 102 NRL games for the Sharks after 89 with Penrith, lost his No.6 position to Braydon Trindall towards the end of the 2023 season.

Leigh, who won the 2023 Challenge Cup final under head coach Adrian Lam, have confirmed the signing of Moylan who is set to partner Lachlan Lam in the halves.

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NRL Transfer Centre

Team by team, here’s how each club’s roster is shaping up. PO denotes player option, CO club option and MO mutual option.

Brisbane Broncos

2024 recruits

Fletcher Baker (Roosters), Jaiyden Hunt (Dragons)

2024 departures

Herbie Farnworth (Dolphins), Keenan Palasia (Titans), Tom Flegler (Dolphins), Logan Bayliss-Brow (unsigned)

Canberra Raiders

2024 recruits

Simi Sasagi (Knights), Kaeo Weekes (Sea Eagles), Morgan Smithies (Wigan)

2024 departures

Jarrod Croker (retired), Clay Webb (unsigned), Jack Wighton (Rabbitohs), Matt Frawley (Leeds).

Canterbury Bulldogs

2024 recruits

Stephen Crichton (Panthers), Blake Taaffe (Rabbitohs), Bronson Xerri (drugs ban), Stephen Crichton (Panthers), Jaeman Salmon (Panthers), Josh Curran (Warriors), Drew Hutchison (Roosters), Kurt Mann (Knights), Jake Turpin (Roosters), Poasa Faamausili (Dolphins)

2024 departures

Jake Averillo (Dolphins), Kyle Flanagan (Dragons), Tevita Pangai jnr (retired), Kyle Flanagan (Dragons), Paul Alamoti (Panthers), Luke Thompson (Wigan), Corey Waddell (Sea Eagles), Braidon Burns (unsigned), Declan Casey (unsigned)

Cronulla Sharks

2024 recruits

Nil

2024 departures

Wade Graham (retired), Jensen Taumoepeau (unsigned), Matt Moylan (Leigh)

The Dolphins

2024 recruits

Herbie Farnworth (Broncos), Tom Flegler (Broncos), Oryn Keely (Knights), Jake Averillo (Bulldogs)

2024 departures

Brenko Lee (retired), Herman Ese’ese (Hull FC), Poasa Faamausili (Bulldogs), JJ Collins (unsigned)

Gold Coast Titans

2024 recruits

Keenan Palasia (Broncos)

2024 departures

Kruise Leeming (Wigan), Joe Vuna (unsigned).

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

2024 recruits

Corey Waddell (Bulldogs), Luke Brooks (Wests Tigers), Tommy Talau (Wests Tigers), Jaxson Paulo (Roosters), Aitasi James (Wests Tigers)

2024 departures

Kelma Tuilagi (Eels), Morgan Harper (Eels), Kaeo Weekes (Raiders), Sean Keppie (Rabbitohs), Morgan Boyle (unsigned), Latu Fainu, Samuela Fainu (Tigers)

Melbourne Storm

2024 recruits

Nil

2024 departures

George Jennings (unsigned), Jordan Grant (unsigned), Tom Eisenhuth (unsigned), Tariq Sims (Catalans), Jayden Nikorima (Catalans),

Newcastle Knights

2024 recruits

Kai Pearce-Paul (Wigan), Will Pryce (Huddersfield), Tom Jenkins (Panthers), Jack Cogger (Panthers), Jed Cartwright (Rabbitohs)

2024 departures

Dominic Young (Roosters), Lachlan Fitzgibbon (Warrington), Adam Clune (Huddersfield), Simi Sasagi (Raiders), Lachlan Miller (Leeds), Fa’amanu Brown (Hull FC), Oryn Keeley (Dolphins), Kurt Mann (Bulldogs), Dane Aukafolau (unsigned), Hymel Hunt (unsigned), Jack Johns (unsigned)

NZ Warriors

2024 recruits

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (All Blacks), Chanel Harris-Tavita

2024 losses

Viliame Vailea (Cowboys), Bayley Sironen (Catalans), Brayden Wiliame (retired), Josh Curran (Bulldogs)

North Queensland Cowboys

2024 recruits

Jake Clifford (Super League), Viliami Vailea (Warriors)

2024 departures

James Tamou (retired), Peta Hiku (Hull KR), Mitch Dunn (unsigned), Ben Hampton (unsigned), Gehamat Shibasaki (unsigned), Jake Bourke (unsigned), Brendan Elliot (unsigned), Riley Price (Panthers)

Parramatta Eels

2024 gains

Kelma Tuilagi (Sea Eagles), Morgan Harper (Sea Eagles).

2024 departures

Josh Hodgson (retirement), Jack Murchie (Huddersfield), Andrew Davey (retirement), Waqa Blake (unsigned), Samuel Loizou (unsigned)

Penrith Panthers

2024 recruits

Daine Laurie (Wests Tigers), Brad Schneider (Hull KR), Paul Alamoti (Bulldogs)

2024 departures

Stephen Crichton (Bulldogs), Jack Cogger (Knights), Spencer Leniu (Roosters), Jaeman Salmon (Bulldogs), Tom Jenkins (Knights), Chris Smith (unsigned), Eddie Blacker (unsigned)

St George Illawarra Dragons

2024 recruits

Hame Sele (Rabbitohs), Kyle Flanagan (Bulldogs)

2024 departures

Jayden Sullivan (Wests Tigers), Zane Musgrove (Warrington Wolves), Billy Burns (unsigned), Tyrell Fuimaono (unsigned), Jaiyden Hunt (Broncos), Nick Lui-Toso (unsigned), Tautau Moga (unsigned)

South Sydney Rabbitohs

2024 recruits

Jack Wighton (Raiders), Sean Keppie (Sea Eagles)

2024 departures

Blake Taaffe (Bulldogs), Hame Sele (Dragons), Jed Cartwright (Knights)

Sydney Roosters

2024 recruits

Dominic Young (Knights), Lewis Murphy (Wakefield Trinity), Spencer Leniu (Panthers), Michael Jennings (drugs ban)

2024 departures

Fletcher Baker (Broncos), Jake Turpin (Bulldogs), Corey Allan (unsigned), Nathan Brown (unsigned), Paul Momirovski (unsigned), Ben Thomas (unsigned), Jaxson Paulo (Sea Eagles), Matt Lodge (Sea Eagles), Paul Momirovski (Leeds Rhinos), Drew Hutchison (Bulldogs)

Wests Tigers

2024 recruits

Jayden Sullivan (Dragons), Aidan Sezer (Leeds), Latu Fainu, Samuela Fainu (Sea Eagles)

2024 departures

Tuki Simpkins (unsigned), Brandon Wakeham (unsigned), Luke Brooks (Sea Eagles), Tommy Talau (Sea Eagles), Daine Laurie (Panthers), Aitasi James (Sea Eagles), Rua Ngatikaura (unsigned)

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