He is off-contract at the end of 2025 and no guarantee of remaining with Melbourne.
The Newcastle Knights are set to make a major play for Melbourne Storm half Jonah Pezet during the ongoing free agency window.
The Knights, who have had salary cap issues, are beginning to sort through them under the direction of Peter Parr. They managed to move on Daniel Saifiti early after he landed a contract with the Dolphins, and have tapped a host of other players on the shoulder to confirm they won’t be with the club long-term.
That has enabled the Knights to put an upgraded deal in front of off-contract forward Leo Thompson, but also to hit the open market, and it now appears Pezet, who has long been touted as one of the best young prospects in the game, has become priority number one per a News Corp report.
The Knights have had a revolving door in the halves in recent times, with Jack Cogger, Jackson Hastings, Phoenix Crossland and Tyson Gamble unable to lock down positions throughout 2024.
Hastings is unlikely to be at the club beyond the end of 2025, and the Knights have identified Pezet as the player they want to bring to the club.
The report indicates Pezet has already met with the Knights over dinner while contract negotiations have been on going with the Storm.
Pezet, managed by Braith Anasta, has previously reportedly put it to the Storm that he would only re-sign with the club if clauses were written into his contract that allowed him to leave should Jahrome Hughes be re-signed beyond the end of his current deal, which is due to expire at the end of 2026.
But now it’s salary cap issues which could have the biggest sway for Melbourne. The club are set to re-sign Ryan Papenhuyzen any day now, further stretching their books, and Hughes will command upwards of one million dollars per season for 2027 and beyond.
Pezet, on the other hand, is believed to be valued at around $600,000 per year, with the Knights believed to have tabled a four-year deal. It’s unclear if the Storm are willing to match that offer should they want to move on from Hughes, or whether they will attempt to pool resources in a bid to retain the New Zealand international.
Pezet may well be getting close to a decision before he focuses back on-field, having missed a majority of the 2024 season with an ACL injury.