Cameron Munster has revealed he’ll honour his contract with the Melbourne Storm after Jonah Pezet’s decision to leave made it “impossible” for the NRL club to let him depart early. It was reported on Tuesday that Pezet is set to sign a one-year deal with Parramatta for 2026, before linking up with Brisbane from 2027.
Pezet is contracted at the Storm until the end of 2029 but a clause in his deal means the back-up half can leave after Melbourne extended first-choice No.7 Jahrome Hughes earlier this year. It presents a unique scenario in which the 22-year-old Pezet can sign for two different NRL clubs at the same time.
Jonah Pezet’s (far right) reported exit from the Storm means it’s highly unlikely Melbourne would grant Cameron Munster (L) an early release to join the Perth Bears. Pic: Getty
And according to Code Sports, the young playmaker has agreed to join the Eels for 2026, before linking up with the Broncos on a multi-year deal from 2027. The report says Brisbane view him as the long-term replacement for veteran halfback Adam Reynolds, who is set to play one final season for the Broncos next year.
Pezet’s move has had a ripple effect on Munster at the Storm, and any supposed hopes he had of being granted a release from the final year of his contract in 2027 to join the Perth Bears. It’s understood the Storm were willing to grant Munster an early release on the basis that Pezet would be his long-term replacement.
Speaking on Wednesday in London, Munster ended speculation about his future and said he won’t be leaving early. “I will honour my contract and the club doesn’t want to let me go,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
“I love the club, I love ‘Bellyache’ (coach Craig Bellamy) and I love what the club is all about. I’m still signed for two more years and I will fulfil my contract. I have spoken to Melbourne and, even if there was an inkling of the door being ajar to leave, they don’t want me going.
The likelihood of Cameron Munster being granted an early release from the final year of his Storm contract in 2027 to join the Perth Bears looks slim now. Pic: Getty
Jonah Pezet exit made it ‘impossible’ for Munster to leave
League reporter Michael Caryannis explained the situation on SEN radio on Tuesday and said Pezet’s imminent move would force Melbourne to backflip on any supposed stance that Munster could leave early. He claimed that Pezet’s early exit from Melbourne has made it “impossible” for Munster to be granted an early release if he wanted to become Perth’s marquee signing for 2027.
“It won’t happen. There’s no way the Storm will let Cameron Munster go to Perth now,” Carayannis told SEN. “The way it could have played out is if Munster left and Pezet stayed then, but they’re not gonna cut Cameron Munster 12 months early.
“Remember, he’s got two years left on his contract so to be the Perth inaugural signing… he needs to play one more season at Melbourne, then gain a release for the following season. I think in the short term, at the very least, that’s at long odds of happening.
“I had the expectation that… before Christmas he would have been given permission to talk to Perth. That’s not gonna happen. Whether or not we get to a midway point of next year and things change, potentially. But in the short term, no.”
Storm set to lose Jonah Pezet as Parramatta move looms
Melbourne have been hopeful of hanging onto Pezet, amid suggestions they could grant Ryan Papenhuyzen an early release to join R360 and shift Munster to fullback. “You’ve got the Papenhuyzen situation where he’s off contract at the end of next year. The club might decide to let him go early if he wants to go to R360,” News Corp league reporter Brent Read told Triple M radio.
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“The Storm are juggling a lot of balls at the moment, and then you’ve got the coaching situation as well. I’m sure Jonah would love to know who the coach is going to be next year.” There have been reports veteran Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy will finish up at the Storm next season, before potentially joining the Titans in 2027, and that may well be a factor in Pezet’s decision to leave.
And Caryannis said the young playmaker’s move to Eels for next season – to play alongside Mitchell Moses in a deadly halves combination – made a lot of sense. “They’ve got Mitch Moses locked in, Isaiah Iongi (fullback) who’s a gun and an absolute freak and then they’ve got two good hookers (Ryley Smith and Tallyn Da Silva),” he said. “You look at that spine and if they sign Pezet, it’s probably the most settled 1, 6, 7 and 9 long-term going forward in the competition so I can understand the attraction there.”