The Perth Bears have reportedly secured the signing of Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui for their inaugural NRL season.
Fa’asuamaleaui is heading to the south of France for 2026 where he will join the Catalans Dragons, following his departure from the Gold Coast Titans at the end of 2025.
Reports out of England per News Corp overnight suggest the forward, who played 28 games for the Gold Coast at the top level since debuting in 2023, suggest he will join the Bears on a deal for 2027.
His season in France will likely see him become a full-time top tier player, something he struggled to achieve at the Titans where he played alongside brother and club captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.
Tino has multiple player options in his contract from the start of 2027 and is currently available on the open market.
While the Titans, Queensland and Australian prop has suggested he will give the Gold Coast time to turn things around before making a call on his future, it has been rumoured that he could be offered as much as $1.5 million per year by the Bears.
The move would make him the game’s highest-paid players, with the Western Australian outfit currently having four players officially to their name – Toby Sexton, Harry Newman, Emarly Bitungane and Luke Smith.
The club are understandably looking to lock up a marquee recruit in a bid to kick their recruitment run into hyperdrive.
It’s something the Dolphins struggled with ahead of their first campaign, and already the Bears have missed the likes of Luke Metcalf, Cameron Munster and Fa’asuamalaeaui’s Titans teammates second-rower Beau Fermor and halfback Jayden Campbell. All four have either re-signed or re-committed to their current clubs.
The signing of Iszac could potentially convince Tino to shuffle across the country though in what would be a major coup for Mal Meninga and his recruitment staff.
The Bears, who are also believed to be close to signing Liam Henry and Tyran Wishart, have spoken publicly about the fact they would like to have ten players signed by Christmas.