The Perth Bears have been busy on the recruitment front in the past week and reports from the UK suggest they’ve signed another Catalans player that could hold the key to luring a marquee star.
UK publication All Out Rugby League reports the Bears have raided Catalans’ playing stocks for the second time in a week and signed Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui, the 24-year-old brother of Australia and Gold Coast Titans star Tino.
The Bears confirmed Catalans half Toby Sexton and English centre Harry Newman as the club’s maiden signings on Tuesday, with Sexton the frontrunner to be Perth’s first halfback in 2027.
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As for the younger Fa’asuamaleaui, he will now leave the Super League club after one year having joined the French-based team ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Iszac made 14 appearances for the Titans last year and becomes the third Super League player to agree to terms with Perth.
The Bears also signed London Broncos players Luke Smith and Emarly Bitungane, who will play for Jason Demetriou’s squad before making the trek to Perth.
While the NRL’s 18th team is in the preliminary stages of putting its squad together for its inaugural season, and will need time to build a competitive squad, coach Mal Meninga needs a big name to not only push the promotional side of things but to attract other top tier players.
Tino Faasuamaleaui celebrates with David Fifita after the Titans defeated the Sydney Roosters. Getty
Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is viewed as one of the club’s priority targets and signing his brother is a clever ploy that has worked in the past, with clubs often signing siblings to make a superstar feel comfortable.
But it will take a substantial package and a salary likely around the $1.5 million-a-year mark to convince Fa’asuamaleaui to walk out on the final four seasons of his 10-year Titans deal, even if he does have the clauses in his contract to make it happen fuss free.
The Queensland Origin enforcer is free to test the open market for 2027 and beyond, thanks to a get-out clause in his current Titans deal, allowing him to explore rival offers.
Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui Gold Coast Titans
After announcing new partners to their ownership group, which now includes rugby league legends Matthew Johns and Gorden Tallis, Gold Coast has some leverage in negotiations and will need it, especially since Meninga played a major role in convincing Fa’asuamaleaui to leave Melbourne in 2020 and join the Titans.
He was also seen having coffee with former Titans recruitment boss Ezra Howe in the past week, who has links to Meninga.
Meninga was set to hire Howe as his recruitment boss, but the idea was axed when Howe was embroiled in an integrity scandal with Gold Coast, with Titans bosses alleging he compiled a Bears hit list while working for the club.
Another advantage for the Bears is their growing commercial clout after they made history by becoming the first NRL club to partner with a global athletic brand.
The four-year partnership with New Balance as the Bears’ official team apparel partner could be viewed as a boon for a star athlete like Tino, in a bid to build his brand via an internationally known brand that has NBA players, English Premier League and tennis stars adorning their global advertising campaigns.
Like most old league heads, Meninga knows you build a team starting up front, and he’s also said to be interested in Souths forward Keaon Koloamatangi.
Ryan Papenhuyzen thanks the fans after the 2024 NRL grand final, which the Storm lost to the Panthers. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
But the Bears have also sniffed around quality and fringe players coming off contract, regardless of which position they play.
Melbourne utility Tyran Wishart is expected to meet with the club in the coming weeks, while Ryan Papenhuyzen could be a big-name option with R360’s 2026 launch now postponed.
The fullback is adamant he is taking a gap year and is not inclined to turn tail and immediately ink a deal to stay in the NRL, even after Peter V’landys announced that he and Lomax were free to sign fresh contracts, with the threatened 10-year bans off the agenda for now. While Papenhuyzen now looks long odds to get back on the field in 2026, a 2027 return fits perfectly with the Bears’ timeline.
The Perth club has been forced to turn to the Super League after their first major attempts at luring current NRL stars fell flat, with Melbourne’s Cameron Munster and Harry Grant and Gold Coast duo Jayden Campbell and Beau Fermor among those to turn them down.
They will undoubtedly pursue off-contract stars like Viliame Kikau, Lindsay Smith, Payne Haas, Murray Taulagi, Will Warbrick, Selwyn Cobbo and Trai Fuller as they look to scour the NRL for a marquee player.
Along with a tough front row, the halves will also be the most difficult position for the Bears to fill, with a lack of true playmakers on the market for 2027.
Like the Dolphins and their recruitment of star young halfback Isaiya Katoa for their first year, Perth may need to look beneath the surface to find their answer.
They could endure the same issues at hooker, with Grant signing a two-year extension with the Storm.
Other experienced campaigners off contract after 2026, like Sam Verrills and Billy Walters, could also be considered.
They’ve secured Newman in the outside backs, with the Leeds Rhinos centre having played seven Tests for England.
“Both players have all the attributes and qualities I’m looking for when building out our roster,” Meninga said of Newman and Sexton on Tuesday.
“Toby is a proven leader who works hard to make his teammates better.
“He is a quality person who I know will make the most of the opportunity to be a trailblazer for the Perth Bears.
“Harry is a Test player who has been a part of the successful Leeds Rhinos system for several years.
“He has the skillset and experience to make an immediate impact in the NRL, and I’m really excited to see what he can do when he gets here in 2027.”