Arguably the biggest question in rugby league right now is who will be the PNG Chiefs halfback for their inaugural season in 2028.

Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

The Chiefs have made no secret that Penrith champion Nathan Cleary is their No. 1 target, but with news this week that Sam Walker’s contract talks with the Roosters broke down, all of a sudden he’s in the frame.

Both Cleary and Walker, at this stage, won’t talk to their clubs about contract extensions until the season ends and there’s a good chance they’ll go to market on November 1.

With the two State of Origin halfbacks possibly available from November 1, the Chiefs will now fancy themselves to poach one of them.

The panellists on NRL 360 on Wednesday night dissected the situation.

“PNG have showed clear interest in Walker and Nathan, right? But there’s only one spot there,” host Braith Anasta said.

“Now, Walker’s probably thinking, okay, I think I’m worth more than that at the Roosters’. I’m guaranteed the PNG Chiefs if I want to take that.

“But he’s also probably thinking, if I don’t get there before November 1, and Nathan wants to go there, then that spot’s taken and that money’s gone.

“So is Sam thinking, geez, I want to jump the gun here and get in before Nathan. Is he up in the air umming and ahhing about the decision that he makes next?

“You’ve got to look at all this for what it is. There’s a bit of jockeying for positions.”

“Would they (Chiefs) take Sam now then?” Gorden Tallis asked

“Yes. Of course they would,” Anasta replied.

Robbo talks Walker future, NRL expansion | 12:10

READ MORE

Twist in No.1 race; Dogs’ season on thin ice in four-team finals fight — NRL Run Home

Massive Dogs blow after star’s shock contract call; Penrith poach young gun — Whispers

The NRL 360 host also explained how the Chiefs could have a dilemma of their own on their hands.

“They don’t know if Nathan’s going to go there. If they hold off on Walker, and then Walker goes, okay, well, I might just stay at the Chooks, then they don’t get Nathan, they’re left with neither one,” Anasta said.

Anasta said he believed if Walker told the Chiefs he was keen to sign, they’d take him despite Cleary possibly waiting in the wings from November 1.

Penrith are desperately trying to sign Cleary up to a contract extension before November 1, but that’s looking more unlikely by the day.

They have denied Cleary the chance to talk to the Chiefs until November 1, hoping they can convince him to sign on before then.

The four-time premiership winner could easily get a lucrative deal done with Penrith relatively quickly.

He’s proven money is not the most important factor in where he signs, having taken less to stay at Penrith and lead a dynasty unseen in Australian rugby league since the 1960s.

Sam Walker will be sought after by rivals clubs if he can’t get a deal done with the
RoostersSource: Getty Images

Fox League journalist Brent Read believes Cleary will stay at Penrith, as do a number of other reporters.

“If he’s going to stay at Penrith why isn’t he signed a deal there? Because that confuses me,” Anasta asked Read.

“I don’t know, he’s taking his time, Braith. He hasn’t even started talking to them yet,” Read replied.

The PNG Chiefs aren’t the only club that will be keen to offer Walker a deal if he doesn’t agree to terms with the Roosters.

There was even a suggestion there could be a player swap between him and Tom Dearden, who has expressed a desire to move to Sydney to be with his pregnant partner.

“I think North Queensland made it quite clear that they wouldn’t entertain anything to do with Tom Dearden unless they got a significant player in return. Queensland halfback sounds like a good idea to me,” reporter Michael Carayannis said on NRL 360.

Cleary on PNG money “You can’t compete” | 14:32

Read doesn’t believe Walker will head to the Cowboys but said the Perth Bears should use their marquee allowance, which is an extra 20 per cent outside the salary cap, to make Walker a bumper offer.

“They’d be mad if they didn’t go after him,” he said.

“PNG won’t be his only option if he gets heads to November 1, Sam Walker. He will have plenty of options because clubs will make room for him because he’s that good a player.”