{"id":533348,"date":"2026-03-11T13:26:15","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T13:26:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/533348\/"},"modified":"2026-03-11T13:26:15","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T13:26:15","slug":"nrl-2026-crazy-bidding-war-for-mitch-barnett-warriors-name-four-players-they-want-in-exchange-for-gun-prop-broncos-teen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/533348\/","title":{"rendered":"NRL 2026: \u2018Crazy\u2019 bidding war for Mitch Barnett, Warriors name four players they want in exchange for gun prop, Broncos teen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mitch Barnett has been offered a $2.6 million deal by the Parramatta Eels, while the New Zealand Warriors have named the players they want in return for the Origin prop. <\/p>\n

Barnett will leave the Warriors at the end of this season after being granted a release from his contract on compassionate grounds to return home for family reasons.<\/p>\n

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.<\/a><\/p>\n

The 31-year-old, who played State of Origin for NSW in 2024 and is returning from an ACL injury, has several clubs hunting his signature for 2027 onwards. <\/p>\n

According to Code Sports<\/a>, the Eels have tabled a three-year deal worth around $900,000 per season for the prop forward, while Manly, Brisbane and the Dragons are also interested in Barnett as a \u201cbidding war\u201d begins. <\/p>\n

The Broncos had been seen as the favourite to sign Barnett given his close relationship with Michael Maguire, who coached him to his Origin debut. <\/p>\n

Barnett has been offered a two-year deal with the Broncos worth $1.5 million with an option for a third season in 2029. <\/p>\n

But the Eels have increased their offer to $900,000 per season, which NRL 360 host Braith Anasta described as a \u201cmonster offer\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cMitch Barnett is the hottest commodity on the open market,\u201d the Daily Telegraph\u2019s Michael Carayannis told NRL 360 on Wednesday. <\/p>\n

\u201cAt the moment there\u2019s three clubs with offers in \u2014 Brisbane, Manly and Parramatta. The Dragons have spoken to Mitch Barnett and indicated they\u2019re keen, but they haven\u2019t put anything formal to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the next 72 hours I think we might see a decision for Mitch Barnett. He won\u2019t be at the Warriors next year, leaving for family reasons.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen a lot of movement in the middle stocks with Keaon Koloamatangi, Tino re-signing, Payne Haas leaving the Broncos. Mitch Barnett is arguably in that top tier.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anasta was surprised by the salary being tabled to Barnett by the Eels.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly it\u2019s crazy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMitch Barnett\u2019s a very good player but you never would have thought that sort of money. It seems like a lot of money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Co-host Gorden Tallis said \u201che\u2019s a $700,000 player\u201d, while journalist Brent Read said the \u201clength of the contract is the issue\u201d for Barnett.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a lot of money but if you look at the prop market \u2014 Keaon went for $1.1, $1.2 (million). Payne Haas is on big money, Tino is on big money,\u201d Carayannis said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re the top middles in the game. If you\u2019re giving someone like Mitch Barnett $300,000 less…\u201d<\/p>\n

It comes as Code<\/a> reported the Warriors have their eye on Broncos teenager Antonio Verhoeven, an outside back who is yet to make his first grade but is training with Brisbane\u2019s NRL squad. <\/p>\n

The 19-year-old was born in New Zealand and was scouted by the Broncos two years ago at a Sevens tournament. <\/p>\n

Other players on Warriors\u2019 wish list include Dragons back Tyrell Sloan, who has been inconsistent during time career so far and is off-contract. <\/p>\n

Parramatta\u2019s Jordan Samrani is off contract at the end of next season and is seen as a useful utility.<\/p>\n

Manly speedster Jason Saab has also been mentioned as a player of interested, but he is contract at the Sea Eagles to the end of 2029. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s tough for the Warriors here because they\u2019ve come out and said he\u2019s going to leave for compassionate family reasons,\u201d Carayannis said of the potential return package for Barnett.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely not a Zac Lomax situation. I think the Warriors have privately conceded they\u2019re not going to get the equivalent on Mitch Barnett. They\u2019re just not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barnett will become the latest player to leave the Warriors on compassionate grounds after Dylan Walker, Addin Fonua-Blake and Reece Walsh departed the club in recent years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mitch Barnett has been offered a $2.6 million deal by the Parramatta Eels, while the New Zealand Warriors…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":533349,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,244438,158,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-533348","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nrl","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-national-rugby-league","11":"tag-nationalrugbyleague","12":"tag-ncaeditorialkayo","13":"tag-nrl","14":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/533348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=533348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/533348\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/533349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=533348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=533348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=533348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}