Despite only having one first-grade game under his belt, Penrith Panthers fullback Isaiah Iongi has reportedly attracted interest from several clubs.
Featuring in his first match on Sunday against the Newcastle Knights, Iongi made a startling impression, recording 257 running metres and eight tackle busts from the fullback position.
Although he has long been considered as the potential starting fullback at the Panthers, he remains the third option behind Dylan Edwards and Daine Laurie, who have shown no signs of slowing down.
This could open up the door for a rival team to swoop on his services considering he only has 12 months left on his contract and will run off-contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season.
Able to negotiate with rival teams from November 1, Iongi has caught the attention of several teams and has been identified as a potential target option, per News Corp.
At this stage, no team has yet to confirm interest in the fullback, but it is likely that several rebuilding teams could be at the top of the list along with clubs looking for a backup fullback, such as the Raiders, Roosters, Dragons, Broncos, and Eels.
Despite only making one appearance to date, he is the 2023 NSW Cup Fullback of the Year, U19s QLD Maroons representative, and 2022 Panthers Jersey Flegg Cup Player of the Year.
"He's been awesome. He's been awesome for a little bit now," NSW Blues representative Dylan Edwards told Zero Tackle earlier this season about the fullback.
"He's trained with us for a while. He always trains really well and he's a good skilful player.
"I think when he gets a crack, you can expect a lot of energy, really safe, really reliable player, so he's one to watch out for."