Melbourne Storm young gun Jonah Pezet is reportedly set to knock back interest from the Newcastle Knights and re-sign with the Melbourne Storm, but his contract will come with a major clause.
The young half, who missed the second half of 2024 after suffering an ACL injury in the QLD Cup, is rated as one of the most talented youngsters in the game.
At any other club, he may well have had a lot more first-grade action than the ten games he has currently managed since debuting at the start of 2023.
A former junior State of Origin representative where he won man of the match in the 2022 under-19 match, the 21-year-old was reportedly offered a $2.5 million, four-year deal by the Knights.
It would have marked a return to the club he spent plenty of time in junior pathways for, but instead, News Corp are reporting that Pezet, off-contract at the end of 2025, will add four years to his time in Melbourne.
It's an upgraded deal after Pezet originally knocked back Melbourne's offers, and speaks volumes of the club's desire to keep the youngster in the Victorian capital.
The clause in his contract however means he could leave earlier. The report suggests he has had it added to his deal that he will be able to leave the Storm if current halfback Jahrome Hughes re-signs beyond the end of 2026 when his deal is due to end.
It means Pezet will bide his time for at least the next two years, although the option to go out on loan in either Australia or England exists for the final year of Hughes' current contract.
The clause will put Melbourne in a tricky position, although salary cap issues may prevent them from adding to Hughes' current deal, with Melbourne re-signing Ryan Papenhuyzen, and having a number of other big-money deals around the club.
If they were to re-sign Hughes, who will be 32 by the time his current deal ends, it will come down to a situation of the present against the future, with Hughes rated the best player in the game during 2024.
Melbourne made the grand final in the most recently completed season, and will be aiming to go to another level in 2025.
Pezet's injuries prevented him from playing more games in 2024 when both Cameron Munster and Hughes were battling injuries, and instead, Tyran Wishart stood up to showcase his abilities. The ex-Dragons' junior could go into the new year ahead of Pezet in Melbourne's halves pecking order, although coach Craig Bellamy, who could also be in his last year as a head coach, has made no such comment.
