The Canberra Raiders have earmarked the second-row as their recruitment priority in the immediate short term.
While the Raiders are set for the 2024 campaign, the club will lose English veteran star Elliott Whitehead to retirement at the end of the coming season.
Morgan Smithies, who recently signed with the club from the English Super League, could turn into his long-term replacement, although for the time being at least, he is better suited to the lock forward role and will likely commence his time in the nation's capital playing there.
That said, there has still been a push in recent times to add talent to their outside backs, with the club launching a chase of David Fifita in recent times when his contract came up for grabs after Justin Holbrook's surprise departure from the Gold Coast Titans.
The star forward ultimately elected to re-sign with the Titans, with the Raiders also interested in Keaon Koloamatangi recently, before he too elected to re-sign his long-term future with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
The Canberra Times are now reporting that the club will continue their pursuit of a second-rower.
"We're looking for a back-rower. It's pretty clear - we had a big crack at Fifita," the club's recruitment manager Joel Carbone was quoted as saying by the publication.
"We're looking for a back-rower that has a point of difference."
The pursuit of a second-rower means they will be in talks with a number who are still off-contract at the end of the 2024 season.
It also comes with the Raiders facing significant questions over the standing of their halves moving forward following the departure, and, as yet, inability to replace Jack Wighton.
But Canberra rebuffed claims they would chase Jarome Luai, instead claiming they are a development club, which could put a lot of trust in the young players at the club, as well as the recent signing of Kaeo Weekes, who can play at either fullback or five-eighth.
