The Wests Tigers and Canterbury Bulldogs are reportedly both set to make a play for off-contract Newcastle Knights' forward Tyson Frizell.
Frizell, who has found form again this season to the point he has been talked about as a bolter to slot back into Brad Fittler's NSW State of Origin side, has been with the Knights since 2021 when he moved from the St George Illawarra Dragons, a club he played 165 games for between 2013 and 2020.
His 50 games in the Hunter have brought with them mixed results, but his form this year has been enough that News Corp are reporting the Knights want to keep the second-rower, although are said to be juggling a delicate salary cap situation.
Kalyn Ponga is the leading earner at the club, but other players like Bradman Best, Jacob Saifiti and Simi Sasagi off-contract at the end of next year and likely to be chasing upgrades to remain in Newcastle.
The fight to maintain Frizell is set to go up the gears though as the two struggling Sydney clubs become interested.
It's understood Frizell is being targeted out of the Tigers by assistant coach Benji Marshall, with the pair friends from their days at the Dragons.
The Tigers have cash to burn after the yet to be confirmed but widely reported release of Joe Ofahengaue to the Parramatta Eels.
It's understood the Tigers could offer Frizell a three-year deal - although the move would paint a surprising option given the club have both Isaiah Papali'i and John Bateman on the books as the current starting second-rowers. The Tigers signed the duo alongside Apisai Koroisau and David Klemmer ahead of the 2023 campaign.
After a slow start, the four forwards have kicked the Tigers on in recent weeks, with the club capping a solid month of form to put 66 points on the North Queensland Cowboys during Saturday night's clash at Leichhardt.
The Tigers salary cap will also be freed up by either the departure or reduction in salary of Luke Brooks.
The Bulldogs are also set to chase the 31-year-old with the club looking to add experience to their own forward pack which features young guns like Jacob Preston, who has been one of the breakout players of the 2023 campaign to date.
Canterbury's salary cap is believed to be stretched, with the Belmore-based club set to add Stephen Crichton to their own roster for 2024 from the Penrith Panthers.
Backline issues have plagued the Bulldogs this year, but depth in the forwards has also been impacted, not helped by a number of injuries, and a professional like Frizell is seen as an ideal recruit - it's hardly a surprise with the representative calibre forward the sort of player Canterbury lack at this stage.
