Perth have stepped up their bid to secure Parramatta veteran Junior Paulo after meeting with the Eels forward in Sydney.

It is understood that Perth’s top brass including coach Mal Meninga and new head of football Gareth Holmes met Paulo in Sydney over the weekend armed with a two-year deal for the 32-year-old.

The Eels are keen to keep Paulo and have offered him a 12-month contract to extend his career at the club. They have not ruled out keeping Paulo beyond next season on a year-by-year contract.

It will be up to Paulo if he wants to move his family to chase a longer term deal with Perth.

The Bears are also in talks with Canberra’s Morgan Smithies and Penrith’s Jack Cole.

Smithies has a host of English clubs also lining up for his services. Cole is off-contract at the Panthers at the end of this season.

The 23-year-old has played just 18 games since making his NRL debut in 2022, having been earmarked as a potential Jarome Luai replacement at five-eighth.

He was given first crack at the No.6 jersey last year, starting the first five games. He has appeared in only one game in first grade this year, playing centre against South Sydney in round 18.

Penrith are locked in contract talks with a host of their biggest names who are coming off contract at the end of next season including Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo.

Cole is well down the pecking order but he is high on the priority list for Perth as they attempt to finalise their roster before training starts in November.

They secured Kangaroos centre Gehamat Shibasaki earlier this week.

SHARKS SCHOOLBOY STAR TESTS OPEN MARKET

One of the game’s brightest young prospects Liam Challenor is testing the open market just weeks after being named player of the tournament at the Australian Championship.

Sport Confidential has obtained an email sent to clubs via Challenor’s agent Nal Wijesekera asking for an expression of interest.

The halfback is contracted to the Sharks until the end of this year and the parties have already commenced negotiations.

However, he is now exploring potential options elsewhere.

“I am writing to gauge your club’s interest in Liam Challenor, the 2026 Australian Schoolboy half,” Wijesekera wrote to clubs.

“Should your club wish to pursue Liam, I ask that any offer reflects his standing and credentials as an Australian Schoolboy representative.

“If you would like to discuss Liam in more detail or explore the opportunity further, please don’t hesitate to contact me.”

Challenor, a De La Salle junior, has been picked to play for the Australian Schoolboys against the Junior Kumuls in October. He kicked the match winning field goal in the national finals to guide NSW Combined High Schools to victory.

SELE JOINS DRAGONS SUPER LEAGUE MIGRATION

Hame Sele is the latest Dragon headed overseas with the forward expected to join Catalans on a three year deal.

Sele is expected to link up with current St George Illawarra teammate Luciano Leilua and move to Catalans on a lengthy contract from next year.

The 29-year-old has struggled to stay on the park at times having played just 11 first grade games at the Dragons in the past two seasons. He has not played NRL since round six.

Sele, a Kingsgrove Colts product, made his NRL debut at the Dragons in 2017 before playing at Penrith and South Sydney with injuries hampering his career.

In total he has played 94 games.

He becomes the sixth Dragon to sign for the Super League following Castleford bound trio in Damien Cook, Mat Feagai and Tyrell Sloan while Emre Guler has signed with Wakefield.

Blake Lawrie and Christian Tuipulotu remain without deals for next season.

COWBOYS CENTRE MAKES CODE SWITCH TO JAPAN

North Queensland centre Viliami Vailea is set to join rugby union great Quade Cooper in Japanese rugby union next season at Hanazono Kintetsu Liners.

Cooper, having retired at the end of last season, is now on the Liners coaching staff as an attack coach.

Vailea, who played rugby union as a youngster, is poised to sign with the club ahead of a switch of codes later in the year.

Vailea has made 49 appearances in the NRL across stints at the Warriors and Cowboys.

YOUNG STORM TALENT EYES NEWCASTLE HOMECOMING

Teenage playmaker Cooper Votano was regarded as one of the game’s emerging stars when he was lured to Melbourne by the promise of working at the Storm under Craig Bellamy.

Stress fractures in his back meant things haven’t gone to plan and now Votano may be on the move again as he eyes off a return to Newcastle.

The Knights never wanted to lose Votano, whose older brother Connor recently linked with the Bulldogs.

NEW-LOOK WAKEHAM MAKES MANLY COMMITMENT

Meanwhile, Wakeham is set to ink a two-year extension to remain at the Sea Eagles. Wakeham has been a revelation this year after returning to first grade for the first time since 2023. Before he was injured, he became an integral part of Manly’s side largely starting at hooker.