Former Titans captain Kevin Proctor has reportedly signed a two-year deal with Super League side Wakefield Trinity.

Proctor’s career looked over after he released a video on social media of him vaping inside the sheds at CommBank Stadium at halftime during a Titans game he wasn’t playing in.

The 33-year-old was fined $15,000 by the Titans before they terminated his contract over the incident.

“Poor KP, he’s not the world’s smartest person,” Titans coach Justin Holbrook said at the time.

“It’s just a really dumb thing and (he) gave us no choice but to finish him up.”

But the Kiwi international has picked up lucrative new deal with Wakefield, according to WWOS’ The Mole.

With 282 NRL games to his name Proctor’s experience will be invaluable for the English side, if he can behave off the field.

Along with his vaping incident, the former Kiwi forward was fined $20,000 and suspended for four games due to a cocaine-related incident in 2017.

Additionally, Proctor was suspended for four games in 2020 for biting former international teammate Shaun Johnson.

Wakefield are reportedly expected to confirm the signing of the New Zealand-born second row over the next few days.

DRAGONS SWOOP ON RISING STORM DUO

The Dragons have reportedly secured the services of up and coming Storm brothers Haele and Sione Finau for the 2023 season.

The Daily Telegraph have reported that the Storm were eager to retain the Melbourne-raised duo, however the opportunity to play alongside each other and earn a top-30 spot with the Dragons was too appealing.

Older brother Haele has signed a one-year training deal with the Red V, however that contract is set to be upgraded to a place in the club’s top-30 come 2024.

While the 22-year-old Haele is expected to sit behind veteran rake Andrew McCullough, his agent Michael Cincotta believes he has a bright future ahead of him at St George.

“Haele manipulates the ruck really well. He is quite explosive out of dummy half. He sees the game really well,” Cincotta told The Daily Telegraph.

“I think he is going to be one of those players that can game manage from the hooker position.

“At the under-20s level he played halfback for Melbourne, too. He’s an exciting prospect because he can get over the line too.”

20-year-old Sione, who played on the wing for Storm feeder club Brisbane Tigers this year, has landed himself a development deal which is also set to be upgraded by 2024.

“Sione is a powerful runner, big, tall, rangy and he’s really quick when he hits his top speed. He’s got a really strong fend and good late footwork,” Cincotta said.

Melbourne wasn’t the only club interested in the pair as two Queensland clubs were reportedly eager on the pairing.

However given the depth of dummy halves at the Storm, Cincotta believed joining the Dragons was ultimately the best option for the 22-year-old.

“For Haele, the hooker situation given Harry Grant, Brandon Smith ... even if you go as far back as Cameron Smith... that’s what he was dealing with for three years or so,” Cincotta said.

“It made sense to pick the Dragons, even though McCullough isn’t retiring.

“We just viewed it as a good avenue for him to play NRL.

“There were a few clubs that were interested, obviously Melbourne wanted to keep them, they knew the boys well and everything about them.

“Both had already done some pre-season work with the NRL side at different stages.”

RABBITOHS TO THROW BURGESS LIFELINE

The Rabbitohs are reportedly considering handing George Burgess an NRL lifeline after he was granted an immediate release from his Dragons contract.

Burgess joined the Red V ahead of the 2022 season on a two-year deal but only featured in four NRL games.

South Sydney will reportedly wait until the 30-year-old faces court in March next year on charges of sexually touching a woman according to The Daily Telegraph.

Burgess’ potential deal will reportedly be a minimum wage contract, hoping to reunite George with his brother Tom.

George spent eight seasons in Redfern and hasn’t played for the Rabbitohs since 2019, five years after winning a premiership.

Burgess made it clear his relationship with coach Anthony Griffin deteriorated at the Dragons and he believes the former Broncos and Panthers boss never liked him.

“I just didn’t get along with Hook (coach Griffin) and he made it pretty clear to me, he pretty much wrote me off,” Burgess said.

“So I wasn’t too keen to go back to train under him to be honest.

“At the end of the day all you want is a coach to believe in you.

“There is no point me going back there if the coach doesn’t believe in me.”

MANLY’S AUDACIOUS POACHING BID

They may have sacked coach Des Hasler but there is no rebuild happening at Manly.

In fact, the Sea Eagles are set to make an aggressive move in the player market, reportedly eyeing Queensland Maroons and Brisbane Broncos forward Thomas Flegler.

That is according to News Corp, with a report claiming Manly is ready to offer Flegler a monster $4 million deal in a bid to lure him away from Red Hill.

Flegler is contracted until the end of next season but is yet to extend at Brisbane and could hit the open market from November 1, with five teams circling.

The offer from the Sea Eagles is reported to be worth $675,000 a season over six years, keeping Flegler at Manly until the end of 2027.

Meanwhile, a separate report from News Corpclaims teammate Patrick Carrigan is after a $100,000-plus pay rise.

Carrigan’s management reportedly contacted Broncos football boss Ben Ikin to begin urgent negotiations, believing the 24-year-old deserves a salary increase given he is now both a Queensland and Australian representative player.

Carrigan is said to be on around $500,000 for 2023 and 2024.

TAMOU SET FOR COWBOYS HOMECOMING

Tigers veteran James Tamou is reportedly set for a return to the Cowboys under Todd Payten, six seasons after departing Townsville in 2016.

The 33-year-old has reportedly signed a one-year deal for the 2023 season according to 7News Michelle Bishop.

It was previously reported Tamou held a meeting with Payten while he was in Sydney for the Dally M Awards night.

Tamou is now set to snub interest from the English Super League and return to the club he made his debut at.

Wakefield Trinity were reportedly one of the clubs interested in the 305-gamer, but Tamou and his family are keen to remain in Australia.

Tamou’s role at the club would be to mentor younger forwards after a stint with the Tigers.

If he is to sign with the Cowboys, reports suggest he would take a significant pay-cut, but the big man wants to play one more season in the NRL.

BRONCOS RE-SIGN MAROONS HOPEFUL

Broncos gun Kobe Hetherington has reportedly signed a two-year extension that will see his stay in Red Hill extend until the end of 2025.

Five rival NRL clubs were reportedly circling the 23-year-old according to The Daily Telegraph, however Brisbane acted quickly to ensure he didn’t hit the open market.

Hetherington’s original deal ended after the 2023 season and the Broncos fended off interest from the Titans and Bulldogs to re-sign the utility.

The Queensland Origin hopeful won the Broncos’ Rookie of the Year award in 2021 and the son of Maroons great Jason Hetherington said there was interest from his Dad’s old club.

“I’m really happy to do a new deal,” Hetherington told News Corp.

“I didn’t want to leave.

“It’s good to have that extra security. I was coming off-contract so to have another two years, it gives me that drive to keep bettering myself.

“Growing up as a kid, I went for the Bulldogs because of my dad. The Dogs showed some interest, but I was always hoping to get a deal done with the Broncos and we’ve done that.

“No other club interested me at all. It’s a club I want to be with for a long time. I don’t want to go anywhere else.”

Hetherington will now fight with Kangaroos star Pat Carrigan for the No.13 jersey and has played 36 NRL games to date.

“I know Patty Carrigan is there but it’s good having competition in a position,” Hetherington said.

“Patty teaches me stuff and I feel we have a healthy competition. Obviously I want to be the starting No.13, so I will try and have a good pre-season and keep pushing each other.

“I’ve set myself a couple of goals and a big one for me is to eventually play for Queensland, whether it’s next year or in the future.

“It was a struggle for me in the early days to break into the NRL, but Kevvie was the coach who gave me an opportunity and I wanted to repay the faith.”

Meanwhile, Kobe’s twin brother Zac has also signed an new deal with the Bulldogs which will see his stay at the Belmore club extend to the end of 2023.

 

TURPIN FINALLY LANDS A DEAL

Jake Turpin has reportedly “agreed to terms” with the Roosters, five months after the Broncos granted him permission to look elsewhere.

The 25-year-old requested a release halfway through the season after falling behind hookers Billy Walters and Cory Paix in the Brisbane pecking order.

Turpin played the first six games of the season at hooker before he was injured, which opened the door for Walters to cement the No. 9 jersey.

“Jake has found himself playing in our second tier competition at the moment and can’t crack it for a first grade spot,” Broncos head of football Ben Ikin said in June.

“Jake, to sure up his future, wants to get himself somewhere where he can play first-grade footy again because he was off contract at the end of this year with the Broncos and he wants to put himself in the shop window at the end of this year, it’s as simple as that.”

Ironically, Turpin finished the season where he started and played hooker in five of the Broncos’ final six games.

But he’ll now join the Roosters as a back-up to star recruit Brandon Smith, according to Triple M’s Ben Dobbin.

Turpin’s reported signing comes after the Roosters allowed Sam Verrills out of the final two years of his deal to sign with the Titans.