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Transfer Whispers, Jake Turpin, Broncos, Knights, Will Penisini, rugby union, Eels, Kobe Hetherington, Brisbane, transfers, contracts

Jake Turpin is out in the cold after the Broncos confirmed he will not be at the club next season, while a potential suitor has denied they are interested in his services.

Meanwhile, the Broncos are set to give Kobe Hetherington a pay rise in a bid to ward off NRL rivals and Eels star Will Penisini is open to a switch to rugby union.

Read on for all the latest NRL Transfer Whispers.

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BRONCOS HOOKER IN NRL WILDERNESS

Jake Turpin is out in the cold after the Broncos confirmed he will not be at the club next season, while the Knights have denied they are interested in his services.

Newscorp reported Turpin will not be at the Broncos next season, while the Knights have denied they will make a play to lure him to the Hunter.

The Broncos are set to invest in incumbents Billy Walters and Cory Paix as well as rising rookie Blake Mozer as their dummyhalf options moving forward.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters confirmed Turpin is not in the club’s long-term plans and will not be offered a new deal in 2022.

“At the moment, there is nothing for Jake with us for next year unfortunately,” Walters told Newscorp.

“The reality is it was going to be hard to keep Jake.

“We have Billy (Walters) and Cory Paix in our squad at the moment, so as much as you would love to keep all your players, with the salary-cap it’s difficult.

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“’Turps’ has played some great games for the Broncos, and he is good at those little effort areas, particularly in defense, but with our roster, we don’t have any spots left for the hooker position.”

Knights Director of Football Peter Parr poured cold water on reports Newcastle will target Turpin as a back-up to Jayden Brailey.

“He is a wholehearted player but his name hasn’t been mentioned to me at all (by recruitment manager Clint Zammit), so we have no plans to sign him” Parr said.

The 25-year-old has scored four tries in 56 games for the Broncos since his debut in 2018 and won the club’s most consistent player award just last season.

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Jake Turpin is on the lookout for a new club.Source: Getty Images

EELS STAR OPEN TO CODE SWITCH

Eels young gun Will Penisini is open to a switch to rugby union in the future as the club looks to lock him to a long-term extension.

Newscorp reported Penisini, who played the rival code at school with Roosters star Joseph Suaalii at Kings College, hasn’t shut the door on a potential move to the 15-man game in the future.

“I’m not closing the door on rugby union,” Penisini told News Corp.

“Right now, I am content with where I am at Parramatta and I’m loving rugby league at the moment. I am just at the start of my career and I want to build my game and focus on playing consistent footy for Parramatta and try not to look too far ahead about the decision between rugby league or rugby union.”

The Eels are already trying to extend Penisini beyond his current deal, which expires in 2023.

The 20-year-old center has scored seven tries in 25 games for the Eels since his debut in 2021 and has already played one Test for Tonga, who he is likely to feature for at the World Cup.

Will Penisini is open to a switch to rugby union.Source: Getty Images

BRONCOS UP OFFER TO YOUNG GUN AS RIVALS CIRCLE

Broncos lock Kobe Hetherington is set for a massive pay rise as Brisbane aim to ward off approaches from rival clubs for his services.

Newscorp reported Hetherington is set to earn a pay rise of $200,000 a year as the club aims to lock him up on a two-year extension.

However, it is believed Hetherington, who is starting for Brisbane in the absence of the suspended Patrick Carrigan, could command upwards of $300,000 on the open market.

Hetherington is a versatile forward who can cover back row, front row and hooker, with no shortage of clubs keen on a player of his ability.

The 23-year-old has scored three tries in 33 games for the Broncos since his debut in 2021 and has been a mainstay of Kevin Walters’ pack rotation this season.

Kobe Hetherington is set for a pay rise.Source: Getty Images

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NRL news 2022: Andrew Johns calls for end to dangerous tackles

Rugby league legend Andrew Johns has called for the NRL to eradicate dangerous tackles, such as cannonball and hip drop tackles, after two separate incidents sparked heated debate over the weekend.

Canberra Raiders prop Joe Tapine was sin-binned for an alleged punch during Saturday afternoon’s 36-24 victory over the Gold Coast Titans at Cbus Super Stadium.

The 28-year-old was seemingly retaliating after a “cannonball” tackle from Titans hooker Aaron Booth, who had come in around the legs.

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“Joe Tapine must have felt like what he thought was a cannonball (tackle) as Aaron Booth comes in right at the knees,” Fox League commentator Matt Russell said at the time.

“You’ve got to be above the knees — quads or higher.”

Johns also sympathized with Tapine, pleading for the NRL to stamp out crusher tackles and similar offenses.

“When there’s a two-man tackle and there’s no momentum, we have to eradicate the third person coming in,” he told Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show.

“I can’t blame him for reacting like this.

“If there’s two men in the tackle and they can’t get the player down, then one has to change his technique and go down.

“That third man should not be allowed to come in. It’s dangerous.

“They’re worried about the third man destroying their knees and ankles.”

Later on Saturday, Wests Tigers lock Jackson Hastings was left limping from the field after Brisbane Broncos rival Pat Carrigan performed a hip drop tackle at Suncorp Stadium.

Carrigan, who put his body weight on Hastings’ back ankle, was referred directly to the NRL judiciary after the ugly incident, which left him with a broken fibula.

“I thought the tackle was a pretty ordinary tackle,” Tigers interim coach Brett Kimmorley told reporters in the post-match press conference.

“It is something that has crept into the game a little bit and it needs to be looked after, because it’s a horrendous tackle and the outcome can be really bad.”

However, former Broncos captain Gorden Tallis believed the incident was an accident.

“I didn’t think that tackle was as bad as some I have seen this year,” he told Triple M.

“Are they referring it to the judiciary because they don’t know what to do any more? If Patrick Carrigan does that to me and I am out for the year I am going to be disappointed but I think it’s an accident.

“I didn’t think that tackle was as bad as some I have seen this year. Are they referring it to the judiciary because they don’t know what to do any more? If Patrick Carrigan does that to me and I am out for the year I am going to be disappointed but I think it’s an accident.

“I don’t think it is a fashionable hip drops where you jam your hips and I thought watching it he would have been unlucky to get a week or two.”

Speaking after the 32-18 defeat, Carrigan reiterated that he did not intend to harm Hastings.

“I hope he is alright,” he said.

“It wasn’t intentional. I felt like I hit him a bit higher. I don’t know if I winded him, but I heard him wince and then he fell backwards.

“At the end of the day, I don’t want to see anyone get injured, so I hope he’s alright. It is what it is.”

Broncos coach Kevin Walters said: “I don’t know if he snapped his ankle, but it was a heat of the battle thing. Knowing Pat Carrigan and a person of his character, I wouldn’t think it was intentional.”

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