Cameron Munster future and free agency speculation, Digi Mart USA News: An exasperated Cameron Munster was at pains not to throw fuel on the fire when quizzed on his future at Kangaroos training on Wednesday. But as November wears on, and names like Nathan Cleary are scratched off the free agency list, the Storm superstar’s future is becoming a source of even greater intrigue.
Munster has been asked several times during the Rugby League World Cup what his future holds and has been determined to keep a lid on it as he focuses on helping the Kangaroos lift the trophy on Sunday. More often than not, the clubs put to him are the PNG Chiefs, who are still on the hunt for a marquee half to partner Jarome Luai, and the Perth Bears, who would love a big name like Munster to inject some excitement into their roster build.
But whispers are getting louder linking the Sydney Roosters with a play for Munster as part of life post-Sam Walker. Speaking on The Fanatics’ Rugby League Insider podcast this week, senior rugby league reporter James Hooper named Munster as a domino lined up alongside Walker and Bulldogs star Matt Burton.
There is a growing sense Burton will move on from the Bulldogs in the next 12 months. He was given permission to test the market even before becoming a free agent on November 1, with club general manager Phil Gould clarifying that the Bulldogs weren’t trying to get rid of him but wanted the market to determine his value before starting talks on a contract extension.
The Bulldogs signalled late in the 2026 season that they no longer saw Burton as a long-term five-eighth, shifting him to left centre in a somewhat radical swap with captain Stephen Crichton, who played out the year at No. 6. Before that switch, Gould had spoken on The Bye Round podcast about how he saw the Bulldogs’ roster evolving, and made clear he did not see Lachlan Galvin as a long-term halfback.
It would appear logical that the Bulldogs would shift Galvin to five-eighth when they have a better solution for the No. 7 jersey. While that may yet be highly touted but injury-prone youngster Mitchell Woods, Hooper suggested Canterbury might come into calculations for Walker, whose sudden availability has reshaped the halves market.
The sticking point for the Bulldogs in making a play for a player like Walker, who is on a million-dollar-a-season-plus salary, is the salary cap. Burton’s departure would go a long way to solving that problem, and if a club like the Bears, who are publicly courting him, could convince him to shift immediately, Walker would come into the frame for a move this off-season.
If things start moving in that direction, Munster’s name would undoubtedly be linked even more strongly to a move to Bondi, although it would take considerable negotiation to convince him or the Storm to bring his departure date forward by 12 months. Munster is 32 and will be 33 by the time his current deal with the Storm expires.
Had Melbourne offered him a two-year deal with a salary north of $1 million a season, he probably would not have gone to market to test his value.
With Harry Grant also in free agency, Melbourne now face the nightmare scenario of losing Munster, Grant and Craig Bellamy at the same time. It would be an almost inconceivable end of an era, and it would likely lead to several seasons of missed finals.
It is hard to see that happening at such a strong club, but the Roosters, as the club with the most money to spend, would be making the likes of Storm CEO Justin Rodski very nervous.
What the Roosters and billionaire club supremo Nick Politis want, they more often than not get. The club has an incredible track record of bringing in superstars in their twilight years and winning premierships, doing it with both Daly Cherry-Evans and Cooper Cronk.
Do they see Munster as a player capable of making it three premierships from three audacious plays for ageing halves?
Before the World Cup, his trajectory was starting to tail off, and it may have been difficult to make that case. He was excellent in the semi-final, and a big game in Sunday’s final might be enough to put him right back toward the top of the elite category at the perfect time for him to cash in.
A Munster and Hugo Savala/Toby Rodwell combination in 2028, or perhaps even 2027? Don’t rule it out.
