Perth Bears lock in second Broncos premiership winner

The signings are coming thick and fast now for Mal Meninga and the Perth Bears.

Less than a week after landing Australian and Queensland centre Gehamat Shibasaki on a two-year deal, the Perth Bears have locked in another Brisbane Broncos 2025 premiership winner for their NRL debut in 2027.

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Having been granted an early release from his Super League contract with Wakefield Trinity on compassionate grounds, 27-year-old hooker Tyson Smoothy will join the Bears on a three-year deal.

Bringing versatility and recent premiership-winning experience, the signing of Smoothy fills an important gap in the Bears’ squad at No.9 and potentially frees up Storm utility Tyran Wishart to start in the halves.

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The Bears confirmed the news in a statement on Monday with head coach Mal Meninga labelling Smoothy as ‘super talented.’

“I’m looking forward to working with Tyson when he returns home,” he said.

“Our squad is starting to take shape and with the addition of Gehamat and Tyson, we now have four players in our squad who have tasted Premiership success over the last two seasons.”

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Smoothy made his NRL debut in 2021 and has played 46 games in stints with the Storm and Broncos.

Perth Bears: Current best 19

1. Mason Barber
2. Harry Newman
3. Sean Russell
4. Gehamat Shibasaki
5. Nick Meaney
6. Tyran Wishart
7. Toby Sexton
8. Junior Paulo*
9. Tyson Smoothy
10. Mikolaj Oledzki
11. Scott Sorensen
12. Josh Curran
13. Morgan Smithies*

Interchange
14. James McDonnell
15. Luke Smith
16. Siosifa Talakai
17. Liam Henry
18. Apa Twidle
19. Chris Vea’ila

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* Reported but unconfirmed