Tino's bro locked in by Perth Bears but Mal Meninga reserves special praise for 'exciting' signing out of Panthers system

The Perth Bears have made their first prominent signing, securing Penrith prop Liam Henry on a four-year deal.

The NRL's 18th team has been busy since November 1 and now have signed their sixth player, with the club also confirming the acquisition of Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui on a two-year deal. The brother of superstar Tino will raise hopes that the Bears can dangle the carrot for the Titans skipper to be the club's first marquee superstar.

The recruitment of Henry is the first signing of a player who currently holds an NRL contract, with the prop to finish his deal with the Panthers next year before making the switch.

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Henry has played 50 games in the top grade and Meninga believes he is "one of the most exciting middle-forward prospects in the NRL".

"This is another proud day for the Perth Bears," Meninga said.

"Liam is one of the most exciting middle forward prospects in the NRL and I am ecstatic to have him as part of our inaugural roster.

"Iszac is a versatile and athletic forward who will look to continue his development with Catalans next season before coming to Perth for 2027.

"Both players have their best footy in front of them and I have no doubt will make an immediate impact with the Bears".

Henry was part of the Panthers 2024 Grand Final winning team and was selected in the Australian Prime Ministers XIII team this year.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to be a part of history and continue my career with the Perth Bears from 2027," Henry said.

"It's not every day you get the chance to be a part of a new team in a new city and it's that opportunity that excites me the most."

Fa'asuamaleaui added: "The Perth Bears provide an incredible opportunity for me to continue my career and play a part in building something special in Western Australia.

"It's going to be good to get to play with Toby (Sexton) at Catalans and hopefully have a strong year in Super League.

"That's my priority right now but in 2027 I'll be ready to give it my all for the Bears".

The Bears have been busy trying to sign players, with the other signings coming from English Super League, with halfback Toby Sexton at the top of that list.

However, the signing of Henry is a major coup for Meninga and the Bears as they beat out other teams vying for his signature.

It is understood Perth were able to offer far more than any other club, viewing Henry as a long-term leader of their pack.

But the chance to be part of a new team, in a new city was too strong of a lure for Henry.

As for the younger Fa'asuamaleaui, he will now leave the Super League club after one year having joined Catalans ahead of the 2026 campaign.

The Bears also signed London Broncos players Luke Smith and Emarly Bitungane, who will play for Jason Demetriou's squad before making the trek to Perth.

Tino Fa'asuamaleaui is viewed as one of the club's priority targets and signing his brother is a clever ploy that has worked in the past, with clubs often signing siblings to make a superstar feel comfortable.

But it will take a substantial package and a salary likely around the $1.5 million-a-year mark to convince Fa'asuamaleaui to walk out on the final four seasons of his 10-year Titans deal, even if he does have the clauses in his contract to make it happen fuss free.

The Queensland Origin enforcer is free to test the open market for 2027 and beyond, thanks to a get-out clause in his current Titans deal, allowing him to explore rival offers.

After announcing new partners to their ownership group, which now includes rugby league legends Matthew Johns and Gorden Tallis, Gold Coast has some leverage in negotiations and will need it, especially since Meninga played a major role in convincing Fa'asuamaleaui to leave Melbourne in 2020 and join the Titans.

He was also seen having coffee with former Titans recruitment boss Ezra Howe in the past week, who has links to Meninga.

Meninga was set to hire Howe as his recruitment boss, but the idea was axed when Howe was embroiled in an integrity scandal with Gold Coast, with Titans bosses alleging he compiled a Bears hit list while working for the club.

Another advantage for the Bears is their growing commercial clout after they made history by becoming the first NRL club to partner with a global athletic brand.

The four-year partnership with New Balance as the Bears' official team apparel partner could be viewed as a boon for a star athlete like Tino, in a bid to build his brand via an internationally known brand that has NBA players, English Premier League and tennis stars adorning their global advertising campaigns.

Like most old league heads, Meninga knows you build a team starting up front, and he's also said to be interested in Souths forward Keaon Koloamatangi.

But the Bears have also sniffed around quality and fringe players coming off contract, regardless of which position they play.

Melbourne utility Tyran Wishart is expected to meet with the club in the coming weeks, while Ryan Papenhuyzen could be a big-name option with R360's 2026 launch now postponed.

The fullback is adamant he is taking a gap year and is not inclined to turn tail and immediately ink a deal to stay in the NRL, even after Peter V'landys announced that he and Lomax were free to sign fresh contracts, with the threatened 10-year bans off the agenda for now. While Papenhuyzen now looks long odds to get back on the field in 2026, a 2027 return fits perfectly with the Bears' timeline.

The Perth club has been forced to turn to the Super League after their first major attempts at luring current NRL stars fell flat, with Melbourne's Cameron Munster and Harry Grant and Gold Coast duo Jayden Campbell and Beau Fermor among those to turn them down.

They will undoubtedly pursue off-contract stars like Viliame Kikau, Lindsay Smith, Payne Haas, Murray Taulagi, Will Warbrick, Selwyn Cobbo and Trai Fuller as they look to scour the NRL for a marquee player.

Along with a tough front row, the halves will also be the most difficult position for the Bears to fill, with a lack of true playmakers on the market for 2027.

Like the Dolphins and their recruitment of star young halfback Isaiya Katoa for their first year, Perth may need to look beneath the surface to find their answer.

They could endure the same issues at hooker, with Grant signing a two-year extension with the Storm.

Other experienced campaigners off contract after 2026, like Sam Verrills and Billy Walters, could also be considered.

They've secured Newman in the outside backs, with the Leeds Rhinos centre having played seven Tests for England.

"Both players have all the attributes and qualities I'm looking for when building out our roster," Meninga said of Newman and Sexton on Tuesday.

"Toby is a proven leader who works hard to make his teammates better.

"He is a quality person who I know will make the most of the opportunity to be a trailblazer for the Perth Bears.

"Harry is a Test player who has been a part of the successful Leeds Rhinos system for several years.

"He has the skillset and experience to make an immediate impact in the NRL, and I'm really excited to see what he can do when he gets here in 2027."