Tyson Smoothy has asked Wakefield Trinity for an early release from the second and third years of his contract, with the Perth Bears reportedly eyeing the 26-year-old if he gets out. The utility back-rower and hooker, who signed a three-year deal after Brisbane’s 2025 NRL premiership triumph, is keen to return to Australia for family reasons.

The request covers the 2027 and 2028 seasons, and it puts Wakefield in the middle of a decision that could shape both Smoothy’s career and the Bears’ first steps into the NRL. Perth are preparing for their inaugural season in 2027, and a player with Smoothy’s flexibility would fit the kind of roster-building the new club has to do quickly.

Wakefield coach Daryl Powell said this week he was unsure what Smoothy’s future looks like, but stressed the player is still part of the group for now. Powell said Smoothy had been dealing with family matters around the club’s last game with his little one, declined to expand on that, and added that he thought the 26-year-old was settled and would be there for the season.

“I think Tyson's settled and he'll be here for the season,” Powell said. “Whether he's here after that, we'll talk about that further down the track.” He added that Smoothy was “pretty settled” and “enjoying his time at the club,” though what happens after this year remains unresolved.

Smoothy has played 11 games for Wakefield this year and scored three tries, a solid return for a player asked to cover multiple roles. He can play hooker and back-row, and when Brisbane lost Adam Reynolds, Ezra Mam and Ben Hunt to injuries, he even filled in in the halves. That versatility is part of why there is interest from Perth, but it also makes him harder for Wakefield to replace if the move goes through.

The timing matters because Smoothy only arrived in England after a strong run in Australia. He made his NRL debut with the Melbourne Storm in 2021, then played 42 games for the Broncos from 2023 to 2025 before helping Brisbane lift the premiership and heading to Super League. The article says Brisbane would be unlikely to take him back because they have already re-signed Cory Paix and have Blake Mozer and Cameron Bukowski waiting in the wings, leaving Smoothy’s clearest path back home tied to a club that has not yet taken the field.

For Wakefield, the immediate issue is straightforward: it has a contracted player for the rest of the year, but one who has already asked for a way out. For Perth, the question is whether the club can land an experienced, adaptable option before its debut season begins. And for Smoothy, this is now about whether family, football and contract lines can be pulled into the same direction.