NRL premiers miss out on highly touted recruit

PREMIERS Melbourne have missed out on their main target for 2021 – English Test prop Robbie Mulhern.

WWOS reported back in March that the Storm and several other NRL clubs were keen to sign the 26-year-old from Hull KR.

A rugged, tough-tackling forward, Mulhern was seen as a possible replacement for Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, who has signed with the Titans.

But Mulhern will announce tomorrow that he has decided to stay in England, signing with the Warrington club.

In a swap move, Warrington's Luis Johnson will go to Hull KR.

The Storm have only signed two 'name' players for 2021 – George Jennings (Warriors), and Reimis Smith (Bulldogs) – and both are outside backs.

Having lost Fa'asuamaleaui and Albert Vete and possibly Cameron Smith, they are on the lookout for a couple of experienced forwards to bolster their ranks.