Cameron Mcinnes Rejects Two-Year Perth Bears Deal

cameron mcinnes rejected a reported two-year deal to join the Perth Bears after talks broke down in May 2026. The Cronulla Sharks captain remains off contract and is now likely to join the Super League, a shift that changes Perth’s early recruitment push.

Perth Bears Lose McInnes

The Bears had been pursuing the 32-year-old as part of their first wave of signings, and he was viewed as a possible inaugural captain. That is the sort of player profile Perth wanted for a new club trying to build leadership quickly, especially with the NRL this week agreeing to help the Bears attract big-name players.

McInnes was offered a two-year deal to head west, but the move did not get across the line. On Wednesday morning, Danny Weidler reported the talks had broken down, and the direction of the negotiation now points away from Perth and toward a different competition.

Cronulla Wants McInnes

Cronulla wanted to retain the 32-year-old, who has made 228 NRL appearances since his debut for the Rabbitohs in 2014. He also played State of Origin in 2024, giving him the kind of representative experience the Bears were targeting for their opening roster.

The Sharks captain had returned successfully in round eight of 2026 after an ACL injury suffered in round 24 last season against the Cowboys. That return had put him back into the market as an experienced middle forward, and it kept him in the frame for a major move when Perth began chasing established names.

Sharks Contract Picture

McInnes is one of several Sharks players off contract at the end of the 2026 season, alongside Will Kennedy, Toby Rudolf, Braden Hamlin-Uele, Jesse Ramien, Sam Stonestreet and Sione Katoa. Perth officials had also been linked with Jamie Humphreys and Jonathan Sua as they worked through early recruitment.

For now, the Bears have missed on the player they wanted to anchor their first captaincy conversation. McInnes has turned down the reported two-year offer, and the next move sits with the clubs and the market that opened around him.