Gold Coast Titans are on track to pull off a signings coup for their NRL Telstra Women's Premiership campaign with rugby sevens star Evania Pelite close to joining the club this season.
NRL.com understands the Titans are closing in on securing Pelite for their inaugural campaign once the 25-year-old returns from competing for Australia in rugby sevens at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Pelite was one of the star attractions in the NRLW last year with three tries, two try assists, 22 tackle busts and four line breaks in three appearances at the Warriors.
It's understood her experience in the NRLW is pushing her towards reuniting with several of her Warriors teammates at the Titans after the New Zealand club withdrew from the competition this year.
No official announcement has been made by the Titans but it's understood an offer has been made with rival clubs conceding in the past week they're all but out of the race for her signature.
While they wait on confirmation the Gold Coast have kept busy on the recruitment front, announcing on Saturday that they have signed Destiny Brill, Tiana Raftstrand-Smith, Shannon Mato and Karli Hansen for season 2021
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Pelite is likely to be required to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon returning to Australia, which would rule her out of taking part in a mini pre-season with her Titans teammates.
The rugby sevens tournament at the Olympics will wrap up on July 31 with several other cross-code talent on the radar for NRLW clubs with the competition to get underway less than a month later.
The future of fellow rugby sevens star Ellia Green, who partnered Pelite on the left edge at the Warriors last year, is also up in the air after the try-scoring machine was surprisingly overlooked for Australia's Olympics sevens campaign.
The shock omission immediately caught the eye of several NRLW clubs, including one coach at a new franchise, who was on the phone to the former Warriors winger about her next move.
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Green took to Instagram last week to announce she was overlooked, not injured, for the Olympics but was yet to announce her next move.
"The past few days have been pretty long and dark since being told I haven't been selected for the Tokyo Olympics," Green wrote.
"This is the reality of sport, it can make you feel like you're on top of the world and it can also make you feel lower than the ground.
"Thank you for the messages and support from everyone. I am not currently injured, I just didn’t get selected and I accept that."
Green made a short but sweet impression on the NRLW alongside Pelite last year with two tries, four line breaks and 16 tackle busts in her three games for the Warriors.
NRLW clubs will be allowed to fill remaining sports on their rosters until August 12, leaving them with time to monitor cross-code talent.