Newcastle Knights forward Mat Croker is gaining interest from multiple rival NRL sides as he approaches November 1 without a contract beyond 2027.
Croker's growth in recent seasons has been outstanding, but 2026 was a career-best year as he played a pivotal role in the Knights making their way to the grand final.
The lock forward, holding his own at both ends of the park, is now the permanent number 13 for Justin Holbrook's side, having put together a season where he played all 28 possible games, tackling at almost 93 per cent and running for 77 metres per contest.
His work off-the-ball in supporting his teammates isn't represented on the stats sheet though, and it's understood the Knights are desperate to retain him.
They will face a serious question mark around their ability to do so, though, with the Knights' salary cap stretched.
ESPN reports that at least two clubs, one in Sydney and one in Queensland, are planning to target him when free agency opens.
Interested parties can make formal approaches for Croker in a little under two weeks.
Croker's appetite to leave the Hunter is unclear at this stage, but he will be in for a pay bump at the end of 2027 based on his 2026 form, and it's something the Knights may not be able to accommodate.
The Newcastle-based side have already been understood to have lowballed Bradman Best, while they attempt to juggle their youngsters in a salary cap and roster that already includes seven-figure contracts for both Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown.
If they can't raise their offer, then the chance of losing Croker elsewhere would appear to be on the rise.
Also hamstringing the Knights is how many players they already have contracted - while great for stability, they are at the top of the NRL when it comes to 2028 squads, with 19 players already locked in.
To put it into perspective, most clubs are still south of 15 players signed for 2028.
Croker, now 27, debuted for the Knights in 2021 and has played 110 games for the club, not missing one in the last two seasons.
