In a season defined almost entirely by bad headlines, the Brisbane Broncos finally look set to get one that goes their way.
Xavier Willison is on the verge of committing his long-term future to the Broncos in a deal that will lock him in until the end of the decade.
The Mole reports that Willison, who was widely expected to test the open market come November 1, with interest from rival clubs, is closing in on a new three-year extension worth in the vicinity of $950,000 a season.
It's a significant figure, and one that reflects just how highly the Broncos rate the 23-year-old's ceiling.
The timing could hardly be more important for a club bracing for the departure of Payne Haas, who is bound for South Sydney at the end of this season.
With that void looming, holding onto the Kiwi-born forward beyond his current deal, which expires at the end of the 2027 season, has become something of a non-negotiable for Broncos management.
The extension is set to run through to the end of 2030 and would become the second-highest paid player at the club behind fullback Reece Walsh, who is reportedly being paid around $1.25 million per season.
Broncos with the Willison extension become the first player for the club signed into the new decade.
The club locks in a core group, along with Willison, Mitch Barnett, Ezra Mam, Jonah Pezet and Reece Walsh, until the end of 2029, while Patrick Carrigan and Kotoni Staggs are at the club until the end of the 2028 season.
This extension also suggests that clubs could potentially be working with the mindset of a significant rise in the salary cap.
The new groundbreaking TV rights deal, worth $5.3 billion from 2028 to 2034, created speculation that the 2028 salary cap could be $20 million.
In the 2027 season, the salary cap is set at $12.7 million under the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement, with the minimum salary $150,000.
