November 1 has come and gone, and that means over 170 players are now free to negotiate with rival clubs.
While we wait for the action and cool-off periods to really heat up, Zero Tackle will spend the next couple of weeks exploring the clubs that must make plays for the biggest names on the open market.
One of the biggest who could well switch clubs is Keaon Koloamatangi.
The forward, who has become one of the best props in the game after Wayne Bennett shuffled him into the middle third during 2025 from the second row, has reportedly demanded about $900,000 for his services beyond the end of 2026.
The Rabbitohs will undoubtedly make a play for their star forward, but there is no guarantee they have the salary cap to go with rival clubs, with a large chunk of their 2027 squad already locked away, leaving little in the way of wiggle room.
Here are the clubs outside of the Maroubra-based outfit who will likely come in hot for Koloamatangi.
1. Perth Bears
The Perth Bears are going to be linked with just about everyone off-contract - big name or not.
They have made it fairly clear they are going to join the pursuit of Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, but, and particularly with the Melbourne Storm joining that race, they are less than a guarantee of landing his signature, no matter what percentage of their new and unused salary cap they throw his way at the negotiation table.
The Bears' biggest challenge is quite clearly going to be to get players to relocate across the country for a side with a good chance of not being overly competitive straight away.
Koloamatangi, looking for a contract upgrade, might be in their ideal price range to lead the inaugural forward pack in the west.
