A stronger than expected season in 2025 will have the Brisbane Broncos primed to continue their build in the coming years under new coach Michael Maguire.
Arriving at Red Hill ahead of 2025, Maguire was under plenty of pressure following the axing of Kevin Walters, but found immediate success, guiding the club without a premiership in almost two decades into the top four.
2027 will be moving time for the Broncos though, with the likelihood that both Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt will hang up the boots at the end of the campaign.
That means it'll be over to the next generation of stars in Brisbane, and while the likes of Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam and Patrick Carrigan are all locked in for at least that long, forward pack leader Payne Haas is not.
He is the key man to lock up on a new deal before November 1, while the likes of Blake Mozer and Benjamin Te Kura are also likely to be firing in first-grade by the time 2027 rolls around.
But that doesn't mean Maguire won't be looking externally with whatever limited salary cap he has to bring re-enforcements into the squad at the Queensland club.
Current Brisbane Broncos 2027 squad
Grant Anderson, Patrick Carrigan, Corey Jensen, Josiah Karapani, Ezra Mam, Deine Mariner, Blake Mozer, Brendan Piakura, Jordan Riki, Va'a Semu, Kotoni Staggs, Ben Talty, Benjamin Te Kura, Reece Walsh, Xavier Willison
Off-contract at the end of 2026
Jesse Arthars, Coby Black, Tom Duffy, Payne Haas, Ben Hunt, Cory Paix, Adam Reynolds, Josh Rogers, Gehamat Shibasaki, Billy Walters
Current best 17 for 2027
1. Reece Walsh
2. Grant Anderson
3. Josiah Karapani
4. Kotoni Staggs
5. Deine Mariner
6. Ezra Mam
7. No player signed.
8. Corey Jensen
9. Blake Mozer
10. Xavier Willison
11. Brendan Piakura
12. Jordan Riki
13. Patrick Carrigan
Interchange
14. Va'a Semu
15. Benjamin Te Kura
16. Ben Talty
17. No player signed.
The Broncos look relatively stable heading towards November 1, but much of their recruitment strategy could be dictated by whether they are able to re-sign talented young half Coby Black, or forward pack leader Payne Haas.
Black is rated as one of the best young halves in the game, but it would be a risk for Brisbane to put all their eggs in a singular basket once Hunt and Reynolds do hang up the boots.
For that reason, either way, a halfback, even if not a marquee one, is likely to be on the shopping list.
Even if Haas does re-sign, the Broncos will likely be looking for further re-enforcements in the forward pack, both in the middle and on the edge.
Mozer is clearly the future of the club's number nine, but a back-up option could also be on the agenda with none of Cory Paix or Billy Walters currently signed beyond the end of 2026, while options in the back five look solid.
Salary cap is realistically going to be the biggest issue for the Broncos though, so keeping that in mind, here are the five realistic targets they could chase from November 1 to add to their 2027 squad.
Option 3: Hamish Stewart (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Of all the clubs in the NRL, the Dragons may well have the best crop of junior forwards on the way through their system right now.
One of those is Hamish Stewart.
There is no doubt that come this free agency window the Broncos are going to be looking for re-enforcements in the middle third of the field who don't break the bank, and can find their way into a role supporting Payne Haas (provided he is re-signed) and Patrick Carrigan, while fighting with Corey Jensen for the other middle third role.
Kobe Hetherington is set to leave this year, while Fletcher Baker will do the same, so there are going to be spots available.
As much as Xavier Willison and Benjamin Te Kura are likely to thrive in the coming season, the jury is still out, so re-enforcements are going to be required.
Hamish Stewart is an absolute work horse, and while he will take over from Jack de Belin at lock for the Dragons in 2026, he has a player option in his favour beyond that.
With so many juniors at the Dragons and the Red V needing to find a balance of their roster and the books, he may well be one to not be offered a new deal, or not at the value he expects.
Brisbane could well step in here and make a play for one of the game's brightest young prospects.
