Despite it still being early April, every side has one eye on their 2025 roster.
We're a month into the competition now so coaches are starting to see where they need to improve for next year and beyond.
I fully expect to see a raft of signings very soon.
One such a player I expect to see gain the attention of plenty of sides is the off-contract 24-year old Kayal Iro.
The former NSW Cup player of the year dazzled during his second NRL game last weekend. If he wasn't already being looked at, I guarantee that performance put him in the shop window.
Here are five potential landing spots for the talented Cook Island international:
1. Cronulla Sharks
The Sharks will be desperate to hold onto their prized future asset.
Iro has torn the NSW Cup to shreds for Newtown for the past few seasons. He is too good for the grade and now entering the prime years of his career.
You'd have to imagine that Iro won't re-sign for the Shire club unless he was guaranteed first team footy.
He was so good this past Sunday night, against Matt Timoko no less, but it was only his second game at the top level.
With Siosifa Talakai's impact falling off drastically following his temporary move to the back row, Craig Fitzgibbon has now decided to axe him to the bench, leaving Iro in the run on side which could well be a big play towards him re-signing with the club.
Iro's footwork and speed make him a far less of a target in defence than Talakai. In attack he was fantastic running for 135 metres, crossing for a try and assisting a second.
The Valentine Holmes comparisons go far beyond their similar looks.
With Siosifa Talakai himself admitting that Iro had the most potential of anyone, I would be shocked if we didn't see Iro slot in more full time.
This seems simple. Iro will surely re-sign if that centre position is his. If not, the Sharks risk losing a player of huge potential for a formula that hasn't worked for two seasons.
The fact that the Sharks reportedly denied not one but two release requests late last season does show Iro figures in their future plans.
