The Newcastle Knights will risk losing star NSW Blues representative centre Bradman Best, with a contract offer rejected over the financial valuation.
Best is off-contract at the end of 2027, and the Knights have been in negotiations with their star centre.
The club's strained salary cap, though, has limited what they can offer him, with the club under the pump thanks to big contracts already locked away well into the future for Dylan Brown and Kalyn Ponga, who both earn seven figures, among others.
The Knights star is currently believed to be on $700,000 per year, and with improved performances over the span of his contract, the only question around his true value is his injury history.
News Corp has revealed the original contract offer Best received has been knocked back on the basis that the money wasn't what he was expecting.
The star centre could be valued at well over $800,000 per year even under the current terms of the salary cap, with that rising if the cap goes up as expected under the new TV deal that has been signed as the richest in the history of Australian sports.
Rival NRL clubs in need of a centre will certainly look at Best as one of the better players on the open market, while there is also the looming threat of expansion clubs, with the PNG Chiefs entering the competition in 2028, and the Perth Bears still likely having plenty of money to play with after struggling to build their squad for 2027 as they prepare to enter the competition.
Best isn't a stranger to the open market, having also gone to November 1 uncontracted before signing a three-year extension last time around.
On that occasion, he ultimately stayed with the Knights, but if market value and money are a driving factor, the Hunter-based outfit may struggle to match his asking price this time around.
While Best is a walk-up starter for the Knights, there is also no doubt the club have plenty of options in the outside backs, with Fletcher Sharpe currently in the halves but able to be shuffled wide given Sandon Smith is at the club, and Fletcher Hunt also searching for more game time.
