A ball hasn't been kicked in the 2023 NRL season as of yet, and already half-a-dozen players have informed their club they'll be joining a rival side in 2024.
It's a deadline the NRL is attempting to alter from November 1st to June 30th, shaving eight months off the decision, meaning players will only be able to sign with a new club four months before their pre-season begins.
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The RLPA would reportedly like the deadline to stay where it is, and give players the maximum amount of time to decide their futures instead of rushing through a decision.
The June 30 deadline would also give clubs a longer time period to convince their star players to stay put beyond that season.
Penrith have now lost two stars in the pre-season, two years in a row now, after Apisai Koroisau and Viliame Kikau announced their departures before Round 1 last year, while Stephen Crichton and Spencer Leniu have done the same this off-season.
Brisbane Broncos duo Herbie Farnworth and Thomas Flagler will both join the Dolphins in 2024, while Red Hill team mate Keenan Palasia will become a Titan. Star Newcastle winger Dominic Young is set to become a Rooster next season.
They all have an entire season to play with the current clubs.
The big hinderance for players, outside of having a longer timeframe to make a difficult choice, is how drastically a player's value can alter in a matter of months.
Some players can suffer long-term injuries or massive dips in form in that time period, while some can produce career-best football, potentially even jag a spot in a rep team, and add a few zeros to their deal.
It's a double-edged sword the RLPA aren't eager to gamble on.
If the deadline were to be introduced this season, none of these aforementioned stars would be able to put pen to paper until midway through Round 18.
The NRL and RLPA have made massive advancements in the past week with only a handful of items left on the agenda, however the player transfer model is proving to be a big sticking point.
Daly Cherry-Evans essentially scrapped talks of a player strike last week, however Parramatta recruit and RLPA Director Josh Hodgson says there's still a little bit left to tick off.
“I was in a call on Friday and there was a bit of work still to be done with development players and train and trial players,” Hodgson told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“What it looks like in terms of how much they get, how much notice they get with their contracts, how long they're involved at a club.
“We've got to make sure players are protected, and especially those guys that fit into that category because those deals aren't something you can live off, it's an opportunity and they need to be protected.
“There's the big ticket items that need ticking off and then a hell of a lot of detail underneath that. It's a five-year deal and you've got to make sure you get every single thing right.
"There's a bit to go, but there's certainly been some progress too which is good.”
It's doubtful the entirety of items will be sorted as players ready themselves for the NRL season, which begins in just over 72 hours, though it seems only a matter of time until the parties reach an agreement.
