Parramatta Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown will field offers for 2026 and beyond as he contemplates his future.
It's a major blow for the blue and gold, with their strategy of contract options yet again backfiring.
Brown will make a call on whether he is remaining with the Eels or not for the first of two player options included in his deal until the end of 2031 by the end of Round 10, but in the meantime, there will be plenty of conjecture following the New Zealand international around.
It's the last thing rookie coach Jason Ryles needs as he looks to turn Brad Arthur's old team into a finals team after they slumped to the wrong end of the table last year.
Described by his agent as a 'franchise player' in an email to all 16 other clubs, there will be plenty at least weighing up their options when it comes to making a play for Brown ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Here is where each rival NRL club is likely to sit in the chase for Brown.
3. North Queensland Cowboys
This has to be taken with the caveat of the Cowboys always seeming to have junior talent on the way through their system, but whether any of those players kick on to become star NRL halves remains to be seen.
In the meantime, Dylan Brown would be the perfect option to head to Townsville.
Tom Dearden is going to become a halfback at some point in his career. That much seems bleedingly obvious. Jake Clifford is likely to run out there in 2025, but whether that remains the long-term play after the exit of Chad Townsend is up for debate.
To do so with Dylan Brown alongside him might well be the way to go for Todd Payten and his recruitment staff, although the salary cap is likely to be an issue if they do elect to go down this path.
