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.
10. Canterbury Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have Matt Burton running around in the number six, and are understood to be in talks with Toby Sexton to re-sign after he impressed at halfback through the second half of 2024.
That likely leaves Drew Hutchison on the outer, while it's also understood Karl Oloapu could exit the club. Mitchell Woods is the other player in the Bulldogs' system after the club won a cross-code battle for the youngster's services.
He will push for a spot in the halves over the duration of his current deal, which isn't due to expire until the end of 2027.
Add that to salary cap issues, and the Bulldogs needing to spend the money they do have in the forwards, and a play for Brown seems unlikely, albeit not impossible given some of the moves Phil Gould has made in recent times in his capacity as director of football at Belmore.
