More than four months removed from November 1, there are still 136 NRL currently Top 30 contracted NRL players without a club to call home for 2027.
The Perth Bears still have more than half of their inaugural Top 30 to fill, and most clubs are in need of players, whether re-signed or otherwise, to complete their look and feel for 2027.
When you run the rule over the list of players who remain off-contract at the end of 2026, there is still a mountain of talent available.
Taking into account the likely value to a rival club - age, talent and potential included (for example, Cody Walker has been left out as he approaches the end of his career) - here are the Top 20 players to remain without a contract for 2027.
Click here for the full list of off-contract players at the end of 2026
Siua Wong was originally named in this list, however, it has since emerged he has re-signed with the Roosters during the off-season.
1. Jaxon Purdue (North Queensland Cowboys)
There is little doubt for us that Jaxon Purdue should be the most targeted player currently on the open market, with the Cowboys in a scrap to retain his signature beyond the end of 2026.
Able to play at centre or in the halves, Purdue has utility value, and has already risen to the status of one of North Queensland's most important players, despite being just 20 years of age.
His importance to the club means the Cowboys are desperate to retain his services, but from Perth to the Sydney basin, it has been rumoured other clubs are certainly interested.
He is a Mackay-born player, which could give the Cowboys an edge when it comes to the negotiating table, but their failure to work out his best position as yet, as well as a salary cap crunch that isn't quite over in Townsville, could lead to Purdue exploring his options elsewhere.
The thing - and really, the selling point for not just the Cowboys but rival clubs - is that whether he plays centre or in the halves, there is a real world where Purdue becomes something of a franchise player for the next decade or more.
That's how good he is.
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Some interesting reading there, particularly in the way you have rated them.
I wouldn’t have expected Purdue to be #1, or Taulagi at #4
To me it’s all about potential upside… What does a player provide over the terms of their next deal. Can’t see too many doing more than Purdue on this list.