With November 1 now less than two months away, NRL clubs will be scrambling to get their best players locked away before they hit the open market and fetch interest from elsewhere.
On this week's episode of the NRL Contract Show, Zero Tackle editor Scott Pryde listed seven key retention targets across the competition who could be in demand if they remain unsigned by November 1.
Nathan Cleary
Pryde: "The Panthers have to lock him down. He's probably more important than anyone else in that system, he is the glue that holds it together. I'm not sure any halfback could do the job that he has done over the last four or five years. Penrith are going to struggle to compete with the Chiefs and other clubs who come to the party in terms of salary, and I think Cleary would take less to stay at Penrith. But once we hit November 1, Cleary's market value rises as clubs start to talk to him and the fight begins. It's very important that Penrith do that one quickly."
