Penrith Panthers and NSW Blues star forward Liam Martin has made it clear the club will need to pay a figure they likely can't afford if they want his services beyond the end of 2027.
While talks are set to continue this week, the clock is ticking on the Panthers if they want his signature before November 1.
With Martin testing free agency now seeming a better than small possibility, there is a very real chance he will join Brian To'o on the way out of the club at the end of 2027.
The unfortunate truth of the situation for the Panthers is that they will have to shake some players at the end of next year to keep their premiership-competitive side together.
It's what they have done so well through the dynasty of success, but the loss of any of their top players, Martin included, would be a bitter pill to swallow given To'o has already confirmed his departure, and rumours continue to swirl around Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo.
With Penrith's salary cap stretched, here are the clubs who could make a play for Martin from November 1.
3. North Queensland Cowboys
This is the most obvious one of the current clubs.
The North Queensland Cowboys are about to, or at the very least in the next few seasons, see the retirements of Coen Hess and Jason Taumalolo.
Even with the experienced duo, the Cowboys still have issues in the sturdiness of their defence both in the middle and on the edges.
Martin is the kind of player who could transform Todd Payten's side on and off the field, and while Jeremiah Nanai and Heilum Luki are the current second-row combination, there is a world where Martin becomes a highly-paid middle third option for the Cowboys.
It's also worth noting Nanai is off-contract at the end of 2027, and his defensive issues could yet tempt Payten and his recruitment staff in a different direction.
