The NRL's "silly season" is nearing full swing.
In just over two months, every player off-contract at the end of 2026 will be able to negotiate with rival clubs.
The ever-changing landscape of NRL contracts, with players signing with rivals or negotiating with them, means that we could well see players changing clubs in November for 2027, despite a full season still to run on their current deals.
That is simply the nature of the beast.
We have run the rule over where every club stands ahead of November 1, their current 2027 squads, the players they need to lock up, and the players who are likely to hit the open market.
With the Perth Bears to enter the competition as well, hitting the open market with a blank cheque book and 30 spots to fill, it's going to be the biggest free agency scramble since the arrival of the Dolphins.
Here is the rundown for your club's needs over the next ten weeks.
You can use the drop-down menu to navigate by club.
Canterbury Bulldogs
Current 2027 squad
Matt Burton, Stephen Crichton, Lachlan Galvin, Harry Hayes, Bailey Hayward, Max King, Jacob Kiraz, Finau Latu, Jacob Preston, Jaeman Salmon, Logan Spinks, Leo Thompson, Sitili Tupouniua, Jack Underhill, Mitchell Woods, Bronson Xerri
Current 2027 best 17
1. No player signed.
2. Jacob Kiraz
3. Stephen Crichton
4. Bronson Xerri
5. No player signed.
6. Matt Burton
7. Lachlan Galvin
8. Max King
9. Bailey Hayward
10. Leo Thompson
11. Jacob Preston
12. Sitili Tupouniua
13. Jaeman Salmon
Interchange
14. Mitchell Woods
15. Harry Hayes
16. Finau Latu
17. Jack Underhill
Not in 17: Logan Spinks
Off-contract players
End of 2025: Drew Hutchison, Jake Turpin, Blake Wilson
End of 2026: Josh Curran, Kade Dykes, Lipoi Hopoi, Samuel Hughes, Viliame Kikau, Zyon Maiu'u, Kurt Mann, Marcelo Montoya, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Jack Todd, Connor Tracey, Enari Tuala
What needs doing
Few clubs have as much work to do as the Bulldogs before the November 1 deadline, with a host of their players likely to be pursued immediately by other clubs.
The leaders of that list are Josh Curran, Viliame Kikau and Connor Tracey, while Queensland Origin utility Kurt Mann and young prop Samuel Hughes could also look elsewhere.
Kikau in particular must be the priority before November 1, with the barnstorming second-rower potentially able to spark up a bidding war for his services between clubs, including the Perth Bears.
Kade Dykes is only joining the club for next year, so there is time there, while the Bulldogs' crop of young forwards, led by Lipoi Hopoi and Jack Todd, will also need to be offered deals at some point.
The jury is still very much out on Marcelo Montoya and Enari Tuala, while Zyon Maiu'u has enormous upside, but has barely featured since his surprise move from the New Zealand Warriors.
Of the players still without a deal for next year, Blake Wilson may be the only one the Bulldogs are drawn into fighting for, although he has struggled for game time this year, falling down the pecking order in Cameron Ciraldo's squad.
Sharks also have the (perennially injured) Kade Dykes off contract at the end of 2025