It is becoming clear that Canterbury Bulldogs forward Josh Curran will not be at the club beyond the end of his current contract.
The forward, who was one an outsider for the State of Origin selection discussion during his time at the New Zealand Warriors, can play in the middle or on the edge, and moved to Belmore ahead of the 2024 campaign.
Now with 106 NRL games under his belt, his role actively seemed to go backwards at Belmore during 2026, and with a host of young forwards both in the middle and on the edge pushing through the system, there is a good chance the club simply won't have the capacity or need to extend his contract.
The four-time Indigenous All Star is talented and experienced though, so will likely have no shortage of suitors on the open market should he look that way for 2027.
Here are the most likely landing spots for the forward.
1. Perth Bears
The NRL's 17th club have slowly started putting their first squad together, with six players signed at the time of publication.
A handful of those are likely to be fringe first-graders though, and most of their forward pack, with the exception of Liam Henry who has joined from the Penrith Panthers, remains totally and utterly up in the air.
Curran would be a superb pick up for the Bears when you consider what is left on the open market for 2027, even at this early stage of negotiations just six weeks past November 1.
The forward's versatility, ability to run the ball into the line, and defensive structures would make him a very strong first up addition, and he would almost certainly start for Perth in their inaugural season.
The Bears have so far not had to break the bank on any of the players they have signed, and while Curran wouldn't do that either, it's likely they would have to pay over market value to attract him west.
