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The November 1 feeding frenzy is just days away.
That means from Monday, players who come off contract at the end of 2022 can start negotiating with rival clubs for 2023 and beyond.
There’s a name of star players that fall into that category like Kalyn Ponga, Clint Gutherson, Harry Grant, Cody Walker and Angus Crichton, but they are all a very good chance of agreeing to a new deal with their existing club.
The same can’t be said though for several other big-name players, who have either publicly confirmed they will go to market, or have been strongly linked to a new club.
With the player market sometimes hard to keep up with, Foxsports.com.au has picked out the 10 players most likely to sign with a new club for 2023 — and who you should keep an eye on.
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BRANDON SMITH
The Storm are desperate to keep their star hooker but his manager revealed to Fox Sports this week that he will email all 16 clubs asking them to submit their best offer.
Melbourne have reportedly tabled a three-year offer around the $2.2 million mark but it seems that wasn’t enough to entice Smith to sign on the dotted line.
The Kiwi Test star has made it no secret that he wants to play exclusively at hooker. He did exactly that this year and became the Storm’s first choice dummy half over Harry Grant, but given the shortage of elite hookers in the competition, Smith likely knows he can demand big money and be guaranteed the No.9 jersey without having a State of Origin representative also vying for it.
There were rumours that Grant was feeling “unsettled” with his lack of game time this season, but he and the Storm have since reportedly activated the mutual option in Grant’s contract to keep him at the club until the end of 2023.
Grant’s commitment to the Storm might be enough to convince Smith to take up one of the many offers that will come his way from November 1.
The Titans, Bulldogs and Roosters are all said to be interested in the 25-year-old.
JOSH HODGSON
The interesting thing about Hodgson is that the Raiders have given him permission to leave immediately.
The 31-year-old is signed to Canberra until the end of 2022, but it was revealed a fortnight ago that the Wests Tigers were preparing to offer him a two-year deal. The Raiders gave the English Test star their blessing after informing him they aren’t planning on offering him a new deal beyond 2022 — and will instead invest in Tom Starling.
There’s been a slight delay in getting the deal done with Canberra’s recruitment boss Peter Mulholland revealing the Tigers’ new director of football, Tim Sheens, wants to look over the roster first.
There’s a good chance Hodgson will be in a Tigers jersey next season, but if they don’t quickly lock him in his management will be shopping him around to other clubs come November 1.
JOSEPH MANU
A couple of months ago, Manu’s name was everywhere. His blistering form and the fact he comes off contract in 2022 got tongues wagging.
The Warriors have been open with their plans to table a lucrative offer to the Roosters star, while the Titans are also reportedly interested in using Ash Taylor’s almost $1 million salary on him.
Just to make things extra spicy, All Blacks coach Ian Foster gave the 25-year-old a little nudge to make the switch to rugby union, saying “we are pretty keen to talk” if Manu is open to a code hop.
After all, the New Zealand Test star has said in a past interview that his childhood dream was to play for the All Blacks.
No doubt the Roosters are working hard on a new deal to keep the versatile Manu at the club, but they may not be able to match the huge offers set to come his way.
MARTIN TAUPAU
News Corp revealed early on in the season that Manly informed their star prop Marty Taupau that it’s unlikely he’ll be offered a new deal beyond 2022.
The 31-year-old is said to be earning around the $800,000 mark next season and in a bid to clear up cap space the Sea Eagles reportedly won’t stand in his way if he can secure a new deal elsewhere in time fore next season.
There hasn’t been many whispers around an immediate move for Taupau so at this stage it looks like he’ll see out the final year of his contract with Manly. But come November 1, his management will be on the hunt for Taupau’s next — and perhaps final — NRL contract.
Taupau has played over 200 NRL games and is a New Zealand international so shouldn’t have any issues finding a new club — but he’ll more than likely have to accept a pay cut.
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REAGAN CAMPBELL-GILLARD
The star prop recently dropped a bomb on the Eels when he informed them that he won’t be taking up the option in his contract for 2023 as he weighs up a move to the Dolphins.
Campbell-Gillard is on a tricky deal. He’s signed until the end of next season, then has an option in his favour for 2023 and then an option in the club’s favour for 2024.
Given he won’t be activating the player option, the club option is now voided.
The 28-year-old is on a pretty attractive deal worth around $750,000 a season with Parramatta but his manager, Mark Stewart told to News Corp earlier this month that Campbell-Gillard “would certainly entertain being the face of a new Brisbane franchise.”
Stewart did say Campbell-Gillard will give the Eels “every chance” to keep him but given the club has several big-name players to squeeze under their cap, the former New South Wales Origin forward may be simply let go.
REED MAHONEY
Speaking of the Eels needing to sign several players, their gun hooker Reed Mahoney is one of them.
As is the case with Smith, Mahoney could go to market and demand big money given an experienced dummy half still in his prime is hard to come by at the moment. What makes Mahoney even more attractive is the fact he’s still only 23-years old.
He was having his best season to date before suffering a devastating shoulder injury that robbed him of a State of Origin debut but despite not pulling on a Maroons jersey just yet the pint-sized rake is due for an upgrade from the $400,000 salary he’s understood to be currently earning.
Mahoney is expected to be a top priority for the Eels but they’re going to have to fork out to keep him given the Broncos, the Titans and the Dolphins are all reportedly eyeing him. There’s been rumours swirling that the Bulldogs are also interested in luring back the hooker they let walk four years ago.
JUNIOR PAULO
Well, it’s safe to say Parramatta are really feeling the pinch of so many of their players thriving at the same time.
Junior Paulo’s manager, Sam Ayoub, told News Corp that the several clubs have expressed interest in signing the NSW Origin star from 2023.
The 27-year-old is well-deserving of a big upgrade. He inked his current deal with Parramatta back in 2018 — before he represented the Blues.
Paulo is understood to be earning around $600,000 next season but given he’s not even in the top 20 highest paid props — but is one of the best — means he’s in line for a pay rise.
According to reports, Paulo is on the Dolphins’ radar, and Ayoub recently said his client is “open to going anywhere,” which could spell big trouble for the Eels.
VILIAME KIKAU
Just when we thought the rampaging back-rower would be staying put at Penrith, his contract saga took another turn and now the Cowboys are reportedly in the box seat to sign the 26-year-old.
Kikau’s manager said last month that he believes his client could demand “upwards of $800,000, but his price could go to $1 million” and used the hefty pay packet of Titans star David Fifita as reference.
After that startling figure was dropped there were serious concerns that Penrith would lose Kikau. But CEO Brian Fletcher told Sky Sports Radio in September that he is “very confident” the club and Kikau could come to an agreement that will keep him at the foot of the mountains for “another three or four years.”
However, it was revealed this week that Penrith won’t be able to get the deal done before November 1 and the Cowboys — the club he played under 20s with — are ready to pounce.
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TARIQ SIMS
He may be a NSW Origin star, but the Dragons don’t want him beyond next season. So if there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that Sims’ manager will be at the negotiating table as soon as November 1 hits.
St George Illawarra made the brutal call to inform Sims he won’t be offered a new deal beyond 2022. At first, he was told he’s free to leave immediately if he secures a long-term deal elsewhere, but the club has reportedly changed its stance and want the 31-year-old to see out the final year of his contract.
Sims is said to be earning around the $800,000 mark next season — a pretty attractive pay cheque for a second-rower that turns 32 before next season starts.
There’s a good chance he may have to accept a hair cut, especially if he’s after a multi-year deal, but given he’s played over 200 NRL games and pulled on a Blues jersey five times, he should receive plenty of interest.
PATRICK CARRIGAN
Carrigan has been touted as the future captain of the Broncos but the club is going to have to up the ante to hang onto the 23-year-old.
It was revealed earlier this week that he knocked back a two-year extension and upgrade with the Broncos because the offer did not meet his asking price.
There’s a bit of pressure on Brisbane to come through too given the Dolphins reportedly got in contact with Carrigan’s management last week to say he is one of their “primary targets.”
Broncos’ football director Ben Ikin told News Corp this week that the club will “fight hard” for Carrigan.
What works in their favour is that Carrigan’s preference is to remain at Red Hill and the two parties are set to meet again to kick off a second round of talks.
They need to move quickly thought before interested rivals table big offers.
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