A player merry-go-round beckons, with some of the NRL's biggest stars who are off-contract in 2022 set to become open to offers from rival clubs when the November 1 deadline swings around.
Here are the top 10 players on the market and the latest news surrounding their respective futures.
BRANDON SMITH
One of if not their best players in 2021, the Melbourne Storm have an almighty fight to keep Brandon Smith on their books.
The electric hooker will be one of the most in-demand players when November 1 comes around, and his manager has already outlined Smith's desire to test his market value.
“We’ve said all along we’ll be waiting until November 1 when clubs can officially table contract offers and then making our next move from there,” Smith's manager Stan Martin recently told Fox Sports.
“I’ll be sending out an email to all clubs on Monday letting them know that if they’re still interested then it’s time to submit their best offer for Brandon."
The Storm have already tabled Smith a multi-million dollar contract extension over three years, according to reports, but will no doubt be forced to up the ante when other clubs are allowed to come to the table with their own offers.
One club expected to make a play are the Gold Coast Titans, who are in need of a topline rake to complete their rebuild. While The Australian's Brent Read reported on Triple M back in July the Roosters will also bid for the Kiwi Test star.
CHRISTIAN WELCH
Christian Welch has been heavily linked to new club the Dolphins, but said back in September he hopes to extend his time down in Melbourne long-term.
“In November I can start talking (to other clubs) but I’d love to remain in Melbourne long term. It would be my ninth year at the end of next year after I arrived at 18," Welch said.
“Hopefully we can extend it a bit more.”
A traditional workhorse front-rower from Queensland, Welch looms as the carbon copy style of player for the Dolphins to pursue, and it won't be a surprise to see Wayne Bennett reach out to the Maroons Origin forward when the November 1 cut-off date rolls around.
Before signing a two-year extension with Melbourne last year, Welch also had offers from St. George Illawarra and Brisbane on the table.
MARATA NIUKORE
One of a dozen Eels players to come off-contract at the end of next year, utility forward Marata Niukore is on the radars of the Warriors and Dragons.
The New Zealand club are heavily tipped to be first through the door in offering Niukore, an Auckland native, big money to make the move across the Tasman.
Wide World of Sports reported recently the Warriors are leading the race of the versatile forward, while he's also high on the priority list of the Dragons, who will farewell veteran backrower Tariq Sims at the end of next year or potentially sooner.
As much as Parramatta will want to keep Niukore given his contributions in 2021, retaining Clint Gutherson, Junior Paulo and Reed Mahoney is understood to be a higher priority and could see Niukore slip their fingers.
REED MAHONEY
Reed Mahoney has fast emerged as one of Parramatta's most important players but could be lost to the club at the end of next year amidst huge interest north of the border.
Three of the four Queensland clubs - the Dolphins, Broncos and Titans - reportedly have their sights on Mahoney, and a move home could appeal to the 23-year-old Sunshine Coast product.
“He (Mahoney) has emerged as the hottest prospect at the Eels,” The Daily Telegraph's Michael Carayannis told SEN 1170 Breakfast recently.
“Reed’s already met with the Broncos, that’s interesting, he would’ve played for Queensland this year (barring injury).
“The Dolphins are keen on him as well, the Titans have had informal interest.
“Three of the four Queensland clubs have an interest in Reed for 2023 so I dare say this is his last season at the Eels.”
Mahoney was named in the Maroons Origin squad this year and was on the verge of a debut only to be ruled out with a shoulder injury.
JUNIOR PAULO
Junior Paulo will be a main priority for the Eels but will command just as much interest on the open market.
According to Paulo's manager, the NSW Blues prop is open to a move anywhere, with links to the Dolphins recently emerging.
Arguably the premier front-rower in the game, Paulo is expected to seek a huge upgrade on his current deal with the Eels, worth around $650,000 it's reported.
“Every player is entitled to chase what they are worth when they have given service,” Paulo's manager Sam Ayoub told The Daily Telegraph.
“He came back to Parramatta on a four-year deal. It was a good deal but it wasn’t overs by any stretch of the imagination. So he is entitled to be seeking what he is worth right now.”
CLINT GUTHERSON
Parramatta were locked in negotiations later in the season with their skipper but chose to put them on hold when they were taking up the headlines in the lead up to their finals campaign.
Although discussions have restarted, however, according a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, the length of Parramatta's offer to Gutherson has become a sticking point.
Previous contract negotiations between Gutherson and Parramatta went slightly pear-shaped when the club was accused of low-balling the star fullback on his current contract.
They'll want to avoid a similar situation this time around, and although there have been no strong links with rival clubs, it won't take long for another outfit to come and swoop for Gutherson should negotiations with Parramatta hit another roadblock.
VILIAME KIKAU
Much like the Eels, Penrith could be approaching a crossroads in the next 12 months when it comes to their salary cap and trying to retain their premiership-winning roster.
One player that is tipped to test his value and command huge offers is wrecking ball edge forward Viliame Kikau.
The Fijian powerhouse has reportedly fielded strong interest from the North Queensland Cowboys, who reportedly could offer Kikau close to $900,000 to shift to Townsville.
Owing to the possibility of the Cowboys landing Kikau is the fact that he played for the club's Holden Cup side before moving down to the Panthers.
While another club to have expressed an interest in Kikau are the Dragons.
Despite the mass interest, Panthers CEO Bryan Fletcher recently told Wide World of Sports he's confident the club can retain Kikau.
"We're very confident that we will be able to come to an agreement with his management and have him on the roster for another three or four years as well," Fletcher said.
"Every indication is that he'll be staying."
CODY WALKER
The Rabbitohs will fight tooth and nail to hang onto Cody Walker.
Club CEO Blake Solly recently told The Daily Telegraph they hope to keep Walker in a Rabbitohs jersey for "as long as he wants to keep playing", and it's reported a three-year deal is already on the table for this year's Dally M Five Eighth of the Year.
Where things could get interesting is the Wayne Bennett factor at the Dolphins, which is expected to play a key role in helping the club land a number of big signings for their inaugural season in 2023.
Bennett and Walker's close bond has been well-documented and while the master coach has publically declared he has no interest in poaching players from his former club, he'd be crazy not to have a nibble at Walker.
Though the 32-year-old will most likely finish his career at South Sydney, as one of the game's best playmakers it won't be surprising to see some clubs try and join the race for Walker's signature.
ANGUS CRICHTON
Angus Crichton is one of a handful of Roosters players to come off-contract at the end of next year.
However, reports suggest the NSW Origin back-rower is close to signing a new deal to stay in Bondi.
Crichton only signed a one-year extension earlier this year, outlining to Sporting News he hopes for something more long-term beyond next year.
It was rumoured he could make a code switch and return to junior rugby union, which he played as a junior, in order to push his case for the Wallabies ahead of the 2023 World Cup.
However, according to News Corp, Crichton will ink an extension with the Roosters until the end of 2024.
JOEY MANU
Unlike Crichton, Joey Manu's future at the Roosters is far less certain.
The Kiwi international is expected to command huge interest when he becomes open to offers on November 1, with some suggesting he could even become the NRL's next million-dollar player.
Manu currently plays centre at the Roosters but has his sights firmly set on a shift to fullback, which won't be possible at the Tricolours while James Tedesco is around. It makes Manu ripe for the picking for a club capable of tabling him fullback money.
The Warriors have made their interest in Manu known for a long time, with the 25-year-old looming as an option five-eighth to fullback for Nathan Brown's side, given Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's recent departure.
Like any player of Manu's stature coming off-contract, the Dolphins will no doubt have a look as well and have been urged to go after the Roosters star by a host of names around the game.
“If I was in charge of Redcliffe he’s a player I’d be targeting,” Panthers director and great Greg Alexander said of Manu on SEN recently.
Manu's desire to wear the No. 1 is all but certain to see him seek an opportunity elsewhere, and with the sort of money he's expected to attract, it's hard to see the Roosters being able to keep him given the other players the club have coming off-contract in the next two years.