The Canterbury Bulldogs have opened up contract talks with halfback Toby Sexton as the November 1 deadline approaches and he is free to negotiate with rival teams.
Beginning the year in the NSW Cup and struggling to break into the team behind Drew Hutchison, Sexton would end up having a breakout season, helping guide the Bulldogs to the 2024 NRL Finals alongside Matt Burton in the halves.
The 23-year-old, who is a former U19s Junior State of Origin player, he played 16 matches this year, becoming a regular feature since the Round 12 clash against the St George Illawarra Dragons.
This saw him force 15 drop-outs, score 14 points, provide 12 try assists and eight line-break assists and average 68 running metres per match.
One of 16 players at the club off-contract at the end of the 2025 NRL season, the halfback's management and Bulldogs have begun informal talks over a new contract as they look to keep him at Belmore.
โToby has really found a home at the Dogs,โ his manager Tas Bartlett of Pacific Sports Management told The Courier-Mail.
โI've had a couple of informal chats with โGus' (football boss Phil Gould) and he wants to keep Toby around.โ
The decision to re-sign Sexton coincides with the club being linked with a shock move for St George Illawarra Dragons skipper Ben Hunt for next season.
Ever since reports emerged that he was seeking a release in the middle of last year, Hunt's future has been up in the air.
First linked with signing a contract extension at the Red V, it is now understood that the $950,000 per season player could return home to Queensland to play for either The Dolphins or Gold Coast Titans or make a shock move to Belmore to add further experience to Cameron Ciraldo's roster.
"This is really interesting because he's had such an up-and-down relationship with the Dragons over the last few years, and he's obviously got one more season under contract at the Dragons," The Sydney Morning Herald's Adrian Proszenko said on SEN 1170 NRL Crunch Time.
"At one stage, there was even talk about maybe extending him, despite the fact he'd previously asked for a release, but everything that I'm hearing is that he's unlikely to be there next year.
"I think that's (Gold Coast Titans) a chance. There's a big standoff there because if the club asks him to move on, they'll have to chip in some freight, and if Hunt asks to leave, the departures are sort of on the club's terms.
"I reckon what will happen over the off-season is at some point they'll sit down, and they'll say, listen, we've decided we're not going to extend you (and) you can have a look around.
"And if you find something, I reckon he'll potentially move a little bit earlier rather than wait till the contract expires.
"You mentioned the Titans. He's been linked with them, obviously, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if the Dogs have a look at him as well."
