It's believed the Canterbury Bulldogs, St George Illawarra Dragons, and Wests Tigers could emerge as the early front runners for his services, although the three May brothers have previously made it clear they want to play on the same team.
Next year could be Brandon Smith's last at the Sydney Roosters, with rumours emerging that the New Zealand international is unlikely to remain at the club beyond the 2025 NRL season.
Moving to the Roosters at the start of 2023 after six seasons and 107 matches with the Melbourne Storm, Smith has failed to live up to expectations and has yet to reach his full potential at the Bondi-based club.
Able to play at hooker or lock, Smith will miss the first half of next season due to an ACL injury but will have trouble re-entering the starting team with the emergence of NSW Blues representative Connor Watson and Victor Radley in the No.13 jersey.
Struggling to find consistency, reports have now emerged that 2025 will be his last in Roosters colours, as he can now negotiate with rival teams for the 2026 season.
On around $850,000 a season, this will free up significant space in the salary cap as the club look to make several marquee new signing in the coming seasons as they prepare for life without the likes of Joseph Suaalii, Joseph Manu, Luke Keary and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
"I don't see him at the Roosters beyond next year. I think they are making plans for life without Brandon Smith," The Herald's Michael Chammas said on James Graham's The Bye Round podcast.
"I hear he's in a good head space, and they're happy the way he finished the year but all the mail I've been getting out of the Roosters is that next year will be his final year at the club, and they'll move into a different direction."
Smith is bound to receive a ton of traction if he enters the open market and follows news that front-rower Terrell May has been told that he is free to leave immediately despite recently re-signing with the Roosters.
May, who is one of the competition's most impactful players, is believed to be on a little over $500,000 per year, and the Roosters are understood to already have plenty of salary cap space following a number of departures this off-season, including Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Luke Keary, Joseph Suaalii and Joseph Manu.
Re-signing with the club in April, the news surrounding May's potential exit came as a surprise, with the 2024 NRL season arguably being the best of his career to date.
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Playing 27 games, predominantly off the interchange bench, he finished the year with 110 metres per game, 40 offloads, 64 tackle busts and a tackle efficiency of almost 98 per cent.
It's believed the Canterbury Bulldogs, St George Illawarra Dragons, and Wests Tigers could emerge as the early front runners for his services, although the three May brothers have previously made it clear they want to play on the same team.