The Brisbane Broncos will use Jamayne Isaako's departure in an effort to help retain a number of young off-contract stars.
Isaako yesterday made a shock move to the Gold Coast Titans, after being heavily linked with a switch to the Parramatta Eels.
The Eels, who are desperate for depth in their outside backs, were thought to be the ideal fit for Isaako, who is out of favour in Brisbane and will join the Dolphins for 2023.
However, not wanting to move his young family to Sydney for a period of less than a year, the Titans were able to swoop in and claim Isaako's signature, although it would appear he will be used solely as a back-up option at wing and fullback, as he was in Brisbane.
He will sit behind the likes of Phillip Sami, Corey Thompson and Greg Marzhew on the wing, while Jayden Campbell owns the number one jersey with AJ Brimson likely to shift to the back if injury strikes.
But it could be Brisbane who stand to gain the most from Isaako's departure, with the club now able to throw the money saved on their 2022 salary cap to the 2023 cap, according to Paul Kent, who explained the call on NRL 360.
“I spoke to the Broncos today and I asked why they would even let him go and they said, No.1, he wasn’t their first choice in any of the positions that he plays,” Kent said.
“Second to that, under NRL rules you have to spend 95 per cent of your salary cap.
“But if you only spent, for example 95 per cent, then that extra five per cent you can spend next year.
“So it means the Broncos can spend 105 per cent next year in their cap.
“What that then enables them to do is they have the likes of Selwyn Cobbo and Herbie Farnworth, who are all starting to come off contract again.
“They can upgrade those blokes and the guys that they have got to prioritise to keep at the club, they have got to have a little bit of cash up their sleeve.
“Given he has left after Round 1, he doesn’t have to be replaced in their top 30. They don’t have to find a 30th player again so that’s money saved.”
That all means the Broncos will be playing from a higher base as they attempt to lock in their squad for 2023, and the club could well need every cent.
After the high profile recruitment of Adam Reynolds and Kurt Capewell on long-term deals from the start of 2022, as well as a number of contract upgrades, the Broncos salary cap is believed to be already stretched.
Herbie Farnworth, Corey Oates, Albert Kelly, Keenan Palasia, Jake Turpin and Billy Walters are the six members of their starting side from the opening two rounds still off-contract for the 2023 season, while they have already signed Patrick Carrigan to a upgraded deal which saw Brisbane hold off the Dolphins.
It's Farnworth who is reported to have the most interest, with four or five clubs chasing him, while the club will also need money to upgrade Selwyn Cobbo before November 1, with as many as seven clubs going after the youngster.
The Dolphins again are interested in both players, according to reports.
The Broncos are reportedly keen to keep both stars, and the extra five per cent of salary cap available to them could prove enormous in the contract fight.
Farnworth was immense during Brisbane's victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs on Sunday evening, running for more than 250 metres and scoring a double, while Cobbo's star is growing with each game he plays.