Brisbane Broncos hooker Cory Paix has been given the green light to leave the club and permission to negotiate with rival clubs.
The news comes after the 23-year-old has struggled to find consistent minutes at Red Hill and was axed from the 17-man team in favour of other players such as Tyson Smoothy earlier this year.
It is also highly unlikely he will re-enter and claim a position in the team, considering how well the Broncos did last season, having made the final game of the year.
As reported by News Corp, the Broncos hierarchy will not stand in the way of Paix leaving the club for a new home in the NRL. This came after his management fielded a request to allow him to explore his options.
News Corp has also reported that Paix has attracted the attention of two different Sydney-based clubs, and it is understood that he met with Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson in August. However, they are yet to offer him a formal contract for next season.
“We've been given permission to look around,” said his agent Paul Hogan to the publication.
“There's been some interest from Sydney, but it depends on whether Cory is prepared to make the move. His preference is to stay at the Broncos, he loves the club and he only signed a two-year extension earlier this season.
“Cory has just got engaged, he is having his off-season break and we are catching up this week to have a chat about what his options are.
“He is signed until the end of 2025 at the Broncos and is settled in Brisbane off the field, it's just a shame he's not playing regularly in the NRL.”
Initially one of the best young Queensland prospects, Paix has moved down the pecking order at the club behind Billy Walters, Tyson Smoothy and Blake Mozer.
This began when he was dropped in favour of Smoothy after he played 14 consecutive games off the interchange bench this season and would be overlooked for the 2023 Grand Final against the Panthers.
While Walters and Smoothy are the probable choices to begin next season as the club's one-two-punch combination, one of them will likely make way for Blake Mozer.
Mozer has been touted as the future of the Brisbane number nine jersey and is coming off a sensational year that saw him represent Queensland in the Under-19s State of Origin.
“Cory is OK mentally, but obviously he's a bit frustrated that he didn't play a lot of NRL football this year,” Hogan added.
“‘Kevvie' would like to see him run more, but it has been tough when he has to feed Adam Reynolds, Ezra Mam and Reece Walsh as Brisbane's main playmakers.
“His service is exceptional, his passing game is first class, so hopefully Cory can find his way back to the NRL, either at the Broncos or somewhere else.”