The deadline for players off-contract at the end of 2024 to negotiate with rival clubs is approaching, and every team in the competition will have their eye on players to make a switch in 2025.
In this series, Zero Tackle will go through every club's current roster for 2025, and the players they desperately need from outside their own borders.
The Broncos may be one of the clubs in a better position than most, and have plenty already locked up on long-term deals.
That said, there will be in-house issues, with the key ones being the extensions of Ezra Mam and Delouise Hoter, as well as questions over the futures of Brendan Piakura, Jordan Riki and veteran half Adam Reynolds.
Jesse Arthars, Fletcher Baker, Patrick Carrigan, Selwyn Cobbo, Payne Haas, Kobe Hetherington, Corey Jensen, Deine Mariner, Blake Mozer, Cory Paix, Tristan Sailor, Kotoni Staggs, Reece Walsh, Xavier Willison
1. Reece Walsh
2. Selwyn Cobbo
3. Deine Mariner
4. Kotoni Staggs
5. Jesse Arthars
6. No player signed
7. No player signed
8. Payne Haas
9. Blake Mozer
10. Fletcher Baker
11. No player signed
12. No player signed
13. Patrick Carrigan
14. Cory Paix
15. Kobe Hetherington
16. No player signed
17. No player signed
Other players: Tristan Sailor
Kurt Capewell, Delouise Hoeter, Jock Madden, Ezra Mam, Brendan Piakura, Adam Reynolds, Jordan Riki, Martin Taupau, Billy Walters
EVERY PLAYER OFF-CONTRACT AT THE END OF 2024
Here are five players from outside the club they should target.
The second-row seems to be the spot Brisbane will be most in need of re-enforcements come the start of the 2025 season. Kurt Capewell certainly isn't getting any younger, and as it stands, both Jordan Riki and Brendan Piakura could be targeted by other clubs come November 1.
Brisbane's salary cap is certainly going to be somewhat stretched, and that could well leave both players gaining upgrades elsewhere.
Sitili Tupouniua, who is coming off an ACL injury, could well be in the price range of the Broncos though. As much as he has shown plenty, his negotiation period from November 1 is coming off the back of injury, and questions about his status in the Roosters' side.
The Broncos could well gain plenty out of a power-packet edge forward like Tupouniua playing on the back of the likes of Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam.
Smith has been a consistent force over the years during his time at the Canterbury Bulldogs and now Melbourne Storm, although found himself on the outer at the end of 2023 following injury.
Still in the prime of his career by the time the start of 2025 rolls around, the Broncos have plenty of question marks over their wing and centre combinations.
Corey Oates potentially re-signing will certainly add to their depth, but there are lines of thought that suggest Selwyn Cobbo wants a spot in the centres, while Jesse Arthars still hasn't cemented a first-grade spot despite his excellent form at the back end of 2023.
Things change quickly, and with Smith having the ability to line up at both centre and wing, and again, not taking a great deal of salary cap, he would be an excellent option to pursue for Kevin Walters' side.
Whether the Broncos need an experienced or young halfback ahead of 2025 remains to be seen, and will be solely dependant on whether Adam Reynolds elects to go around again.
But for now, we are assuming he will add a year to his career. Jock Madden is earmarked as the long-term successor to his number seven jersey, and with good reason, but the Broncos could do with an insurance policy.
Puru, who came out of the Penrith system to join the Sharks, is off-contract at the end of 2024 and rated as one of the best young halves in the game.
He is a player who can wear either the number six or seven as required, and could well serve as a handy option, particularly with the Broncos still having questions about the future of Ezra Mam, although every indication is that he will re-sign.
Still, if Madden doesn't re-sign, Puru would be a super option to learn from Reynolds for a year before potentially taking over on next to no money out of the salary cap.
Maybe the most unlikely on this list to be signed, but also potentially the most exciting if it were to happen.
A second Raider, but this time a young forward who has already shown plenty during his time with the Canberra Raiders.
A former junior Origin player, Mooney has taken time to establish himself as a first-grader, and in the eyes of some, still isn't quite there yet.
But he isn't far away, and his work ethic through the middle third, to go with an offload and some footwork, has set him up in good stead to have a number of clubs likely chasing him.
He could present as a useful option to the Broncos given they have lost plenty out of their middle third ahead of 2024 and stand to lose more at the end of the season, to go with the fact he won't chew up much in the way of salary cap at all.
We opened this list with a second-rower and will finish it with another.
Jackson Ford is one player the Warriors ideally would have liked to have locked down by now. After kicking off his career at the St George Illawarra Dragons but not getting a great deal in the way of opportunity, he has made the switch to the Warriors and excelled.
Among the club's best in Andrew Webster's first season as head coach, he was a consistent presence in the forwards and proved very quickly what the Dragons had lost by letting him go, and not using him properly prior to that.
Still, with age on his size, he will undoubtedly be in for a pay rise come the start of the 2025 season, and a big part of why he hasn't signed yet is likely to be just that - he is keen to find out what he is worth on the open market.
I expect a bit, but still likely within the price range of the Broncos.