As we tick closer to the November 1st deadline, NRL clubs are beginning to lick their lips at some of the names about to officially enter "off-contract" status.
One of the players likely to have numerous sets of eyes on his future services is Sydney Roosters back-rower Angus Crichton.
All signs pointed to a return to the dark side of rugby union, but recent reports indicate that move is off.
With the Roosters seemingly resigned to letting him go, it's time to speculate on which sides will be in his manager's call log early next month.
For the purpose of this, I'm going to leave the Bulldogs off the list. They've been linked to every player on the market and at some stage, the money has to run out.
Below are five likely NRL landing spots for Angus Crichton:
5. South Sydney Rabbitohs
My belief is that Crichton needs a new environment to re-energise his career. A return to the Bunnies could provide those new, albeit similar surroundings.
With five or six clubs linked to Keaon Koloamatangi, the Bunnies face the very real possibility of losing their ace second rower. Or at lest being forced to pay through the nose to retain him.
What better way to replace a damaging, wide-running second rower with Origin experience than with a damaging, wide-running second rower with Origin experience?
Chritchon is a legit superstar. Don't let a disrupted 2023 season distract you from that.
Right now my guess is that Koloamatangi would be able to command a larger salary on the open market.
If one of the desperate sides is willing to write a blank cheque, the Bunnies would find real value in bringing Crichton back to the red and green in Redfern.
If the Bunnies are able to retain their superstar, Crichton could still very well be on the wish list.
The Bunnies had a poor 2023 season and are in desperate need of a refresh.
With Jai Arrow and numerous other players, being linked with off-season moves, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that the Rabbitohs have a target in mind.
That target may very well be a familiar one in Crichton.
