NRL social media was sent into a frenzy after news broke that Payne Haas had requested an immediate release from his Broncos contract.
Arguably the best middle forward in the game, and undisputedly in the top few, Haas has already been linked to every professional sports team in the country and beyond.
Although the Broncos have reportedly denied the request, we all know that means very little in the modern day.
Here are five potential landing spots for the man sure to be the most in-demand player in the sport, should the Broncos eventually allow the release to happen.
Almost the literal second that the news broke, links to the Sydney Roosters were established.
Nick Politis has long been a very vocal admirer of the Broncos megastar and actively tried to recruit him to Bondi in the past.
With Siosiua Taukeiaho on his way to England at the end of the year and with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves being 33 years of age, Haas would be used to build around for the next decade.
Money is seemingly no issue for the Roosters. I don't buy into the salary cap jokes but the Roosters have the best accountants in the game.
They also offer up a potentially massive market for any third party sponsorship opportunities.
Haas would walk into literally any side in rugby league, at any level, so there is no doubt he'd become an instant weapon. I also have no doubt they could make it work financially.
Luke Keary, on eye-watering money, is linked away from the club. I wouldn't be shocked to see those links become far more solid over the next week.
If I were framing a betting market, I'd have the Roosters as the undisputed early favourites.
Truthfully it looked as though the NRL's newest side would miss out on a true marquee recruit. They have just been handed the mother of all second chances.
The Dolphins have a virtual blank chequebook. Yes if they were to offer $1.2 million for next year and beyond it will affect other decisions but the opportunity is there.
Haas is reportedly settled in Brisbane so a move to the Dolphins would mean he could stay local. That is something else only the Titans could match.
The Fins have recruited heavily in the forwards but when a player of Haas's quality becomes available you make the deal then work it out.
Reports indicate Haas wants to be paid what he is worth. This puts the Dolphins in the financial lead right away.
Wayne Bennett was the man who gave Haas his NRL first grade debut. You'd have to imagine there is an existing relationship there.
I'd be shocked if Bennett hasn't already put out the feelers. The Dolphins will be all in here and won't want to miss out.
The Sharks are building nicely in the Shire. They added two middle forwards and a halfback heading into 2022 but probably look a big prop short of a genuine title tilt.
Payne Haas is the literal first player who comes to mind if you ask me who fills that role in the black, white and blue.
There are conflicting reports about the salary cap position of the Sharks moving forward.
Wade Graham has been linked with a move to the Super League while Andrew Fifita is in the year last of a monster deal. That leads me to believe there is some money there.
They're yet to really strike in terms of recruitment for next year but they have re-signed a host of players in the past 18 months.
With plenty of players still off-contract, perhaps the Sharks hold off on negotiations given the news of Haas and his potential availability.
Haas makes the Sharks title contenders right away. Only Cameron Munster would provide a quicker route to that next step.
If the Sharks have any of that potential Fifita and Graham money available, the Sharks simply have to be in this race. Surely they will be right there or there abouts.
The Warriors are heading back home next year. Can you imagine if they did so with Payne Haas on their roster?
Matthew Lodge has exited the club with immediate effect while Euan Aitken is bound for the Fins in 2023. You have to believe there's a spot for Haas.
As good as Addin Fonua-Blake and Tohu Harris are, the Warriors lack the punch in the middle that they have historically built their game on.
Haas would immediately make them a force to be reckoned with.
Whether or not a side in a rebuild can afford to invest a million dollars per season in a middle forward is a big question.
The other big question is whether Haas would be willing to uproot and move across the Tasman?
The Warriors are surely one of the sides that have been on the phone already given they lost a big money forward within the past week.
Given the Titans currently have almost $2 million invested in their middle forwards this could be a stretch. That is until you are reminded of rumours that Wayne Bennett wants David Fifita at the Dolphins.
If the Titans are willing to give up on their monster money investment and allow Fifita to head ever so slightly north, then they suddenly become the front runners here.
It would be an almost straight swap in terms of money and impact.
Hand on heart if you offered me both Fifita and Haas on the same money, I'm taking Payne Haas. Whether the Titans agree with that is the literal million dollar question.
The Titans have a roster chock full of weapons but have massively underdelivered in 2022 thus far.
If they want to shake it up and move forward then one of the best forwards in the game is a fair to decent step forward.
I can't see any way they're even in the conversation without moving Fifita on so this is unlikely but those reports of Fifita being linked to the Dolphins just won't go away.
Coincidentally Payne's younger brother Klese Haas signed a two-year deal with the Titans yesterday. If I'm the Titans I'm encouraging younger bro to put in a good word.
Verdict: The Roosters will do literally anything to get their man. They hold the trump card in having Luke Keary on a contract that will surely entice Haas and can decide to move him if required.
Roosters are the current favourites but if the Dolphins go all in, he's staying in Brisbane.