The Brisbane Broncos will enter a new era next season following the departure of Kevin Walters as head coach, but a key member of their forward pack might no longer find himself there.
Moving from the interchange bench to the starting team throughout this season, Xavier Willison was one of the few positives to take away from the club's season after they missed out on reaching the 2024 NRL Finals.
Standing at an impressive 199cm and 114kg, the Cooks Islands international has shown that he can make an immediate impact on both ends of the field and has even been likened to teammate Payne Haas.
Contracted for a further 12 months, several teams are eyeing Willison and the Broncos may have trouble keeping him around due to salary cap problems, per The Courier-Mail.
This is mainly because his salary is approximately $250,000 a season, which is way below the wage he is playing at - he is on this due to only playing 11 games in three seasons due to injuries.
It is understood that the front-rower is seeking a big pay rise, and Brisbane may not have the funds available to give him what he wants. This could see him become the latest player to leave, following Thomas Flegler, Keenan Palasia, Kurt Capewell and Herbie Farnworth.
The 22-year-old would have no problem finding potential suitors after a breakout season saw him score three tries, make 38 tackle busts and 433 tackles and average 104 running metres per game in 19 matches.
However, according to the publication, the club is confident they will be able to secure his signature and keep him at the club on a long-term basis.
