It has been revealed Gold Coast Titans duo Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and David Fifita don't have unlimited time to make their minds up over their futures.
It was revealed the Queensland State of Origin duo both became free agents the day coach Justin Holbrook was sensationally sacked.
In a move the Titans kept incredibly quiet, Holbrook was uncermoniously dumped the day after State of Origin Game 2, with Des Hasler to take over the club from the start of the 2024 season in a negotiation that was done inside ten days without the media getting a sniff.
But the clauses inserted into Fa'asuamaleaui and Fifita's contracts essentially mean they could leave straight away, or at the start of next season, with or without the Titans' blessing.
Both players only signed those deals recently, with Fa'asuamaleaui signed until the end of 2024 and having a two-year option to follow, while Fifita is signed until the end of 2026.
But News Corp is reporting that attached to that contract clause was another one which states both players only have three months from the date Holbrook was sacked to decide if they want to move away from the club - otherwise, they are with the Titans.
Neither player will make a call prior to Origin 3, which is next Wednesday night - that means three weeks will have already burned through, and the last possible date for the players to make a call is September 22 - three months to the day Holbrook was axed.
If either player wanted to move immediately, they would need to do so by the NRL's transfer deadline, which is the first Monday in August.
It's believed neither player will consider that as an option, with the Titans still very much in the finals race under interim coach Dan Lenihan.
Both players have expressed their desire to stay with the Titans at various points, but were believed to be close to Holbrook - the way his sacking came about is believed to be a point of contention amongst the playing group.
Both players have options on the table too.
The Canberra Raiders have already confirmed they will come in with a big deal for Fifita - believed to be around $1 million per season over four years.
Canberra were interested in Fifita last time he was in the process of signing a new deal, but ultimately missed out to the Titans.
Fa'asuamaleaui, on the other hand, has become one of the best middles in the game, and the star Queenslander who also captains his club, reportedly has six clubs in pursuit.