The Brisbane Broncos are reportedly facing a major salary cap crunch in the coming year, and it's not helped by Cory Paix continuing to avoid a move away from the club.
Paix is off-contract at the end of 2025, but is on a reported $325,000 per season and didn't play a single minute of first grade in 2024.
He has fallen well behind Tyson Smoothy for the bench spot, and it also appears he is behind Blake Mozer in the queue. Most good judges believe Mozer will become a regular first-grade player at some point over the coming 12 months, and it's likely he will have to if Brisbane wants to retain his services beyond the end of 2025.
That is a major headache for the Broncos, with the hooker - who has previously played as a half and also represented junior Queensland sides as he made his way through pathways at Red Hill - now one of the highest-paid reserve grade players in the competition.
News Corp are reporting the Broncos would be more than happy to let Paix leave the club, only for the fact he doesn't want to, and has continually turned down offers.
It was reported earlier this year that the Manly Sea Eagles - one club who are looking to improve their depth at number nine - were among the clubs to offer Paix a new deal. That report has now turned to 'multiple Sydney clubs' who have chased Paix.
There is a lack of quality dummy halves in the competition, but Paix doesn't' plan on leaving Red Hill given he is settled in Brisbane, even if that is playing reserve grade.
Brisbane's salary cap crunch includes the need to upgrade Selwyn Cobbo, Kotoni Staggs and Reece Walsh, who are all off-contract at the end of 2025, and while Paix isn't contracted beyond the end of next year, his $325,000 could allow Brisbane to forward pay deals, opening space in their cap for 2026.
It's understood neither Staggs or Cobbo have been offered a new deal as yet, while the club also have the likes of Corey Jensen, Adam Reynolds, Fletcher Baker, Jack Gosiewski, Jaiyden Hunt, Tyson Smoothy, Xavier Willison and Kobe Hetherington (who is understood to have been given permission to leave) off-contract at the end of 2025.