Parramatta Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown will field offers for 2026 and beyond as he contemplates his future.
It's a major blow for the blue and gold, with their strategy of contract options yet again backfiring.
Brown will make a call on whether he is remaining with the Eels or not for the first of two player options included in his deal until the end of 2031 by the end of Round 10, but in the meantime, there will be plenty of conjecture following the New Zealand international around.
It's the last thing rookie coach Jason Ryles needs as he looks to turn Brad Arthur's old team into a finals team after they slumped to the wrong end of the table last year.
Described by his agent as a 'franchise player' in an email to all 16 other clubs, there will be plenty at least weighing up their options when it comes to making a play for Brown ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Here is where each rival NRL club is likely to sit in the chase for Brown.
No club has less of a need to sign Brown than the Storm.
The club with debatably the NRL's best spine already have enough issues sorting out their own roster without trying to add another elite spine player.
Jonah Pezet is reportedly set to re-sign, but it has been reported he won't be hanging around if Jahrome Hughes is to be extended beyond the end of his current deal which expires at the end of 2026.
Hughes (2026) and star halves partner, Queensland State of Origin star Cameron Munster (2027) are both signed beyond the end of this season, so this is a no go zone for both Brown and the club.
The Broncos have added Ben Hunt to their roster for the 2025 and 2026 campaigns, and while he will likely play five-eighth to start the 2025 season, that won't be the case once Ezra Mam returns from his suspension at the end of Round 9.
Mam is the long-term five-eighth in Brisbane provided he can climb back into the form he held during his rookie season - not so much the form he held throughout 2024.
Regardless, he is contracted long-term at Red Hill, and the Broncos will have no interest in pursuing the New Zealand international.
The Sharks have made their intentions regarding their halves moving forward very clear.
Backing up on an excellent second half of 2024, Braydon Trindall has re-signed with the club until at least the end of 2028. Nicho Hynes on the other hand is on contract until the end of 2029.
The Sharks have a wealth of talent coming through their junior ranks to back the duo up, and at any rate, Brown would have no interest in signing on as a backup.
The Panthers are the first club on this list who might be tempted to at least inquire about Brown, although it's severely unlikely that they would wind up making an offer.
The big issue for Ivan Cleary and his recruitment staff heading into 2025 is going to be replacing five-eighth Jarome Luai, who has signed with the Wests Tigers.
Blaize Talagi has been signed from the Eels though, and given he certainly won't be taking Dylan Edwards' number one jersey, he could well be in line to play at six.
One of the best youngsters in the game, Jack Cole is also signed until the end of 2026, but could yet slot into other positions for Penrith, while Brad Schneider and Daine Laurie are also at the club for 2025, but no guarantee of remaining at the foot of the mountains for 2026.
There is certainly enough conjecture regarding Penrith's number six jumper that if 2025 doesn't start well, they could make inquiries before Round 10.
This is one that could change rapidly if Jarome Luai or other youngsters were to elect to move on from the club, but for the time being, the Tigers have little to no need to go and chase Dylan Brown.
Luai is the key recruit ahead of 2025, but will slot into the number seven jersey, leaving a fight between the kids for the number six jumper.
The issue there of course is that Lachlan Galvin has been reported to want to make his exit from Concord, and there is some conjecture about exactly how Latu Fainu might settle into the number six on a full-time basis if he is given the jersey.
Brown probably comes too early for the Tigers to seriously consider making a play unless a number of dominoes fall over - and not in the way the Tigers want - in terms of their own roster in the coming months.
Unlikely is the first word that comes to mind when the Titans and making a play for Dylan Brown are mentioned in the same breath, but it's certainly not impossible that they would consider their options when it comes to Brown.
The signing of Carter Gordon has added yet another spanner to the mix at the Gold Coast, but their spine have struggled regardless of the make up in recent times.
AJ Brimson, Keano Kini and Jayden Campbell are all in the mix for the number one jumper, and either Brimson or Campbell could yet play in the number six. Gordon is the other option for that jumper, with Kieran Foran likely to play seven.
Foran though could well retire at the end of 2025, shuffling Gordon into the seven.
Brimson, Campbell and Kini are all signed through to at least the end of 2026, but the issue still comes down to whether any of those players work at number six.
The Bulldogs have Matt Burton running around in the number six, and are understood to be in talks with Toby Sexton to re-sign after he impressed at halfback through the second half of 2024.
That likely leaves Drew Hutchison on the outer, while it's also understood Karl Oloapu could exit the club. Mitchell Woods is the other player in the Bulldogs' system after the club won a cross-code battle for the youngster's services.
He will push for a spot in the halves over the duration of his current deal, which isn't due to expire until the end of 2027.
Add that to salary cap issues, and the Bulldogs needing to spend the money they do have in the forwards, and a play for Brown seems unlikely, albeit not impossible given some of the moves Phil Gould has made in recent times in his capacity as director of football at Belmore.
The Dragons have added Daniel Atkinson to their squad for 2026, likely ruling out any potential play for Brown.
But - and it's a big but - there is some doubt about how Lachlan Ilias and Kyle Flanagan will work in the halves this year.
If Shane Flanagan ultimately decides neither is the right option moving forward in the number seven jersey, then there is a scenario where the Red V utilise Atkinson as halfback rather than five-eighth in 2026, and make a play to bring Brown to the club.
Money is certainly not an issue at the Dragons, who despite adding plenty of experience for 2025, still have plenty of cash up their sleeve, but points might well be following the release of Ben Hunt.
Coach Flanagan is telling anyone who will listen that the Dragons will be a better outfit in 2025 despite the releases of Hunt and Zac Lomax, but the proof will certainly need to be provided over the coming months.
Wayne Bennett is in an intriguing position at South Sydney, and Brown is the type of player he may well want to work with.
That alone is enough to justify a position like this on this list, but once you add to it some of the question marks surrounding South Sydney's halves, it would be unsurprising if they made a play for Brown.
While it's believed Jack Wighton is due to move into the five-eighth role from the start of 2026 should Cody Walker hang up his boots, the big question mark is around Lewis Dodd.
He is unproven at NRL level, and while some will tell you he is the best halfback in the world - probably a stretch if we are being honest - he will need to step up quickly from the level of the English Super League to compete at NRL level.
If it doesn't work, then it could see Walker and Wighton floated into the number seven jersey again, and the Rabbitohs seriously consider their options regarding making a play for Brown.
The Raiders are another club who could join the race for Brown after the season starts if the New Zealand international doesn't rush into a decision one way or the other.
There is real conjecture around the future of the halves in the nation's capital.
Jamal Fogarty has a mutual option for 2026, but could well find himself on the outer for 2025 as Ethan Sanders joins the club from the Parramatta Eels, where he could yet form a halves combination with either Ethan Strange or Kaeo Weekes.
As unlikely as it seems, if none of those combinations work out over the opening portion of the season and the Raiders get off to a slow start, making a play for Brown could become a tantalising option.
Manly have two questions that will need answering before they consider where they are spending any potential money for 2026.
The first of those regards the future of Daly Cherry-Evans. If he elects to retire at the end of 2025, over a million dollars per season becomes available.
If he doesn't, you can drop Manly to the bottom of this list.
Should he retire, the other question will then be around Luke Brooks. Five-eighth, or does he get another shot at halfback?
If he was to move into the number seven (and yes, Joey Walsh is touted as the future of Manly's number seven jersey), then using Cherry-Evans' money to make a play for an experienced five-eighth to play alongside Brooks such as Brown could well be the way to go for the recruitment staff on the Northern Beaches.
The issue of course is that it doesn't seem as if a decision for Cherry-Evans is coming anytime soon, and that will create headaches when it comes to making decisions on their 2026 roster.
The Knights' halves were like a revolving door in 2024. Jackson Hastings, Tyson Gamble, Jack Cogger, Phoenix Crossland, Will Pryce. Reports suggest Fletcher Sharpe, who impressed at fullback and on the wing in his debut year, will also now add his name to the list of options.
One of those players could stamp their authority on the number six jersey this year, but with contracts expiring for Hastings and Pryce, and Crossland potentially slotting back into a utility role, it seems a long shot to suggest that's going to be the way it goes.
Money has been an issue at the Knights, but is unlikely to be for 2026. Daniel Saifiti's early departure to the Dolphins, combined with the likely departures at the end of the coming year for the likes of Jayden Brailey, Adam Elliott, Jackson Hastings and Jack Hetherington, will free up substantial coin in the Hunter.
And that could see them make a play for Dylan Brown as they look to rebuild and reshape a spine that has struggled to put up points in recent seasons.
This might be as much of a case of the player wanting the club as the club wanting him.
Everything seemed to be rosy in 2023 for the Warriors as they went all the way to the preliminary finals, but it's fair to say 2024 didn't bring as much success, with the club missing September action.
Inconsistency has been something of a trademark for the Warriors over their journey, but signings like Brown have the potential to provide some year-on-year stability. Certainly, Andrew Webster as coach was looking as if he could be the man to provide it, and luck on the injury front didn't go the way of the Auckland-based club last year.
In the halves department, Shaun Johnson has already retired, Tanah Boyd who signed over the off-season has only a mutual option for 2026, Chanel Harris-Tavita is in the same boat, Te Maire Martin is off-contract at the end of the coming season and Luke Metcalf is contracted for 2026.
Metcalf is viewed as the only player - when fit - locked into a halves spot at the Warriors. They could well chase Brown to partner him.
This has to be taken with the caveat of the Cowboys always seeming to have junior talent on the way through their system, but whether any of those players kick on to become star NRL halves remains to be seen.
In the meantime, Dylan Brown would be the perfect option to head to Townsville.
Tom Dearden is going to become a halfback at some point in his career. That much seems bleedingly obvious. Jake Clifford is likely to run out there in 2025, but whether that remains the long-term play after the exit of Chad Townsend is up for debate.
To do so with Dylan Brown alongside him might well be the way to go for Todd Payten and his recruitment staff, although the salary cap is likely to be an issue if they do elect to go down this path.
One club who do not have salary cap issues - contrary to popular belief - are the Sydney Roosters.
They have lost many players in the last 12 months, with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Luke Keary, Joseph Manu, Joseph Suaalii and Terrell May along the all-star list of departures.
While there is a belief at Bondi that Sandon Smith could be the long-term answer at number six in combination with Sam Walker, who will miss the first half of 2025 with an ACL injury, Smith has arguably played his best rugby league in the number seven, or indeed at fullback, while progressing through reserve grade.
He has the talent to become an elite number six at NRL level, but 2026 is also shaping up as something of a moving year for the Roosters. Potentially the final of James Tedesco's career, and also marking the arrival of Reece Robson from the North Queensland Cowboys.
That's not to say Smith couldn't play a role, but the Roosters would be somewhat foolish to not at least investigate the prospect of adding Brown to their roster.
The Dolphins are reportedly the first club to consider whether they will make a pursuit of Brown, and it should come as little surprise.
They missed Ben Hunt in recent times, clearly have money to throw at players, and have uncertainty around their current halves combination.
While Isaiya Katoa is certainly the future at halfback, and Kodi Nikorima was certainly impressive throughout 2024, there is real doubt whether that is a premiership-winning combination.
Brown pairing up with Katoa on the other hand while Nikorima plays a super-sub role off the bench?
Bingo.
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="1655px" width="2560px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="1707px" width="2560px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="683px" width="1024px" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)