Origin 2021: Thirteen NSW and Queensland stars coming off contact and ready to pull megabucks

State of Origin is the biggest stage in rugby league and these are the players who could use it to springboard themselves into a huge payday.

Four of the stars coming off contract.

This will become the great State of Origin scramble worth nearly $8m.

An unprecedented 13 players from NSW and Queensland squads named for Origin III are either off contract now or will join the open market in a little more than three months.

Those players are Dale Finucane, Api Koroisau, Daniel Saifiti (withdrew injured), Clint Gutherson, Junior Paulo, Kurt Mann, Dane Gagai, Tariq Sims, Moeaki Fotuaika, Angus Crichton, Felise Kaufusi, Christian Welch and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

The total value of the 13 players stands at an estimated $7.7m.

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Dale Finucane hopes to have his future sorted shortly after Origin.

Finucane, Mann and Gagai are free agents after this season, while the remaining nine players coming off contract after next season can be headhunted by rivals clubs as soon as November 1.

Let the bidding wars begin.

“We are going through the process at the moment and talking with clubs,” said Finucane, who has eight clubs interested in luring him from Melbourne. “Hopefully we can have everything in front of us soon. I don’t want to do too much during this ­Origin period.

“But once this is all finished up then I will be looking to make a decision in the next two weeks. We are seeing what the possibilities are and then exploring all those. But it is a decent possibility (he would leave Melbourne) at this stage given they are struggling with some cap space.”

Tariq Sims is hopeful of staying at the Dragons.

Sims comes off contract after next season but wants to remain at the St George Illawarra Dragons.

“I was going to wait until this (Origin) series was over and then approach the club and talk to them,” Sims said.

“I definitely want to stay at the Dragons. Nothing has been said or done yet and I will just focus on my footy at the moment. I will let all that look after itself for now.

“My body feels great, I’m moving really well and I’d love to play on – and definitely in the Red V. I love the club. The more you play for them, the more you understand the culture and history. That makes you want to be there even more.”

Api Koroisau isn’t worrying about his future until the end of the season.

NSW prop Paulo is also a free agent from November 1.

“I will let my footy do the talking and I will leave all that to my agent. But blue and gold does suit me,” Paulo said. “It hasn’t been a conversation that has come up recently but I’d love to be at Parramatta.

“For myself, I’m happy to be in Sydney with my family but whatever happens, that’s footy.

“You do whatever you have to do to provide for your family.”

Koroisau’s contract at Penrith expires after next season but he isn’t concerned about the future.

“I will start worrying about that I guess in November,” Koroisau said.

“I love Penrith. It has a great culture and is a club on the up, definitely, no question.”