Two thirds of the Broncos roster set to become free agents within next two years

A surprise call by Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds will mean the club needs to do some fancy financial footwork if they’re going to retain the bulk of their off-contract roster.

Brisbane have been urged to hand Payne Haas a 10-year lifetime deal as the Broncos face a $6 million salary-cap crunch to stave off NRL rivals and prevent the superstar prop going to free agency.

This masthead can reveal Broncos hierarchy will look to kick-off talks with Haas’ management on a contract extension in the wake of Brisbane’s clash against the Dolphins on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium.

The relentless Haas again underlined his value to the Broncos in the Battle of Brisbane, monstering the Dolphins with 158 metres, six tackle busts and 37 tackles to inspire a 20-12 victory.

Coach Michael Maguire says one of his priority tasks is keeping Haas at Red Hill – and Brisbane are in the box seat to do that – but the planned retention of Haas could have implications for other key Broncos stars.

An analysis of the Broncos shows 20 players from their 30-man full-time squad – two-thirds of their NRL roster – will become free agents over the next two seasons.

The estimated total contract value of that contingent is $6.6 million, underlining the financial juggling act ahead for Brisbane’s recruitment-and-retention committee at a time when the Broncos are firmly in a premiership window.

Payne Haas is the key retention target for the Broncos. Picture NRL Photos

Potentially complicating the club’s salary-cap position, skipper Adam Reynolds is considering playing on in 2026, a scenario Brisbane chiefs weren’t budgeting for when the champion halfback inked a 12-month extension last year.

Of Brisbane’s 30-man full-time roster this season, 14 players remain free agents going into this Saturday night’s clash against the Wests Tigers at Suncorp Stadium.

The off-contract posse includes Reynolds, rejuvenated hooker Cory Paix and forward duo Kobe Hetherington and Jack Gosiewski, who have played crucial starting roles in the pack for Maguire in the opening month of the 2025 premiership.

Other free agents include Queensland Origin star Selwyn Cobbo and Brisbane’s No. 1 centre Kotoni Staggs, who is tipped to ink a three or four-year upgrade worth up to $3 million in the coming weeks.

The Broncos are adamant Staggs is going nowhere, but retaining the former NSW Origin flyer has salary-cap repercussions for Cobbo, who will be reluctant to take a pay cut on his current $600,000 deal.

This complex salary-cap puzzle leads Brisbane to the mega piece in Haas, who is in the form of his career and has sent shockwaves through the league with his rampaging start to the season.

It begs the questions: how much is Haas truly worth? And what will Brisbane have to pay to keep the NRL’s No. 1 prop on their books for the long haul?

Haas is off-contract at the end of 2026, meaning he can head to free agency from November 1 this year. A number of NRL rivals, including Manly, are itching to have a crack at Brisbane’s five-time Paul Morgan Medallist.

Maguire is mindful of the NRL vultures circling Haas, but Brisbane are keen to get ahead of the curve and upgrade the NSW Origin enforcer before he has the chance to test his value on the open market.

“I would love to keep Payne,” Maguire told this masthead.

“I won’t talk about contracts, but what I will say is that Payne is a Broncos man.

“He is passionate about the club and his passion towards the club is great to be around.

“One thing you notice is that Payne is very passionate about what he wants to achieve with his teammates at the Broncos. That definitely comes out in everything I have seen.”

Brisbane’s advantage is that Haas is hitting somewhat of an NRL payment ceiling. Kalyn Ponga is the NRL’s top earner at $1.4 million. The 25-year-old Haas was the first $1 million forward in Broncos history and he is the highest-paid player at the club this season on $1.1m.

Queensland Origin hardman Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is the only forward in the code who earns more than Haas, with the Titans skipper on $1.2m this year.

It means that any potential NRL suitor hoping to pull off a Red Hill heist faces paying in excess of $1.3m to poach Haas.

That would be a record salary for an NRL forward and while it’s unlikely any club would fork out that amount, Newcastle’s recent 10-year, $13 million bombshell to sign Dylan Brown from the Eels is evidence the Broncos cannot take Haas for granted.

One former club official said Broncos players generally take 20 per cent less than they could earn in Sydney because of the perceived cost-of-living advantage in Brisbane.

Haas appears anchored in the River City.

He recently celebrated the birth of his second child, and he has taken custody of his two younger brothers due to off-field legal matters surrounding his mother and father.

Former Broncos skipper Corey Parker says a 10-year deal is not out of the question for Haas, who would be 35 at the expiry of any decade-long contract.

“Payne can talk as of November 1 and if he goes on the open market, his value goes to record levels,” Parker said.

“The Brisbane Broncos should consider a 10-year contract.

“How much does he need to stay at Brisbane? What’s his worth is the question.

“The Broncos have Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni still off-contract and then there’s Reece Walsh, Pat Carrigan, Ezra Mam already on big money … the list goes on.”

The curve ball for Brisbane is the future of Reynolds.

The skipper is on around $550,000 this season and Brisbane were expecting him to transition into an assistant coaching role in 2026.

If he shelves retirement and plays on next year, that’s a potential half-a-million dollar salary-cap conundrum for Brisbane, who already outlaid $1.2 million over two years to sign Reynolds’ new halves partner, Ben Hunt, last summer.

By the time Reynolds makes a definitive call, which may not be until the latter stages of this season, the Broncos will have to decide the value of Haas’ new deal for 2027 and beyond.

And other Broncos are on the fiscal rise. Superstar fullback Walsh’s four-year upgrade, brokered last October, kicks in next year.

He will join Haas on $1.1 million in 2026, while Staggs’ proposed new deal will see him become one of the highest-paid centres in the league on around $800,000 annually.

“They can’t keep dishing out $1 million-plus contracts, which is what Payne is worth,” Parker said.

“They haven’t even really sorted out Selwyn yet and if he goes to market, he could get $1 million.

“There would be a stack of clubs who would offer Payne Haas a seven-year deal or even more for stacks of money.

“If he goes to say $1.3 million, that makes Payne one of the highest-paid players in the game and if he’s on that, what’s Nathan Cleary worth?

“Payne’s form has been terrific, but it’s a huge salary-cap headache for the Broncos.

“Brisbane have some real juggling to do.”

Originally published as Two thirds of the Broncos roster set to become free agents within next two years