The Brisbane Broncos are reportedly facing a significant salary cap issue for the upcoming year, worsened by Cory Paix’s reluctance to leave the club.
Paix’s contract runs until the end of 2025, and he reportedly earns $325,000 per season, yet he hasn’t played a minute of first grade in 2024.
He has fallen well behind Tyson Smoothy for a spot on the bench and seems to be trailing Blake Mozer as well. Many observers believe Mozer will become a regular first-grade player within the next year, and it’s likely he’ll need to in order for Brisbane to keep him beyond 2025.
According to News Corp, the Broncos would be willing to let Paix go, but he has consistently rejected offers to leave the club. Earlier this year, the Manly Sea Eagles, among other Sydney clubs looking to strengthen their depth at hooker, were reported to have made offers to Paix.
While there is a shortage of quality dummy halves in the competition, Paix is not keen on leaving Red Hill since he is settled in Brisbane, even if that means playing reserve grade.
Brisbane’s salary cap issues include the necessity to upgrade contracts for Selwyn Cobbo, Kotoni Staggs, and Reece Walsh, all of whom are off-contract at the end of 2025. Although Paix’s contract extends only until the end of next year, his $325,000 salary could help the club manage forward payments, creating cap space for 2026.
Reports indicate that neither Staggs nor Cobbo has been offered new contracts yet, and other players, including Corey Jensen, Adam Reynolds, Fletcher Baker, Jack Gosiewski, Jaiyden Hunt, Tyson Smoothy, Xavier Willison, and Kobe Hetherington (who is said to have been given permission to leave), are also off-contract at the end of 2025.
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