Brisbane infamously came within 15 minutes of ending their premiership drought last season when they had Penrith on the canvas in the decider.
The Broncos had pinned their hopes on former South Sydney general Adam Reynolds leading their young crop of stars to the promised land and this almost eventuated, before Nathan Cleary stepped up and produced a magic cameo on the biggest stage.
The hangover from that heartbreaking loss stretched all the way into 2024, with Kevin Walters unable to get his side going as they missed out on the finals altogether.
Reynolds was barely sighted during the dire campaign as injuries restricted him to just 13 appearances. Suddenly, a succession plan for the halfback became one of the biggest talking points at the Broncos.
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Broncos legend reveals halfback plan for life after Adam Reynolds
The 34-year-old has just one year remaining on his deal, leading many to believe that Brisbane’s premiership window is rapidly drawing to a close.
The situation is undoubtedly a worrying one for the club with salary cap pressures set to cause them headaches during their search to find his replacement.
"A young No.7 coming through, who's not going to demand the big money straight away, is probably where it's heading," Brisbane director Darren Lockyer admitted on Wide World of Sports' QLDER.
"But as we know, the No.7 is so important and we've got to keep one eye on who's earmarked to go there beyond Adam Reynolds."
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Lockyer revealed Reece Walsh had all but signed on the dotted line. The superstar fullback joins Ezra Mam, Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan in being tied down long-term at Red Hill.
However, a major drawback is that due to the massive expenditure on the four players, limited funds are available elsewhere to funnel into the roster.
Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs will become available to negotiate with rivals from November 1, and it is highly unlikely they will be able to keep hold of both of them.
Meanwhile, Brisbane’s rumoured pursuit of Sam Walker appears to be dead in the water, with Braydon Trindall also out of reach given his starring displays for Cronulla in recent months.
Instead, Lockyer highlighted how promoting a youth prospect rather than paying big money for an established star in the halves was the more realistic outcome.
"I think the Broncs are pretty keen to develop from within, so we'll just see where that lands," Lockyer said.
