The Payne Haas situation could yet take another turn.
Brisbane have reportedly tabled a five-year offer in an attempt to convince their marquee prop to remain at the club.
Although Haas has committed to join South Sydney on a three-year deal from 2027, the Broncos appear to be using the ten-day cooling-off period to press their case.
The proposed contract is said to contain flexible terms intended to address the player's longer-term ambitions while keeping him in Brisbane for as long as possible.
He is expected to link up at Souths with former Broncos teammates Latrell Mitchell and David Fifita, and to reunite with mentor Wayne Bennett.
Both Brisbane and the Rabbitohs formally acknowledged the move, but league rules provide a short window for a counter-offer to be lodged.
Veteran rugby league journalist Ben Dobbin reported on Monday night that the Broncos "still hold some hope" of retaining Haas.
"Haas has a big decision to make.
South Sydney are confident that they've got him but the Broncos still hold some hope.
They're going to offer him a five-year deal, but also with some clauses in there that if he would like to go to rugby union that is still an option."
The addition of exit or conversion clauses would allow Haas to explore a switch to rugby union without fully severing ties with Brisbane.
For the Broncos, the move represents a final, strategic effort to keep a dominant forward central to their plans.
South Sydney, meanwhile, will be monitoring the process closely but remain upbeat after the initial confirmation.
The coming days should reveal whether this becomes a brief tug-of-war or a decisive shift in Haas's career trajectory.