The Wests Tigers have told Josh Reynolds he is free to find a new home in 2020, granting the five-eighth permission to negotiate with rival clubs.
NRL.com can reveal Tigers coach Michael Maguire recently arranged a heart-to-heart with Reynolds to discuss the 30-year-old's future beyond the end of this year, opening the door for him to depart at season's end.
The meeting came after veteran playmaker Benji Marshall strongly indicated to the club that he will run around again in 2020.
The Tigers have a lot of admiration for Reynolds, who has been stuck in reserve grade behind Marshall for most of 2019, and don't want to stand in his way of a regular NRL spot at this stage in his career.
Reynolds, who joined the Tigers from the Bulldogs last season, still has another two-and-a-bit years to run on his deal but showed in his brief stint in the NRL this year that he still has plenty to offer.
The Tigers don't want to force him out of the club and have told Reynolds he will be given every opportunity to reclaim his position in the NRL side, however it seems unlikely he will be the club's first choice No.6 next season.
NRL.com understands the Tigers are willing to pay a large chunk of his salary, which will not only help Reynolds find a new home, but also free up space in the salary cap to ensure they can lure new players to the club.
Given his predicament, Reynolds could have asked for a release to join another club before June 30, however his commitment to the Tigers hasn't wavered and he hasn't kicked stones despite having to play Canterbury Cup NSW.
The Tigers didn't engage in any pre-June 30 discussions because they were waiting to see whether Marshall wanted to play on before deciding what to do with Reynolds.
However given Marshall's recent desire to continue, the club doesn't see the point in having such a highly-paid player like Reynolds as a back-up option.
Reynolds, whose versatility also makes him a handy bench option as well as a starting half, is renowned for his energy and effort, and would be an asset to many sides both on and off the field.
Injuries and selection – or lack thereof – have limited the former NSW State of Origin five-eighth to just nine games for the Tigers in two seasons.