Hello and welcome to the public negotiations of Corey Horsburgh’s next contract.

Code Sports has today revealed that Horse is thinking about going home to Queensland. No team is specifically identified, just a general vicinity of teams in that area. The Raiders have said they want to keep him, but that he’s open to test his value on the market.

Two parties, staring at each other, wanting to do a deal, pretending they don’t care.

Here’s how I see this. Corey is on a decent deal right now. 600k from all reports. His deal ends at the end of 2027, so he can start sign that deal come 1 November. Right now he’s likely been in discussions with the Raiders about that very deal, as part of the club’s noted attempt to lock down a bunch of players (that so far has only resulted in deals for Joe Roddy and Jed Stuart).

Evidently the two have not reached a consensus view of his value. Maybe Canberra have offered a reduction in his previous deal. Maybe it’s not a big enough jump. Corey’s manager has done the only thing he can do and said ‘that’s not the value we think he is on the market’. The proposed value is obviously not where the Raiders think it is, and so both parties have agreed the only way to find out is to find out from other clubs. Let’s call it an independent assessment. Like calling a consultant, only this time the Big 4 probably aren’t putting their pitch in a flash deck.

This is a regular stand off in negotiations. It doesn’t mean Corey’s about to go. It doesn’t mean he’s about to stay. Corey last signed a deal with the Milk at the end of the 2024 season, when it seemed like he was about to leave. Then he had a career year, averaged 134m a game and should have played Origin. This year he’s had what we’ll call a less impressive year (114m per game), that comes with the caveats of his impact being dragged down by the low-tide of the team. But he did make an Origin squad, so it’s fair to say his value is as high as it could be.

The threat to leave can be seen in the prism of a mechanism to make sure he gets the value he feels he deserves. Canberra have been acutely short on middles this year. They lost their depth last year in Trey Mooney and Pasami Saulo. Josh Papalii is also leaving. Ata Mariota and Morgan Smithies are up in the air. The next generation hasn’t been trusted much in first grade this year. The Raiders need middles. Perhaps Corey’s manager smells blood in the water, wanting the Raiders pay packet to match their desperation.

To their credit it seems the Raiders aren’t taking the bait. Don Furner told Code Sports

Corey has been a great servant for us and he’s given us wonderful service for nearly a decade. We’re happy to honour our deal with Corey. I don’t know if he is looking at other options but he is more than welcome to stay with us. He is playing really good footy…ideally we’d like to keep him.

While it seems lukewarm you’ve got to view this as two parties wanting to play down their interest in a deal. Corey wants more cash, the Raiders appear not to have it or not want to part with it. Both are saying they’ll walk away for a deal if they have to. You’d see less transparent haggling in the market of your favourite holiday destination.

How this plays out will take time to see. Corey may end up with hurt feelings and decide $550k in Queensland is better than $550k in Canberra because pride stings. He may go on the market and come back to the Raiders and say ‘I’m worth $800K to the Titans’ and the Raiders tell him take the money, like they did with Jamal Fogarty. He may bring back a number the Raiders can match or beat and he’ll stay all the same.

However it plays out is not determined by this report. This is just the start of a public dance that we’ve watched before. Sometimes it plays out in the Raiders favour – as it did last time Corey trod the planks – sometimes it doesn’t.

The Sportress is transitioning away from Facebook and Twitter for distribution so sign up to the email below because I’m hungry. Don’t hesitate to send us feedback (dan@sportress.org) or comment below if you think we are stupid. Or if we’re not