The Dolphins face a battle to re-sign both Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Herbie Farnworth with both players chasing deals worth more than seven figures per season.

A breakthrough season with 17 wins saw the Dolphins finish third on the ladder to secure a spot in finals for the first time, but attention is already turning to the contract squeeze at the expansion team.

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Several star players are off contract at the end of next season and free to negotiate with rivals from November 1 and all eyes are on whether Farnworth re-signs or moves clubs after another stellar NRL campaign from the England centre.

Farnworth has put contract talks on hold to focus on the NRL finals series and the Rugby League World Cup campaign with England.

The Dolphins have a difficult task of retaining both star backs given fullback Tabuai-Fidow is seeking a whopping contract extension worth $1.4 million per season, according to Code Sports.

Tabuai-Fidow is currently earning $1 million per season but is expected to get a pay rise which will coincide with a higher salary cap in the coming years.

“It’s a big price tag,” Luke Keary said on NRL 360 regarding Tabuai-Fidow’s asking price.

“The state of the game and what’s not out there is driving these players to these price tags.

“You can’t afford to lose them. Who are you going to buy? If Hammer’s worth $1.1-1.2 million, you do have to cough up $1.4.”

“They’ve got a guy at left centre who hasn’t re-signed yet who is probably around that mark too and has said he potentially said he wants that No. 1 jersey also,” Keary said of Farnworth.

“There could be a little bit of a collision course.”

Farnworth, 26, is viewed as one the premier centres in the NRL and has been heavily linked to the Sydney Roosters as a potential successor to James Tedesco, who Keary tipped would play “at least two more seasons”.

NRL 360 host Braith Anasta said it may be difficult for the Dolphins to keep both ‘Herbie’ and the ‘Hammer’.

“Can they keep both? It might be nearly impossible to keep them both,” Anasta said.

“You need a few blokes to take pay cuts and sacrifice money to win a comp.”

“If Hammer wants $1.5m and he wants to play for a competitive team, who out there can afford that type of money,” Paul Crawley added. 

“It’s only the emergence of PNG and the Bears that has completely changed the market.”

Jack Bostock is another priority for the Dolphins — the winger-centre recently told NewsWire he is keen to stay at the club but will receive offers from rival clubs.

Keary said Bostock “is going to want to get paid in his next contract”.

“He’s probably going to be the Australian winger or centre in the World Cup,” he said.

Rejuvenated winger Selwyn Cobbo and forwards Tom Flegler and Kulikefu Finefeuiaki are also off contract on November 1. Keary tipped Finefeuiaki as the player most likely to be forced out by the Dolphins’ contract squeeze.

“We’ve seen it with Penrith, you just have to shed those guys,” the three-time premiership winner said.

“It’s usually those outside backs and edge forwards you let go first. We saw Stephen Crichton, Viliame Kikau, Matt Burton, they’re the ones who go.

“I think Cobbo’s the type of player who stays for a bit less knowing he’s in Brisbane, he’s near his family, he doesn’t really want to come to Sydney.”

Next year the Dolphins will lose club points record holder Jamayne Isaacko to the Melbourne Storm and five-eighth Kodi Nikorima to the Dragons.

Originally published as Dolphins duo on ‘collision course’ over $1.4m contract call