Regarding an earlier article/rumour. DCE is 32 years old now and is contracted for another 2 years. Any extension at this point (so far in advance) is risky.
A two-year extension to his current contract would see DCE playing until the age of 36 years and 6-7 months.
Cronk and Thurston (one year too long) played their last matches at 35 years old, and Lockyer at 34.
Of our recent greats, Lyon was 34, Watmough 32, Snake and Matai 31 (DCE is older than three of them right now).
His one most consistent attribute is his speed in support play. One bad injury (like the one Thurston had in 2017) that doesn't end his career will see him struggle. I don't really want to see him play in preservation mode to reach the end of his contract, and I don't imagine the NRL will give us any help regarding medical retirement if it comes to that.
Unless we can somehow extend him for the kind of money Benji or Foran are on right now, and then back-end the current contract pay onto that, then I think we should just wait and negotiate in early 2023.