Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2025

[Fitzy]

The media are really trying to suggest we are getting Hunt, yet there is no way we can sign him when the NRL slap a stupid overpriced min wage for him, considering Mams ban isn't looking to be as long as first rumoured if we were to sign him it would be a temp 6 then move to 9 for the back end of the season and then 7 for 26 onwards.

But unless NRL drop the BS 850k asking price he isn't coming.

Considering Hunt is a rep level player only when playing Hooker and only 1 hooker in the entire game is earning more than 850k it's a stupid asking price, surely worthy of an appeal though.

Well then he isn’t going anywhere. Dolphins are paying an average 700k a year. That’s 550k difference. Since when is 150k difference enough to not lodge a contract.

 

[Mustafur]

Well then he isn’t going anywhere. Dolphins are paying an average 700k a year. That’s 550k difference. Since when is 150k difference enough to not lodge a contract.

He has already terminated his contract with Dragons under Mutual agreement I believe so the NRL have to set a fair value so he can actually get a contract at the bare minimum as it wouldn't make sense to over value him into retirement.

Judging by the offers there should be a good case to give him lower if he is signed to play outside 7 though, That's what Souths used I thought to get Wighton on unders saying he would be a centre and the amount he was being paid was on the high end for a centre.

 

[Sproj]

Leota was absolutely atrocious last year but, there were some very limited green shoots if you turn your head and squint in his last few games.

 

[Foordy]

Well then he isn’t going anywhere. Dolphins are paying an average 700k a year. That’s 550k difference. Since when is 150k difference enough to not lodge a contract.

Not to mention that we're almost a month into the new contract year, which would reduce that 'notional' value.

There is also a post footy job we've reportedly included as part of the package, but reportedly doesn't get included on the cap for the final year of a players career

 

[Broncosarethebest]

The media are really trying to suggest we are getting Hunt, yet there is no way we can sign him when the NRL slap a stupid overpriced min wage for him, considering Mams ban isn't looking to be as long as first rumoured if we were to sign him it would be a temp 6 then move to 9 for the back end of the season and then 7 for 26 onwards.

But unless NRL drop the BS 850k asking price he isn't coming.

Considering Hunt is a rep level player only when playing Hooker and only 1 hooker in the entire game is earning more than 850k it's a stupid asking price, surely worthy of an appeal though.

According to Dolphins they are interested but not offering him anywhere near whats being reported. If you believe this internet rando and the media (rorters offering him bugger all and dogs not offering him anything) then his market value is no where near what saint merge were supposedly paying him. What we're offering is sounding like it'll be enough.

 

[Mustafur]

According to Dolphins they are interested but not offering him anywhere near whats being reported. If you believe this internet rando and the media (rorters offering him bugger all and dogs not offering him anything) then his market value is no where near what saint merge were supposedly paying him. What we're offering is sounding like it'll be enough.

As much as it might make some sense for Dolphins, I think Katoa is at the point he is ready to be the 7 for good now, he has started to breakout this year and will only get better with time they would be mad to move him now, and they are sorted at Hooker too.

as for us we are approaching the post Reyno transition and Hunt could easily fill that, it is a season early but he can play Hooker and Half cover in the mean time while Mozer gets ready to be the established 9.

 

[Old Mate]

He has already terminated his contract with Dragons under Mutual agreement I believe so the NRL have to set a fair value so he can actually get a contract at the bare minimum as it wouldn't make sense to over value him into retirement.

Judging by the offers there should be a good case to give him lower if he is signed to play outside 7 though, That's what Souths used I thought to get Wighton on unders saying he would be a centre and the amount he was being paid was on the high end for a centre.

This is the same NRL that over valued Folau and forced him out of the game.

 

[Mustafur]

This is the same NRL that over valued Folau and forced him out of the game.

I feel that was probably political though, Hunt is a current player.

 

[Broncosarethebest]

As much as it might make some sense for Dolphins, I think Katoa is at the point he is ready to be the 7 for good now, he has started to breakout this year and will only get better with time they would be mad to move him now, and they are sorted at Hooker too.

as for us we are approaching the post Reyno transition and Hunt could easily fill that, it is a season early but he can play Hooker and Half cover in the mean time while Mozer gets ready to be the established 9.

Completely agree, if we're getting him at a good price, he should be pretty handy over the next 2 years. Was Mainly saying that apparently Dolphins aren't offering anywhere near the 700k per year for him and without having any contacts at Broncos, it sounds like we're bringing him home.

 

[Foordy]

This is the same NRL that over valued Folau and forced him out of the game.

In that case Parramatta were trying to register a near minimum wage contract for Folau... Very different situations

 

[Super Freak]

This is the same NRL that over valued Folau and forced him out of the game.

He was already out of the game. Eels tried to sign him for under 200k. NRL came back and said nope his value is 400k.

Signing one of the biggest names in Australian sport for peanuts. I don't think that would have gone down well.

 

[1910]

This is the same NRL that over valued Folau and forced him out of the game.

Very different, Israel wanted a four year deal and Eels didn't have the money, so had to try spacing their cap out, paying him $110k then more later, the other clubs said no way and the NRL said no way.

It didn't matter anyway, Rugby came in with a huge offer and suddenly Israel didn't want to be an Eel and duded Nolan after promising him he would come.

 

[Locky24]

If it is between us and The , why is it taking so long for him to decide?

 

[BroncsNBundy]

A thought. Or maybe I am misunderstanding. If Ben Hunts 2nd year would be off the cap, because he will have a job with Broncos after..... Would Adam Reynolds not be in that position this year,If this is his last year. He also apparently has a job with the club after footy.. Hunts money for this year????

 

[YeahNahMate]

Could Maguire be tempted to shift Carrigan to second row during the game and use Hetherington as lock?

I'm not calling for it but obviously, Patty is a pretty decent second rower as well as middle.

Something like:
8. Jensen
10. Haas
11. Carrigan
12. Riki
13. Hetherington

15. Willison
16. Te Kura / Taupau / Semu
17. Piakura

With rumours of us extending Hetherington now instead of offloading him and Hetherington stating multiple times he wants to be a starting player I have a feeling that Madge might’ve spoken to Kobe about playing some back row

 

[Sproj]

With rumours of us extending Hetherington now instead of offloading him and Hetherington stating multiple times he wants to be a starting player I have a feeling that Madge might’ve spoken to Kobe about playing some back row

If we could somehow get Kobe to transfer his defensive starch to second-row, that would be amazing.

 

[Broncosarethebest]

A thought. Or maybe I am misunderstanding. If Ben Hunts 2nd year would be off the cap, because he will have a job with Broncos after..... Would Adam Reynolds not be in that position this year,If this is his last year. He also apparently has a job with the club after footy.. Hunts money for this year????

I don't think it's the whole salary for the year that gets taken off the in the final year. I think it's just a legit amount of the after football club job salary. Example Hunts salary playing football = $550 000, random job for the boys post football = $100 000. $550 000 - $100 000 = $450 000 total cap space for final year.

TBH I have no idea how it works this is just my assumption.

 

[BroncsFan]

I don't think it's the whole salary for the year that gets taken off the in the final year. I think it's just a legit amount of the after football club job salary. Example Hunts salary playing football = $550 000, random job for the boys post football = $100 000. $550 000 - $100 000 = $450 000 total cap space for final year.

TBH I have no idea how it works this is just my assumption.

I think you're probably heading along the right line of thinking... however I don't really understand where it's come from at all.

My only thought is that the $100k you identify gets added to the cap for 2027?? so you might be able to offset a payment from the last year because you're giving them a job the following year... but it really doesn't make sense, because this is something they used to crackdown on.

Tigers got in big trouble when a post-footy job was included in Farah's contract... and then Bunnies also had to include GI's wage in their cap after he was employed by the Bunnies the year after he retired... so it's weird that this rule has suddenly appeared out of nowhere, unless it's something that the RLPA pushed for to improve careers for players after footy.