Thaiday Re-Signs

[morganmorgan]

SAM Thaiday has signed a new three-year deal with the Broncos and set his sights on becoming the third member of the prestigious Broncos' 300 Club.

Under the new contract inked today, Thaiday will be a Bronco at least until the end of the 2018 NRL season.

The news comes as the Broncos prepare to play a Qualifying Final in front of a packed Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night against fierce rivals the North Queensland Cowboys.

While Thaiday's contract has taken some time to be finalised, the Test and Origin star said it was always a 'done deal'.

"It is always a hard decision and I've got a few new factors in my life now - I have a young family," said the father of two girls.

"In my heart I always wanted to stay at the Broncos.

"This has been an ongoing conversation my management and the club has been having all year knowing my contract was finishing.

"We just had to iron out a few things so I could stay.

"This is where I have made my home. I came down as a kid after graduating from high school in November 2002.

"I couldn't see myself going anywhere else, it was always a done deal.

"I'm happy to be here, and happy to be here for life."

Thaiday would not close the book on this being his last contract with the Broncos.

He will be 33 years old when this new deal expires.

He has the goal of joining Darren Lockyer and Corey Parker as the only Broncos to play 300 NRL matches.

Thaiday also had a special message for Broncos' members.

"I think I will assess again after the three years is done and see how the body is going," he said.

"There might be some milestones I would like to reach - the 300 Club would be fantastic to be a part of.

"Hopefully in those three years we can do some fantastic things so come with me - especially those members."

Broncos chief executive Paul White said Thaiday's signature was a milestone in itself for the Broncos.

"We are very pleased to be announcing his new contract tonight," said White.

"Sam has been with us since he was a teenager and grown into a wonderful player and man in his time at the Broncos.

"This also helps cap a special week as the club sets to host its first NRL Final in four years."

Sam Sets Sights On 300 With New Deal - Broncos

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Lets hope this is the beginning of a great week for the Broncos. Happy to see him commit, he's earned it. Lead from the front, Sammy. Make a bitch out of all of them just like you did to Hargreaves

 

[Mosyzlak]

Could be awesome timing, hope this fires him up an extra notch!

 

[ningnangnong]

I'm stoked we've re-signed Sammy.

I've fallen in love with him all over again this season. He's reminded me why he was my favourite player when he first came on the scene. I remember having a whinge on here because WB would never give him any minutes haha.

Nothing beats seeing the big fella fired up and barrelling into the opposition defence! :rockon:

 

[Renegade]

Hopefully he doesn't regress now that his future is good for another 3 seasons.

 

[jarro65]

Hopefully he doesn't regress now that his future is good for another 3 seasons.

I honestly believe he won't because Wayne will get the best out of him.

I think from next year on he'll start on the bench and come on and give us that thrust we need when our starting props come off.

Will help extend his shelf life too.

 

[GCBRONCO]

According to Bennett, Thaiday's effort game against the Roosters earlier in the season that convinced him that re-signing Thaiday was right.

 

[noisetheory]

Hopefully he doesn't regress now that his future is good for another 3 seasons.

tbh i dont think his future was ever really in doubt. just a bit of a drawn out process with third party deals and paul white's illness/etc.

i expect a huge game out of him tomorrow. he will feed off the crowd and the crowd will feed off him.

 

[Big Pete]

Credit to him.

I had my doubts over Sam and whether he'd ever be able to replicate his form from 2010/11 after he was diagnosed with osteitis pubis. However, he's really turned back the clock this year, cut out the dumb penalties, shown more flair and been rewarded.

With that said, I don't think Sam was as bad as what people made out from 2012-14 either. He had issues and shouldn't have been the captain, but he's always been a skillful player and it's no surprise to see him flourish in a better team.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Thaiday’s $500k sacrifice for Broncos

Thaiday has sacrificed more than $500,000 to help the Broncos’ star-studded team strive for multiple premierships.

Thaiday revealed he turned his back on bigger offers from rival clubs to re-sign with Brisbane, his sacrifice a great example of the culture building at Red Hill, one that has steered the side to Friday’s preliminary final against the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium.

From Darren Lockyer to Shane Webcke to Corey Parker and Justin Hodges, the Broncos have a history of senior stars taking less to keep young guns at the club.

It is a credit to the environment the Broncos have created under chief executive Paul White and coach Wayne Bennett that Thaiday — at a younger stage of his career than those players — did the same.

The selfless actions of players like Thaiday, Parker and the retiring Hodges means this Broncos team will stay together until the end of 2017 and is primed for an era of great success.

Thaiday said he was content to take less to stay a one club player.

“It was a sacrifice,” the 30-year-old said.

“If that’s what I have to do to stay at this great club that I love then I’m happy to do it.

“Hopefully, it will come back tenfold to me when I retire because being a one club player in a one team town is only going to help me after football.

“I hope the money is there for me when I retire.

“I have a family to think about but sometimes you have to take a pay cut although I wasn’t going to budge any further than this.

“I had a figure that would allow me to pay off the house when I’m done with football and that’s all I wanted at the end of day — security.

”Thaiday signed a three-year deal worth around $350,000 a year this month.

The $1.05 million dollar deal was $500,000 less than he could have earned at rival clubs.

More was on offer if he left to play in England’s Super League.

Manly is understood to have been one of the clubs that showed interest in Thaiday but they ultimately signed fellow Maroons back-rower Nate Myles on more than $500,000 a season.

“The most frustrating thing about it, not necessarily for me, was friends and family asking every week when am I going to get signed,” Thaiday said.

“They would read the papers and see the club was signing a young kid and people would ask if there would be enough money for me.

”Thaiday arrived at the Broncos as a teenager in 2002 and is a chance of winning his second premiership with the club this season after tasting success in 2006 which was his first full season of NRL action.

He was singled out for criticism by Bennett early this year after a poor opening game against South Sydney but Thaiday owned the harsh words and never shied away from the fact that he needed to perform better, which he did.

“That was just Wayne being Wayne. I copped it on the chin. I just took it and that’s all you can do,” he said.

“You can sook and carry on but the best way to move is to get your head down and your bum up and prove everyone wrong.”

 

[GCBRONCO]

Another product of this proxy crap sorry, just visit the link to save your eyes.

 

[Super Freak]

There we go.

Fixed it up.

 

[Alec]

I doubt he's getting much less than what he would at other clubs. There were strong rumours that he'd be getting a big chunk of third party and other special deals. In terms of just the salary cap it might be considerably less, but not overall.

 

[broncos4life]

I doubt he's getting much less than what he would at other clubs. There were strong rumours that he'd be getting a big chunk of third party and other special deals. In terms of just the salary cap it might be considerably less, but not overall.

How would you know?

 

[Morkel]

How would you know?

I got the same impression, mostly because it was dragged out for so long. That sounded to me like he was saying "keep em coming" to the club in terms of 3rd party deals.

 

[Foordy]

How would you know?

There were reports about a large portion of his contract being made up of TPAs... it was also reportedly the reason for the hold up in getting the contract finalised.

I'd imagine that 350k a season in under the cap. (he may also get some discounted for tge veterans allowance)

 

[1910]

If that was the case; those third party deals would still be on the cap. The club getting you third party deals doesn't save you cap space it takes it up.

 

[Foordy]

If that was the case; those third party deals would still be on the cap. The club getting you third party deals doesn't save you cap space it takes it up.

His manager can get him TPAs that don't count though can't he?

What exactly are the rules these days for cap free TPAs?