The Brisbane Broncos have sensationally pulled the pin on their offer to superstar Greg Inglis after he failed to meet the club’s ultimatum to sign a two-year NRL deal on Saturday.
Brisbane put the deadline to Inglis on Friday, giving him 24 hours to sign a $1.2 million two-year contract with Brisbane.
The club had waited patiently for 14 weeks for Inglis to make a decision, but the Broncos withdrew the offer to the Queensland and Australian centre on Saturday afternoon.
With Inglis understood to have little interest in a move to French rugby union, he could be set to join Russell Crowe at South Sydney, although the Rabbitohs might struggle to fit him under the salary cap.
Inglis, who was to replace AFL-bound Israel Folau, has been embroiled in a dispute with Melbourne over the payment of a $113,000 legal bill incurred in employing a QC to successfully defend him against assault allegations last year.
However, Inglis could still have signed Brisbane’s contract, which then could have been lodged with the NRL and registered once the dispute between Inglis and his club was resolved.
But the Broncos have decided to walk away from the deal.
“We have worked long and hard on these negotiations, as have the other parties,” Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen said.
“But with training already underway and no sign of the matter being resolved in a manner that would benefit the Broncos and its playing roster, it is time for the club to move on.
“We think it is an honour to represent our club and thus felt compelled to place a deadline of this afternoon for Greg to sign the contract he and his manager had agreed to.
“He was unable to commit to the club so we felt we had to make this call.”
Inglis is still contracted to the Melbourne Storm, who told AAP they will review their salary cap but have little chance of fitting him in, meaning he will become a free agent on Monday.
It was believed he had discussions with French rugby union club Toulon, but a move to Europe is unlikely, while he has previously attracted the attention of AFL clubs.
The Broncos insist they are happy with their squad and only chased Inglis because of his standing in the game.
“When the possibility of Greg coming to the Broncos arose some months ago, the club always said it was entering negotiations only because of the stature of the player involved,” Cullen said.
“But we also said at the time that we were very happy and confident in the squad we had assembled.
“That statement still holds today.
“We know that this move will ensure the club is able to keep our current crop of talent together for many seasons to come.”
The news will stun Broncos fans who had been banking on Inglis, rugby league’s No.1 game breaker, to join the six-time premiers next season.
Inglis, who has been in Brisbane for more than a week, could not be contacted for comment.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
If the interview with Inglis tonight on 9 is anything to go by,he will be headed to Souths,so he will continue to wear either the numbers 3 or 4.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
He claims that hiring Robert Richter wasn't actually his decision and that the Storm only did so to protect their image.
Damo
Guest
Yes well put James. Though the 12 might fit him as well. Rebels would make more sense though.
Matt
Guest
I don't know if is that fact just yet Nerk, but it is certainly getting pretty close to the Ligue 1 (on average, but not to the mega clubs like Lyon, Marsielle and PSG). When the French start catching up to the SH nations in terms of expansive playing style (which will definitely happen in time) then the crowds will only get more entertainment for their Euro. The 2007 WC in France has been an amazing success. It is something that Australia 2003 really didn't succeed with at all. There is certainly a shift in the type of clubs coming to prominence in France. The smaller southern town clubs are making way for big privately owned teams bankrolled by millionaires. The likes of Perpignan, Clermont and Toulouse aren't going anywhere though. But teams like Racing and Stade are both building new stadiums now, so the rapid growth curve will continue for the next couple of seasons too, especially into traditionally non-rugby areas. And there are plenty of teams like Marsielle and Lyon being bankrolled too. Those are the small teams in big cities where rugby has seen an explosion of interest post 2007 WC and where they are aiming to become the new generation of French Rugby super clubs. What will be interesting is whether England can do a similar job to the French in 2015. In 5 years they'll have a new generation of Rugby stars (like Chris Ashton, Ben Foden, Courtney Lawes, Ben Youngs etc) playing a far more expansive type of game than ever before. They'll be 20 years into professionalism and many of the pro clubs will be drawing crowds around the 20K mark each week. If the English can generate a similar momentum as the French then it could be a case of the game rapidly growing in popularity there too. Because the hype of the tournament will be impossible to ignore, right from St Mary's in Southapmton up to St James Park in Newcastle (including Old Trafford, Anfield and Elland Road. And if the crowds like what they see then it could be a massive boost for the RFU and the game in the UK.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I suggest the powers and money behind him moving to Souths will hold sway,such as Twiggy Forest,Crowe and the mouth Mundine, over even the Rebels and French ru clubs. He also gets the unique opportunity to play in 3 tiers of a code.Club,SOO and country ,and no doubt play for a club that in this country is synonymous with a long great tradition and profile. My cynical side suggests the idea of him going to France and milking the French ru clubs and their benefactors for what he can,could be considered worthy of merit.
dogsdate
Guest
Sell that boat in his driveway he claims he doesn't know anything about. he told Storm to get him a good lawyer....did he think Storm were then going to pay for him as well? This guy is so dumb, overweight and cash hungry I wouldn't want him in my team.
jameswm
Guest
I think I could find it within my heart to allow Greg Inglis to wear the Waratah no.13 jersey.
p.Tah
Guest
He is frigging with you Damo. He's off to Souths. How they are fitting him under the salary cap is beyond me.
anopinion
Guest
Why doesn't GI pay his own legal fees?
Damo
Guest
Jeff, I hope you are not frigging with us. Assuming you aren't I'll go out on a limb and say that would make sense. What we have at the Rebels is a very progressive admin and coaching team, a desire to support the Wallabies (including centres) as well as money and NO salary cap. It would be great for Inglis' career if he could step up to Wallabies. And the ideal man to assist in that would be Rod McQueen.
Jeff
Guest
Inglis is on his way to The Rebels. you heard it first on The Roar!!!
Stormin Red
Roar Rookie
There is only one place blame can be attibuted for this situation and it is the NRL. Storm have worked for months to clear the players they needed to get under the cap. When this was done they had some room available so they recruited some fringe first graders to fill their squad all because GI was off to the Broncos and they didn't have to pay for him. Now despite working with the NRLs assistance to get back under the cap they are told that things have changed and the legal costs have to be included under the cap. They are just making this up on the run. Fair enough it should be included in the cap but they have known about this bill for months and the NRL have been monitoring everything the Storm have been doing in relation to the cap since the rorting was found. Why didn't the NRL tell them before they signed new players that this would need to be included? GI didn't want to pay cause he didn't hire the QC which is fair enough and the Storm cannot pay because it puts them back over the cap and obviously they don't want to be there again. The NRL has screwed this one up badly and is risking losing one of the top players in our game because they are still making decisions on the run.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
The Top 14 were looking at introducing salary caps due to the wage explosion,no doubt fuelled by some of the French sugar daddies.The French economy is hardly going gangbusters,so it depends on the patience of these privateers as to how long they will commit. The fact that an NRL player of any note Gower, is now the only former ,over there,suggests that the NRL is able to retain the players,with things such as 3rd party deals,and the prospect of bigger salaries 2013. Also the drain of French rl players to French union(despite alll their so called wealth) has dropped off dramatically.Why? Because players can see better opportunities for them ,in a game they are more familiar with and have the chance to represent.They also note their game is not in the doldrums it once was,and see light at the end of a long tunnel. Will the rugby league and ru need to be wary of French ru clubs,of course,but I would rather be in the NRL position with the new TV contracts pending and a new I.C,,than elsewhere.plus they also have the benefit of a never ending production line,that will be increased fruther with Perth and the CC ,adding to the mix. No doubt the debacle involving the French soccer team in the WC,also did wonders for ru. As far as Inglis is concerned,he wants to be with his girlfriend who had a new job opportunity in Brisbane,so being thousands of kms away,in an unfamiliar sport would hardly be to his liking.
Nerk
Guest
Yeah the Top 14 has now officially taken over as a bigger competition than the french soccer comp I read today. All the more reason for them to start regulating salaries I think or else the Top 14 could seriously weaken both international RU and RL.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
The LNR (governing body of the French Pro Rugby League structure Top 14, Pro D2) are about to renegotiate a new deal for 2012c onwards. Considering both crowd and ratings growth they are expecting at least to get somewhere between E120-150 million a year. Consdering its current deal is only worth E24 million I don't think they be having too many issues well into the future.
MattS
Guest
The salaries that those French RU clubs are paying is just astronomical. I hear some famous old clubs like Narbonne, Agen are struggling to keep up and hence just becoming yo yo clubs. On the flip side these towns are becoming keen to establishing league clubs as seen in Beziers. It is not good establishing your club comp on sugar daddies.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I think the latest idea of him getting the extra moulah from Twiggy Forest is a great idea,and no doubt the salary cap and as a consequence the salaries will be upped after the next Tv deals.In addition there will be 2 more NRL clubs to assist in the inflationary spiral. Pity the Broncs missed out,but they acted professsionally,and will have money available in the cap for another high profiler down the line, from either rugby code.Are you listening Quade or Berrick? He will be better tested either playing for the Rabbitohs or the Broncos,hell even the Sharks may be in the offing ,now they have offloaded an expensive flop in Cuthbertson.Playing the game they play in Devon,for a French union club ,may be good money, but not the week to week challenge open running opportunities and heavy demands he would get in the NRL. I am sure some of the French ru clubs are loving the idea of the inflationary market,as many of the top clubs are losing money hand over foot.The sun shines only for so long in life.The French economy is becoming a basket case,hence the reasoning behind increasing the retirement age.
Nerk
Guest
Good choice on not going to france right away. NZ herald has just run a story that Dan Carter might go over after the RWC, and he will inflate the salaries of top-draw footy players to 2 million a season. Wait till DC goes, then sign for another club over there who will be looking to out-do whichever club Dan ends up at. For all the idealistic notions of taking a pay cut to stay in your first sport, it would be madness to turn down a potential 3 year contract of 6 million.
GT75
Guest
Come to the Super15 a cool million is waiting for you! -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
p.Tah
Guest
There has to be more to this. I don't believe the Broncos would give up one of the best players in the NRL or Inglis risk his livelihood for just $114k.