Broncos not keen on Raiders prop David Shillington
CANBERRA prop David Shillington is being shopped to Queensland clubs, but the Broncos are not interested in recruiting him.
CANBERRA prop David Shillington is being shopped to Queensland clubs, but the Broncos are not interested in recruiting him.
Shillington is favoured to leave Canberra at season's end, seeking a return home to Queensland and a fresh start.
The front-rower's form has dissipated this season and he has been coming off the Raiders bench recently.
Shillington has a get-out clause in his contract that allows him to exit the Raiders at any time to return to a Queensland club.
His manager has been sounding out Queensland's NRL teams to gauge interest.
There had been several reports this week the Broncos had signed Shillington, but club officials yesterday strenuously denied they would recruit the front-rower, who was dropped from Queensland's State of Origin side after the Game One loss.
Officials at the Broncos did not want to comment on the record, but confirmed Shillington's manager had contacted them.
They are not interested in signing Shillington, who is understood to receive more than $500,000 a season at the Raiders.
Shillington would have to take a pay cut to return to Queensland, and Gold Coast loom as the club most likely to be interested as they have significant room in their salary cap.
The Broncos had said repeatedly they wanted to sign a playmaker for next season, but it seems there would have to be another Scott Prince-like development for their 2014 roster to include a star half.
With fullback Corey Norman leaving for Parramatta, rumours are intensifying that Canterbury No.1 Ben Barba is headed to Red Hill.
The Broncos have been negotiating with Storm prop Siosaia Vave and England Test prop Ryan Bailey.
Bailey even retweeted an article about the Broncos' interest in his services.
One prop the Broncos wish they could use in the crunch game against Melbourne tomorrow night at AAMI Park is the injured Ben Hannant.
Hannant suffered a calf strain while warming up for Brisbane's loss to the Warriors last Sunday, but yesterday stressed it was only a minor issue and he would miss just one week of football.
"It was a bit tight the day before the game, and unfortunately in the warm-up I felt it go but it is only a slight strain," he said.
"I'm confident I will be right for next week at Suncorp Stadium to take on the Cronulla Sharks."
