Salary cap crunch puts heat on Brisbane Broncos star Kurt Capewell

As the Broncos prepare to return for their 2024 pre-season next week, there are no guarantees for vice-captain Kurt Capewell who faces a fight for his future at the club.

The Dolphins have officially entered the race for Broncos star Ezra Mam. Picture: Adam Head

Inspirational Brisbane vice-captain Kurt Capewell is playing for his future at the club as the Broncos close in on a $1 million extension for boom back-rower Brendan Piakura.

Capewell could be a big-name casualty of a salary-cap crunch at the Broncos, who are facing a $5 million outlay to upgrade or extend the contracts of star trio Adam Reynolds, Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam.

Off-contract next season, Capewell became a free agent a fortnight ago and the former Queensland Origin utility is keen to secure a two-year extension to stay at the Broncos.

But as the Broncos prepare to return for their 2024 pre-season this Thursday, there are no guarantees for Capewell, who faces a critical campaign in his bid to secure another deal to remain at Red Hill.

Inspirational Broncos vice-captain Kurt Capewell is off-contract next year.

The former Penrith premiership winner has injected a hard edge to the Broncos since his arrival at the end of 2021, but the rise of fellow back-rowers Jordan Riki and Piakura is amplifying pressure on Capewell.

The Broncos are poised to formalise a three-year extension to keep Piakura until the end of 2027, while Riki is off-contract next year and has begun preliminary talks to stay at Brisbane for 2025 and beyond.

That means competition for starting back-row berths at the Broncos is hotting up.

Young gun Piakura is capable of playing left or right edge and finally showed signs of promise with his 13-game breakthrough this year after two frustrating seasons marred by injuries.

Capewell has been a mainstay on Brisbane’s left edge, while Riki is the Broncos’ defensive heartbeat on the right, but the rise of Piakura gives coach Kevin Walters another back-row option.

Capewell is keen to secure a two-year extension.

Brisbane’s desire to lock up Piakura, 21, and Riki, 24 in January, for the long haul has ramifications for Capewell, whose leadership has been a pivotal factor in the Broncos’ revival as a title force.

Capewell, who turns 31 next July, has given great service in his 43-game stint for the Broncos, and he regularly plays through the pain barrier, but how long he can soldier on is the vexing question.

The 139-game NRL stalwart is confident he can play on until 2026 in his desire to keep his back-row alliance with Riki intact.

“I’ll take as many (years) as I can get,” Capewell said in the lead-up to last month’s grand-final loss to the Panthers.

Young gun back-rower Brendan Piakura has agreed terms on a new deal and is eyeing Capewell’s spot.

“I love the game. I love this club. I love the coaches. I love the fans. I love the state and I don’t see myself moving away from the Broncos.

“Hopefully I can win a premiership here and then we’ll extend for another two years ... and win another two (premierships).”

It is understood a number of NRL rivals are eyeing off Piakura, but the Broncos are confident of rubber-stamping a new deal in the coming weeks.

Piakura has played 15 games for the Broncos since his NRL debut in 2021 and the Cook Islands international is rated one of the code’s future forward superstars with his hard-running, hard-hitting style.

Piakura started in five games this year and is ready to take the next step.

DOLPHINS TARGET BRONCOS’ GRAND FINAL HERO

By Travis Meyn and Peter Badel

Wayne Bennett’s cashed-up Dolphins have officially entered the race for Brisbane’s grand final hero Ezra Mam as part of a $3 million recruitment drive that is set to shake up the NRL’s player market.

Mam has become target No. 1 for the Dolphins on the back of being crowned the Dally M five-eighth of the year last season.

The Indigenous sensation is in advanced negotiations with the Broncos on a bumper contract extension to remain at Red Hill following his hat-trick heroics in Brisbane’s heartbreaking grand final loss to Penrith.

However the Dolphins will not die wondering and have expressed interest in luring the 20-year-old to Redcliffe after poaching Broncos stars Herbie Farnworth and Tom Flegler this year.

Ezra Mam scored a stunning hat-trick in the 2023 grand final. Picture: Adam Head

Bennett confirmed the Dolphins’ interest in Mam after he hit the NRL’s open market for 2025 and beyond earlier this month.

“He was the best player on the ground in the grand final,” Bennett said.

“If he comes onto the market, we would certainly be interested.

“We have four halves who can play there, but Ezra is a quality player. There is a lot of upside in him.

“For a guy like Ezra, there’s probably eight other clubs too who are keen, so it does become challenging to get a guy like that. But if he is available, we’ll be in the mix.

“We’ve signed three or four guys from the Broncos. I’m not looking at what club a guy is at, I’m just looking at whether a player has the qualities we need and Ezra can certainly add something to us.”

The Broncos are working overtime to secure Mam and are supremely confident he will commit to the club, but his manager has been holidaying overseas and a deal may not be finalised before Christmas.

Brisbane is also facing a salary cap crunch following the rise of players like Mam and Reece Walsh, who will command huge pay rises in their next contracts.

Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett wants to sign Mam. Picture: Getty Images

The Dolphins had an encouraging first season in the NRL, bursting out of the blocks before fading as injuries and suspensions exposed the new club’s lack of depth.

They will enter their second NRL season with Sean O’Sullivan and Isaiya Katoa as the first-choice halves pairing, but are looking to bolster their playmaking division with a running five-eighth like Mam.

The Dolphins made a huge play for Melbourne’s Cameron Munster – offering him up to $1.5 million-a-season – before their inaugural NRL season and have cash to splash on a genuine marquee signing.

The Dolphins are also expected to be the NRL’s biggest spenders in the recruitment market over the next two years as the bulk of their foundation contracts expire.

They have 12 players coming off-contract at the end of the 2024 season, freeing up about $3 million in salary cap space, and only seven players are contracted beyond 2025.

Dolphins CEO Terry Reader said the club would look to strengthen its roster in the coming years.

“We are always interested in quality players like Ezra that will add something to the Dolphins and have been deliberate in our recruitment strategy since day one,” Reader said.

“We have signed three outstanding players in Tom Flegler, Herbie Farnworth and Jake Averillo for 2024 and beyond and we are very optimistic about the younger players in our squad, but also constantly looking to further improve our squad for the future.

“Our salary cap is in really good shape thanks to the patience we have shown in the recruitment market, and we are determined to make the Dolphins an even stronger team in years to come.”