NRL signing news: Pat Carrigan signs new Broncos deal as Dolphins miss another target

Brisbane has inflicted another signing blow on Wayne Bennett as pressure mounts on the veteran coach to deliver a recruit.

Brisbane Broncos pre-season training from Clive Berghofer Field. Patrick Carrigan. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Brisbane have inflicted another blow on Wayne Bennett with promising lock Pat Carrigan officially rejecting interest from expansion rivals the Dolphins to sign a $1 million upgrade at the Broncos.

News Corp can reveal Carrigan informed Broncos football boss Ben Ikin on Thursday that he is staying loyal as Brisbane drew first blood against the Dolphins in the battle for some of Queensland’s best NRL talent.

Carrigan was off-contract at the end of next season, making him a perfect target for the Dolphins’ NRL entry in 2023, but the Queensland Origin hopeful has inked a two-year extension to remain at the Broncos until the end of 2024.

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Carrigan had rejected Brisbane’s initial extension offer, prompting Bennett to meet with the 23-year-old for talks last week with a view to making the hard-working forward one of the Dolphins’ foundation signings.

Patrick Carrigan has re-signed with the Broncos. Picture: Zak Simmonds

But the Broncos have scuppered a Bennett poaching raid, tabling a beefed-up package worth around $500,000-a-season to ensure Carrigan would not be Brisbane’s maiden defection to their expansion foes.

Brisbane’s retention of Carrigan is another setback for Bennett, who also targeted Queensland Origin young gun Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, only for the Titans sensation to sign a $3.3 million upgrade with the Coast on Monday.

Carrigan’s management confirmed the new deal, saying the popular forward rated a future Broncos captain is determined to help deliver Brisbane’s first premiership since 2006.

“Pat has decided to stay,” said his agent Jeff Jurotte.

“He is happy at the Broncos, it’s where he started his NRL career and he feels a sense of obligation to get the club back to where they belong.

“Pat has built a strong bond with Kotoni Staggs and Payne Haas (Broncos teammates) — they have made a bit of a pact to stick together and try and win a premiership for the Broncos.

“There’s a lot of things in place for Pat’s future at the Broncos.

“We’re happy with the final deal the Broncos have put to us so Pat is rapt to be staying loyal to the club he loves.”

Pat Carrigan Broncos training at Red Hill. Picture: Annette Dew

Pressure is building on Bennett to deliver the Dolphins’ first recruit.

The NRL’s 17th team is hopeful of securing Storm hooker Brandon Smith, while the Dolphins have expressed interest in Carrigan’s Broncos teammates Jamayne Isaako and boom utility back Selwyn Cobbo, who is a free agent in 2024.

The decisions by Carrigan and Fa’asuamaleaui to stay loyal to the Broncos and Titans respectively underlines the difficulty the Dolphins will have attempting to poach players from rival Queensland teams.

Jurotte said Carrigan, who has played 46 games since his NRL debut in 2019, seriously considered a switch to be mentored by Bennett at the Dolphins.

The Broncos have warded off interest in Patrick Carrigan. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“It was a genuinely tough decision. Pat weighed up the pros and cons of joining the Dolphins,” Jurotte said.

“Pat met up with Wayne and he has great respect for him as a coach, but there was a bit of uncertainty as to how much longer Wayne (who turns 72 in January) would be coaching at the Dolphins.

“There was also some uncertainty about who the Dolphins are signing and what their roster will look like for their first season in 2023.

“Pat has been really impressed with the new management at the Broncos under Dave Donaghy (CEO) and Ben Ikin.

“Pat spoke to the Broncos after life after football, he’s a very intelligent young man and knows where he wants to go beyond rugby league.

“Pat also has great confidence in the football program at the Broncos, so weighing everything up, it made sense for him to stay.”