NRL 2021: Broncos to overhaul contracts as Titans defector David Fifita prepares for grudge match

The big-money defection of David Fifita to the Titans is the wake-up call the Broncos needed to het their salary-cap management sorted out.

DAVID FIFITA 2020 NRL Round 18 - Gold Coast Titans v Brisbane Broncos, Cbus Super Stadium, 2020-09-12. Digital image by Scott Davis � NRL Photos

Brisbane bosses will overhaul the structure of player contracts and put their entire salary-cap management under the microscope as the Broncos come to terms with David Fifita’s defection to the Titans.

News Corp can reveal the Broncos will look to scrap costly player-option clauses from future deals to avoid the salary-cap mess that left Brisbane financially crippled in their attempt to stave-off a poaching raid on Fifita.

Brisbane’s recent history of expensive, long-term deals — many laced with employment clauses favouring the player — have been identified by Broncos powerbrokers as a factor in losing Fifita to the Titans.

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David Fifita was seen as a once-in-a-generation talent for the Broncos.

NRL Immortal Andrew Johns has previously blasted the Broncos’ player development and Brisbane will confront their roster-management issues when Fifita faces the club in Titans colours on Friday night at Cbus Super Stadium.

The Broncos never believed they would lose Fifita, hailed a once-in-a-generation talent, but were left scrambling under the salary cap when the Titans blew Brisbane out of the water with a club record $3.5 million deal.

An analysis of every roster of the NRL’s 16 teams shows no club’s list contains as many contracts with player-options as the Broncos.

Player-options can become a fiscal nightmare for teams because a player has the contractual power to activate a 12-month extension to stay, even if he isn’t wanted, which puts pressure on a club’s salary-cap position.

As Fifita prepares for his grudge match in the Queensland derby, Brisbane chairman Karl Morris said the Broncos must get better at salary-cap management, including a crackdown on the composition of player contracts.

“Every team in the NRL has the same amount of money to spend under the salary cap, it’s how you best allocate that resource,” he said.

The Broncos let Fifita slip through their grasp due to their perilous salary cap position.

“It’s simple maths. Everyone has a fixed amount to spend under the cap and the teams that do best handle their salary cap better than others.

“It’s imperative to get your contract structure right.

“The No. 1 desire of every football team is having the talent to be in the top four, but also having an eye to the future. As the talent comes up, the risk is you do have a David Fifita who can get poached from you.

“It’s not only what’s in your cap, it’s what is the right amount of money to pay someone.”

Brisbane’s penchant for inserting player-options into contracts has created headaches for their salary-cap.

No other NRL club has structured so many deals that allows players to take up options, in their favour, like the Broncos.

The Broncos have been criticised for giving prop Matt Lodge a two-year option in his favour.

The Broncos’ recruitment-and-retention committee, which includes club legend Darren Lockyer and football-operations chief Peter Nolan, is under internal scrutiny for putting together $10 million in deals in the past five years laced with player-option clauses.

Four current Broncos — Matt Lodge, Jake Turpin, Kotoni Staggs and Corey Oates — have player-options in their deals. In the case of Lodge, he has a rare two-year option in his favour, securing him to the club until the end of 2024.

When new coach Kevin Walters looked to offload Lodge in pre-season, several rival clubs baulked at a transfer deal because of his player-option clause and the cost of a payout.

In the ultimate farce, Andrew McCullough was released to the Knights last year, then activated his player-option to return to the Broncos this season, only to be released to the Dragons in February.

The Broncos have also come under fire for signing a slew of players to mega four-year deals, including the $1 million-a-season contract handed to Anthony Milford, who became the first seven-figure earner in Brisbane’s history.

Like Milford, Jack Bird, Darius Boyd, Gillett and McCullough were also signed to four-year contracts. Gillett was forced into retirement due to injury with three years left to run on his deal.

Anthony Milford has been earning $1m a season for the past four years.

The imbalance in Brisbane’s roster has left a gaping hole in the critical 26-to-30-year-old age group, when players transition from rookies to leaders. The Broncos have 11 players aged 22 or under.

Morris defended the role of the Broncos board, insisting the club has a specific committee to ensure the NRL’s richest club constructs a roster to snap their 15-year title drought.

“I’m a bit bemused that the Broncos board gets criticism,” he said.

“We aren’t sitting in on recruitment meetings, we aren’t sitting in retention meetings, that’s for the CEO, the coach and the head of performance.

“The board does not perform the executive’s roles. That’s what they are paid to do.”

Johns last year slammed Brisbane’s development, saying on Channel Nine: “Brisbane have missed a generation of players. They missed Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk. I know those players wanted to play for the Broncos.

“The questions have to be asked.”