NRL 2021: Matt Lodge vows to stay at Broncos, rejects fallout with Kevin Walters

His Broncos career appeared over amid reports he was being shopped around, but Matt Lodge is determined to prove his worth at Red Hill.

Lodge says he is back to near full fitness after an injury plagued 2020 season. Picture: AAP.

Matt Lodge has broken his silence on his future to declare he wants to remain at the Broncos as he scuppered talk of a fallout with new Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.

Lodge was shopped to rival NRL clubs during the off-season and fielded strong interest from the Warriors amid speculation Walters did not privately see the controversial prop in his front-row rotation plans.

But Lodge’s outstanding performance in Brisbane’s opening trial against Wynnum last Friday night — he was the best player on the field — is evidence the 25-year-old is primed to hit back from his injury-ravaged 2020 season.

As he prepares to spearhead Brisbane’s pack in Saturday night’s testimonial trial for Alex Glenn against the Cowboys at Redcliffe, Lodge said he is committed to the Broncos and stressed he is not at loggerheads with Walters.

Matt Lodge has declared he wants to stay with Brisbane, rejecting reports of a falling out with coach Kevin Walters.

“There‘s been a lot of talk but I want to stay here,” Lodge said.

“Kevvie has come in as coach and he didn’t know too much about what went on with me last year.

“As coach, I guess he has every right to want to move me, but we seem to have sorted things out and I‘m happy.

“Kevvie wants me here now and I‘m happy here playing with my mates, so I will put in every day that I am here.”

One impediment to releasing Lodge was his long-term arrangement with the Broncos. He is contracted until the end of 2022 and has a further two-year option in his favour which could keep him at Brisbane until 2024.

The Warriors were ready to pounce, but baulked at the cost of an expensive subsidised deal.

All the while, Lodge has worked hard over summer to recover from two knee injuries and prove to critics his hulking 118kg frame is mobile enough to handle the up-tempo speed of the NRL under the six-again rule.

Asked if he sought clarity from Walters, Lodge said: “There wasn’t much said between us.

“Kevvie left me alone, but there is mutual respect between us and he knows I know how to play the game.

“The biggest issue for me is getting my body right and condition again and get some minutes back in.”

Lodge says he is back to near full fitness after an injury plagued 2020 season. Picture: AAP.

Walters is happy to honour Lodge’s contract and challenged him to recapture the form that saw him rated a future NSW Origin player.

“Matt is staying here. He has a Broncos contract and that‘s what is happening,” he said.

“He was our best player in the trial (against Wynnum) so he‘s had a good start.

“He was injured for a lot of last year and he copped a lot of criticism, but the trial was just the start of what should be a great season from him.

“He showed his class against the Wynnum side, he’s a genuinely good NRL player.

“I just want to see Matt be consistent this year. I want him to cart the ball forward strongly, he has a nice pass in him and defensively he has some presence, so there‘s no issues for me.”

Lodge is adamant his larger frame can adjust to the increased speed of the NRL around the rucks.

“My knees are feeling a lot better now,” he said. “I have put in a good pre-season, I’ve really put the work in so I feel good with my body.

“I am trying to rebuild my game by going back to basics.

“Last year I was really disappointed, I probably shouldn’t have kept playing with my knee injuries but I have moved on and decided to focus on basic stuff this year.

“I’m not going to set myself any big goals. After last year, I just want to stay fit and learn to play the way Kevvie wants me to.

“I need to build the fundamentals of a front-rower‘s game and see how I go from there.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Matt Lodge vows to stay at Broncos, rejects fallout with Kevin Walters