Battle of Brisbane: Contract wars add extra spice to Broncos-Dolphins derby

The Battle of Brisbane will have a spicy subplot as the cashed up Dolphins prepare to feed off the Broncos’ bulging salary cap carcass for a second time.

Selwyn Cobbo (L) and Kotoni Staggs (R) are top targets. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Further spicy chapters are set to be written in the Broncos-Dolphins rivalry with salary cap stresses poised to ignite more cross-town contract wars.

The derby vibe intensified on Monday as Broncos crowd-magnet Reece Walsh all but secured his place for Friday night’s Suncorp Stadium derby with the Dolphins.

Walsh is likely to wear the special headgear he has trained in for more than a week before more than 50,000 fans on Friday, with Jock Madden (halfback) and Corey Oates (wing) also likely inclusions.

This masthead’s revelation the Broncos face a looming salary cap crunch is likely to mean the club will not be able to keep every player it wants.

The Dolphins, according to Wayne Bennett last month, have “several million dollars’’ in cap space so have the clout to offer substantial contracts to top end players with the bonus of allowing them to stay in Brisbane.

The Broncos will soon have two million dollar players - Reece Walsh and Payne Haas - on their books with Ezra Mam and Pat Carrigan on around $800,0000 in upgraded long term deals.

Broncos defectors Thomas Flegler (pictured) and Herbie Farnworth are expected to miss the derby. Picture: NRL Images

The tightness of the Broncos cap enabled the Dolphins to recruit Broncos Herbie Farnworth and Tom Flegler and Dolphin recruiters are watching events at Red Hill with interest.

One leading player agent said it was inevitable there would be more cross-town showdowns for contracted players with one of the centres Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs, a former Redcliffe player, possible targets if the Broncos cannot keep them both.

“The Broncos will always be appealing because they look after their players brilliantly whether you are the first or last player on their list,’’ the agent said.

“But the Dolphins also have appeal because there is less pressure. Players enjoy the club. Expectations are not as high.

“If the Dolphins offer you $100,000 more and you can stay in the same house then that increase goes directly in the bank.

“It’s not as if you have to buy something in Sydney. The Broncos and Dolphins players are in the same housing market. They shop at the same Woolworths.’’

Staggs was not asked about a possible move across town on Monday but was not sounding like a man set on crossing the Hornibrook Bridge.

“I have been a Bronco since day one. I followed them as a kid and always wanted to play for them,’’ he said.

Staggs provided the big moment of the first derby last year when he scored the winning try then shouted “our house’’ in a pointed message to rival players and fans.

“It wasn’t really planned. Once I scored that try it came to me. It was the first game we had played against Dolphins and I wanted to let them know who owns Suncorp.’’

Walsh is likely to return several weeks sooner than expected and Staggs said that was testament to his commitment to doing all he could to recover from the facial fracture.

“He has done everything right to be back in the team. All of his rehab went well. It is good to have him back on the park. It is a big boost for us. He is back earlier than expected and is doing all the hard yards people don’t really see.’’

Originally published as Battle of Brisbane: Contract wars add extra spice to Broncos-Dolphins derby