Broncos coach Anthony Seibold confident Matt Lodge will remain at Red Hill

As the June 30 deadline looms, the Broncos are confident they will secure the signature of powerhouse forward Matt Lodge despite offers from other NRL clubs.

Patrick Carrigan (left) and Matt Lodge (right) are seen during Brisbane Broncos training at Clive Berghofer Field in Brisbane, Friday, June 28, 2019. The Broncos are playing the Knights in their round 15 NRL clash in Newcastle on Saturday. (AAP Image/Darren England) NO ARCHIVING

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Broncos coach Anthony Seibold is confident powerhouse forward Matt Lodge will remain at Red Hill despite huge offers from rival clubs.

The window for NRL player swaps reaches its crescendo this weekend ahead of tomorrow’s June 30 deadline and Brisbane are expected to announce a number of key signings.

The club yesterday released young gun Jadyn Su’A to South Sydney, which will free up funds to retain off-contract enforcer Lodge, who has been linked with a huge offer from the Warriors.

Patrick Carrigan (left) and Matt Lodge (right) at Broncos training ahead of their match with Newcastle.

Seibold said the club wanted to keep Lodge at the Broncos.

“There’s some imminent signings we believe will happen over the next few days that are good signings for us,” Seibold said.

“Yes of course (we want to keep Lodge). We won’t lose a player we want to keep.”

It comes after Seibold took a thinly veiled swipe at former Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett, claiming the Broncos exodus began because the club was over the salary cap in the pre-season.

Star players Josh McGuire, Jordan Kahu, Kodi Nikorima and James Roberts have all been released from the club in a clean-out that began in the off-season.

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Seibold said salary cap pressures had been the catalyst for releasing a number of key personnel.

“The reality of it is when I took over the group, the club was over the salary cap leading into March 1,” he said.

“Some decisions in the pre-season were about getting under the salary cap.

“Going forward, and this hasn’t been spoken about publicly, you can’t announce the signing of another player or the re-signing until you’re salary cap compliant in the following year.

“You can’t do the business and get the contract registered until we’re salary cap compliant going forward.

Clubs are queuing up to sign Lodge. AAP Image/Dan Peled.

“Normally you have until March 1 to get under the cap, now you don’t.

“You’ve got to make sure you’re compliant before you get the next player in. It’s not fantasy footy.”

In the space of six months, 21-year-old Su’A went from a Maroons hopeful to a Broncos outcast before signing with the Rabbitohs until the end of 2021.

The club yesterday issued a statement wishing him all the best.

“Jaydn has been part of the Broncos program since he was in school and is one of a number of really talented young forwards we have coming through at the moment,” said Broncos CEO Paul White.

“He’s a great young man and I speak for everyone at the Broncos in wishing him all the best both on and off the field.”

Originally published as Broncos coach Anthony Seibold confident Matt Lodge will remain at Red Hill