NRL 2024 Battle of Brisbane: Pat Carrigan’s manager reveals ‘Dolphins didn’t rate’ Broncos star

When the Dolphins were constructing their full-time roster for their inaugural season, only Wayne Bennett was keen on signing the soon to be off-contract Broncos gun. Then came the offer.

Pat Carrigan is plotting revenge against a Dolphins side that “didn’t rate him” as Brisbane’s captain-in-waiting looks to deliver the bullet to the Broncos’ expansion rivals on Saturday night.

Carrigan will be one of the central figures in the fourth edition of the Battle of Brisbane with the Broncos banking on his inspirational industry to keep his side’s slim finals hopes alive at Suncorp Stadium.

The Queensland Origin star would love nothing more than to send Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins crashing out of the finals race after the Redcliffe outfit questioned if Carrigan could become an elite player in the NRL.

When the Dolphins were constructing their full-time roster for their inaugural season in the NRL last year, the club’s most powerful figures couldn’t agree on whether to launch a poaching raid on Carrigan.

The Broncos lock was coming off-contract. Bennett was keen and organised a meeting with Carrigan. But other factions at the Dolphins weren’t so convinced of his ability and the NRL’s 17th team’s eventual offer was never going to lure Carrigan from Red Hill to Redcliffe.

Carrigan has since become a Queensland Origin and Australia player and one of the premier locks in the code. Now he can nail the coffin shut on the Dolphins’ hopes of a history-making playoffs appearance.

“The Dolphins had mixed views about Pat,” said his manager Jeff Jurotte ahead of the Battle of Brisbane.

Patrick Carrigan. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“Wayne Bennett liked Pat and wanted him, but there were others there who didn’t rate Pat and didn’t think he had what it took to be a leading NRL player.

“That’s ultimately what it came down to.”

Bennett refused to give up on the chase. He believed Carrigan could get better coaching under his tutelage at the Dolphins, pointing out flaws in his game that weren’t being fixed.

But when the Broncos weighed in with a two-year, $1 million-plus extension, Dolphins hierarchy weren’t prepared to get into a bidding war.

“We had a meeting with Wayne,” Jurotte said.

“He said before you make a decision, come back to me, but the offer from the Dolphins was really insignificant.

“The offer basically said the Dolphins didn’t rate Pat.

“Wayne was the one guy really keen on Pat. He believed there was a lot of upside in Pat and thought he would get good coaching under him, but when their offer came in, Pat was never going to leave the Broncos.

“I wouldn’t say the offer was peanuts, but the offer from the Broncos was far superior, so it was a no-brainer for Pat to stay at the Broncos.”

Underlining Carrigan’s passion for the Broncos, the 26-year-old even offered to accept less money when he signed an upgrade last year to keep Brisbane’s rising stars together.

The vice-captain was left gutted by last year’s grand-final loss and he won’t accept bombing out of this year’s finals race.

“Pat’s commitment to the Broncos is extraordinary,” Jurotte said.

“I’ve never seen a guy care so much about the club.

“Pat will go in on his days off and do extras, even when he is injured. I know the loss in the grand final last year really hurt Pat.

“The cash component was not everything to Pat. He said I just want to get what I’m worth, but I want to make sure we have the money to keep this group together and sign the players we need to win a premiership.

“That sums up Pat’s attitude.”

Despite a punishing season, Carrigan says he has more in the tank and vowed to go down swinging against the Dolphins.

“My body is good,” he said.

“Collectively as forwards, we have to take on a bit extra. I’m not alone, it is what it is and I will do whatever I need to do to get the result on Saturday night.

“We just have to find a way.”

Originally published as NRL 2024 Battle of Brisbane: Pat Carrigan’s manager reveals ‘Dolphins didn’t rate’ Broncos star