Herbie Farnworth signs for Dolphins from under Broncos nose

The Dolphins have landed an international star for 2023 but it comes as one of the biggest names on the roster appears set for the bench.

Herbie Farnworth will farewell the Broncos. Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Inaugural Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has landed coveted Brisbane Broncos star Herbie Farnworth in a huge coup for the club.

The England international will play out the season for the Broncos before linking with the NRL’s 17th club, and is bound to deepen the already burgeoning rivalry.

Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

After Bennett was unable to swoop in to take a shot at Reece Walsh as a marquee man after Brisbane stepped in and the bad blood seems to have only deepened as Dolphins’ inaugural season nears.

But while the Dolphins have largely been tipped to struggle, the recruitment of Farnworth from under the Broncos’ nose is bound to give the league’s newest side a jolt.

Farnworth had been expected to re-sign with the Broncos but is reportedly coveting a fullback position with Walsh believed to have a lock on Brisbane’s No. 1 jersey.

Farnworth said despite his future being tied to the Dolphins, he would do his all for the Broncos in 2023.

“It was a tough decision to make but I’m a Bronco until the end of the season and I will be giving 100 per cent every time I pull on the Broncos jersey.

“I’ve played a lot of football with a lot of the guys in this team and owe it to them to make sure that we go as far as we can this season.

“We’ve put in a really strong pre-season and worked incredibly hard so I’m excited to see what we can do together in 2023.”

Farnworth was great during the World Cup. Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP

Broncos coach Kevin Walters said he appreciated Farnworth’s open approach.

“We respect Herbie’s decision on his future and his upfront approach – he told us he would let us know before Round 1 and he was true to that,” he said.

“That’s all out of the way now and we can move forward without that as a distraction, and we know that Herbie will give everything he’s got for his teammates and for the Broncos jersey over the 2023 season.

“We are fortunate to have some great talent in the centres here at the Broncos, led by Kotoni (Staggs) and Herbie but also with Deine Mariner and Selwyn Cobbo coming through, Jesse Arthars back with us, and Delouise Hoeter providing really good depth in that position.”

The 23-year-old flyer has scored 19 tries in 53 games for Brisbane, as well as kicking 14 goals.

However, he most impressed at the World Cup where he scored three tries in four games for England.

And the Dolphins were happy to get their man.

“There is no doubt that Herbie has been on our radar right from the very moment we started recruiting for this club at the end of 2021,” Dolphins CEO Terry Reader said.

“We made a big play to get him for 2023 and just missed out, so to now secure him on a long-term deal is a huge win for our club.

“Herbie showed what a great player he can be in the NRL for the Broncos last year before injury hampered him.

“To see him bounce back from that biceps injury at the end of last year and demonstrate what a world-class performer he is was amazing.

“We are so excited about what he will do in Dolphins’ colours.”

Farnworth’s signature was coveted. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

It comes after former premiership winner Scott Sattler blasted the Dolphins recruitment for its inaugural season as “the poorest I’ve seen”.

“There were some real marquee players on the market that they could have tried to entice,” Sattler told SEN.

”I’ve got to say, the Dolphins’ recruitment has been some of the poorest recruitment I’ve seen in rugby league.

“(It’s) really, really bad recruitment, I mean, they’ve got great experienced forwards that are going to keep them in the battle defensively but where their points are going to come from, I don’t know.”

Bennett said it’s too early to know anything after just two trial matches.

Dolphins head of recruitment Peter O’Sullivan also said the comments were “way off the mark”.

“We obviously tried to recruit some heavy hitters and some marquee players in the top end but the majority of those stayed at their holding clubs,” O’Sullivan said.

“There’s also a financial responsibility where you can’t just go to any figure to get a player because you’ll ruin your squad, we went as far as humanly possible as far as our dollars and that didn’t work in a couple cases.”

However, one of the club’s biggest name signings, Anthony Milford, was seen training with the reserves on Friday, while Isaiya Katoa and Sean O’Sullivan ran in the halves.

It’s sparked speculation he may watch the Dolphins’ historic match against the Sydney Rooster in round one from the stands.