Brisbane have rebuffed attempts to get Xavier Coates to Melbourne

Brisbane have rebuffed attempts by Melbourne to get Xavier Coates early in a move that would have seen Brenko Lee move straight to the Broncos

Xavier Coates is on the outer at the Brisbane Broncos after being left out of the side this week Picture: Getty Images

Melbourne have been rebuffed after making discreet inquiries about a potential swap deal involving Brisbane winger Xavier Coates and Broncos-bound Brenko Lee.

It is understood the Storm made an approach to Brisbane in recent days after hearing whispers that Coates would not be selected again this season.

The Broncos are believed to have rejected the offer even though they have already announced that Storm centre Lee will join them next season. They also insist that Coates will be selected on merit for the remainder of the year.

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Melbourne are likely to be undeterred and it would be no surprise if they asked the question again before the August 1 deadline given Coates is on the outer at the moment and the Broncos are in the midst of a roster overhaul.

On Wednesday, Brisbane struck a deal that will allow Tevita Pangai Jr to join Penrith for the remainder of the season before leaving for Canterbury at the end of the year.

The Broncos were more than happy for Pangai Jr to depart but they are standing their ground with Coates even though the Queensland flyer finds himself out of the starting side – Corey Oates and Jamayne Isaako will occupy the wing spots this weekend.

Coates was part of the extended squad.

“Xavier is a well-liked member of the squad,” Broncos head of football Ben Ikin.

“There is a whole lot of change going on here at the moment and where we can keep the stability, (we will).

“There is no suggestion Xavier can’t force his way back into the team and we want that competitive tension in the environment.

“These guys like Xavier. They have been together for a long time. He has come through our system.

“He is just a great young man and he is still adding value even when he is not in the side. There is no suggestion he won’t be back in the side before the end of the year. He just brings something.”

The Broncos have been among the most active clubs in the player market in recent weeks, signing the likes of Lee, Adam Reynolds and Kurt Capewell.

Their roster overhaul is far from over as they attempt to rebuild the club under the leadership of chief executive Dave Donaghy and Ikin.

Meanwhile, the Dragons, Cowboys, Titans, Sharks, Storm and Knights are locked in a six-way battle for the signature of Dale Finucane.

After several weeks of negotiations and tabled offers, the off-contract Storm forward is edging towards making the most significant contract call of his career.

The NSW Origin vice-captain has received three-year offers from the Dragons, Cowboys, Titans and Sharks. The offers will see the 212-game player earn in excess of $600,000 a season

Only the Knights are standing firm on their two-year deal - cognisant that their pack is salary-cap heavy with representative forwards David Klemmer, Tyson Frizell and Daniel Saifiti, while they have also recently extended the contract of the latter‘s twin-brother Jacob.

The Dragons interest in Finucane has been expedited by the contract termination and departure of Paul Vaughan, which has freed up more than $800,000 in salary cap space next season.

The Cowboys have made it known to Finucane that they are determined to sign a player that boasts his leadership qualities and that upon his arrival they could move Kiwi Test star Jason Taumalolo to the back row to accommodate him.

The Gold Coast could do likewise to fit Finucane into their star-studded pack. The Storm have also made the 29-year-old co-captain an offer, but are resigned to losing him given the size of the offers from rival clubs.

The Sharks are the smokey in the pack with incoming coach and NSW Origin assistant Craig Fitzgibbon forming a strong relationship with Finucane during the most recent State of Origin series.

Fitzgibbon is also well-known to Finucane’s agent Andrew Purcell – who also manages Storm star and 2022 Cronulla recruit Nicho Hynes.

Finucane would prove a straight replacement for 2022 free-agent, Aaron Woods,

Interest in Finucane from each of the six clubs is motivated by not only the force of his on-field playing talent, but the leadership and cultural standards that Storm coach Craig Bellamy rates as equal to any player he has seen.