Kodi Nikorima urged to stay at Broncos by coach Wayne Bennett

WAYNE Bennett has a message for off-contract Kodi Nikorima, who is torn between the Broncos bench and the greater minutes he could enjoy for a rival club.

Broncos player Kodi Nikorima gets into space before scoring a try during the Round 5 NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Brisbane Broncos at CBUS Stadium on the Gold Coast, Friday, April 1, 2016. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

WAYNE Bennett has assured Kodi Nikorima he has a future at Brisbane and could be a 10-year Bronco if he pledges his loyalty to the club.

Off-contract at season’s end, Nikorima is torn between his handy interchange apprenticeship at Brisbane and the greater minutes he could enjoy as a starting player at a rival club.

The Broncos have already lost one Nikorima, with Kodi’s younger brother Jayden quitting Brisbane to join the Roosters this season in his quest to secure a regular first-grade berth.

Kodi Nikorima has averaged 30 minutes per game in the opening five rounds.

Bennett is determined to avert back-to-back defections, although he concedes Kodi may consider leaving the Broncos if he can’t play a more prominent role in 2017.

Nikorima has averaged 30 minutes per game in the opening five rounds and underscored his value as Brisbane’s Mr Fixit with a sizzling solo try against the Titans last week.

Bennett is aware of Nikorima’s ambition to become a starting fixture but says patience could see him enjoy a 10-year career at Red Hill.

“It’s not his time to leave yet,” the super coach said.

“If we can’t find a place for him in 12 months or so, it might be his time (to go).

“But he is getting invaluable growth as a person and player and that will keep him in the game for the next decade.

“He has been good and one day he will be a starting player. There are different players and different roles for guys to play in teams.

“He is doing an apprenticeship at the moment and he is going to be a really good player in a year or two. That’s the journey he is on right now ... he’s getting invaluable experience and he’s getting that time to be that really good player that he can be.”

Bennett said Nikorima was not being rushed but importantly was in a “good team” with “good culture”.

Nikorima, who played his 26th NRL game last night against the Dragons, represented New Zealand last year in the No. 7 and sees himself as a playmaker.

Kodi Nikorima sees himself as a playmaker. Picture: Peter Wallis

“Long-term I do see myself as a half,” Nikorima said recently.

“We have plenty of young halves here, so it’s something I will think about for later in my career.

“I’ll have to talk to my manager and Wayne (Bennett) at some point but at the moment I’m just happy biding my time off the bench.”

Brisbane has a history of producing handy utilities, headlined by John Plath and Shaun Berrigan. Bennett believes players like Nikorima will become crucial in the utility slot under the reduced interchange rule.

“It will become a more valuable area,” he said. “The utility will have to play multiple positions and play for long or short periods of time.

“There will be no guarantees what can happen on match day so you will have to have a fair bit of flexibility in your squad to handle that.”

Originally published as Kodi Nikorima urged to stay at Broncos by coach Wayne Bennett