NRL transfer news: Broncos star Tom Flegler set to make call on Dolphins interest
Dolphins target Tom Flegler faces sacrificing as much as $600,000 to remain at the Broncos as D-Day arrives for the Brisbane enforcer.
News Corp understands Flegler will make a definitive call on his future over the next 48 hours as Brisbane fight to keep the Queensland Origin bookend at Red Hill in the face of a massive offer from expansion rivals the Dolphins.
It is understood four clubs have expressed interest in the off-contract Flegler, including the Roosters, who are planning for life after front-row hardman Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
Fellow Sydney-based club Manly last year tabled a six-year, $675,000 offer worth $4 million for Flegler, but the Broncos bookend would prefer to remain in Queensland.
Meanwhile, the Roosters have emerged as a contender to land Spencer Leniu from Penrith as they hunt a potential long-term prop option.
That makes the Dolphins the primary threat to the Broncos, who are reeling from the loss of British Test star Herbie Farnworth to Wayne Bennett’s new expansion side and can ill-afford to see another top-liner go from Red Hill to Redcliffe.
The Dolphins’ package is around $800,000 a season and the Broncos, whose offer is less attractive financially, are refusing to get into a bidding war.
Over a four-year term, Flegler stands to make $150,000 more annually by defecting to the Dolphins.
The Dolphins blew Brisbane out of the water with a deal for Farnworth that was in excess of $700,000 a season and they have the cash reserves under the salary cap to do the same with Flegler.
As part of their roster management and succession planning, the Broncos have classified Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan as their two top dogs in the middle and accept they could be outbid by the Dolphins for Flegler.
The 23-year-old Flegler has played 74 games for the Broncos since his NRL debut in 2019 and Dolphins recruitment chief Peter O’Sullivan is a massive fan of the Tully tearaway.
Once likened in style to Broncos prop Shane Webcke, Flegler has battled suspension and form issues at Brisbane and a move to the Dolphins could represent a fresh start for the promising front-rower.
The Dolphins have an ageing pack – props Jesse Bromwich (33), Mark Nicholls (33) and Jarrod Wallace (31) are in their 30s – and Flegler is viewed as the young firebrand who can spearhead the 17th team’s engine room for a decade.
Should Flegler quit the Broncos, Brisbane will turn to the likes of Corey Jensen, Xavier Willison and towering rookie prop Ben Te Kura to support big guns Haas and Carrigan in the midfield.
Jensen signed a two-year upgrade with the Broncos on Friday and the former Cowboys grand-final prop hopes Flegler follows suit.
“I hope some of the other off-contract guys stay here, 100 per cent,” Jensen said.
“Our squad hasn’t changed too much with the personnel we had last year and I do feel we are building something.
“We are a tight knit group of blokes, we have bonded well on the off the field and the more guys we keep here the better because that’s how you build a premiership team.”
Reading that he is staying or going to Dolphins
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