Senior Broncos players are fuming that the club is considering cutting veteran forward Kurt Capewell loose for 2024.
Capewell is one of Brisbane's most experienced big-game players and was a key figure in the charge to last year's grand final.
The former Panthers forward turned 30 this year and club officials have plenty of good young talent to call on to replace him.
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But the team's leading figures realise Capewell's cool head and big effort plays played a huge role in tight games last season.
There are plenty of teams interested in Capewell, with the Warriors believed to be leading the race for his services.
The tough forward would be a great fit in Auckland, adding to the team's experience in the trenches.
Knights poach gun Panthers junior
The Knights have scored a coup by signing a player rated among the best teenage centres in the game from Penrith.
Wilson De Courcey, a former Australian Schoolboy, was signed to the Panthers for next season but the Knights managed to secure his release.
The 18-year-old from renowned league nursery Patrician Brothers, Blacktown, was a standout for the Panthers in the junior representative season this year and the Knights are delighted to gain his services.
He will start next season in the Ball and Flegg Cups before playing against grown men later in the season in the NSW Cup.
The plan is then to move him into the Knights' top 30 if he continues to develop in 2025.
Eels great emerges as favourite for Kiwis job
While there is a push for Wayne Bennett to coach the New Zealand national team after this column floated the idea from Graham Lowe last week, another man is the favourite for the job.
Word is that Parramatta legend Nathan Cayless has the runs on the board to get the job.
After playing more than 250 top grade games for the Eels and 39 for the Kiwis, Cayless has served his coaching apprenticeship in the lower grades with the Tigers and Eels and is currently coach of the New Zealand 'A' squad.
The other man who is getting plenty of support is Kiwi legend Stacey Jones, who is on the Warriors coaching staff.
Gun English centre locked in NRL bidding war
NRL clubs are ramping up the chase for gun Leeds centre Harry Newman.
Newman is in hot demand – rugby union want him, the big Super League clubs are after him and there's plenty of interest from the NRL as well.
The talented 23-year-old centre made his Test debut for England against Tonga recently and looked impressive in the three-Test series.
He apparently wants to test himself in the NRL but Leeds are also desperate to retain him.
Watch this space for developments.
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