The NRL’s last chance saloon: Part 1 A Set the default text size A Set large text size
Replay A Set the default text size A Set large text size
There are currently some 190 players who remain without a contract beyond this season.
For the statistically minded, that represents about 40 per cent of the combined 30-man squad strengths of the 16 clubs.
Nothing unusual about these numbers at this time of year, though, and no doubt clubs are firming up their future plans, filling paper bags with cash, and communicating with avaricious player agents as you read this. Share
Looking a bit deeper, though, and nearly 40 of the players not contracted beyond this year will be 30 years of age or more by the time the 2022 season kicks off.
Tyrone Peachey fears being squeezed out of the Gold Coast with the utility yet to hear from the club as the Titans prepare to make a play for Broncos five-eighth Anthony Milford.
Peachey is one of several high-profile Titans yet to be told if they’re wanted by the club, with playmaker Ash Taylor, co-captain Kevin Proctor and hooker Mitch Rein also sweating on new deals or contract activations that would secure their futures.
The Titans had interest in Broncos duo Kotoni Staggs and Xavier Coates before they signed new contracts, but it is their latest enquiries about Milford on a cut-price deal that will have ramifications on the Gold Coast.
Kevin Walters’ halves gamble paid off as the Broncos produced the biggest comeback in club history with a 36-28 win to hand Gold Coast one of the most bizarre capitulations seen in the NRL in some time.
The Broncos coach recalled maligned $1 million man Anthony Milford and former electrician Tyson Gamble and they provided the spark that was needed as Brisbane turned a 22-0 deficit after just 14 minutes into one of the most remarkable wins of the season.
Brisbane scored 36 straight points after finally turning up to Suncorp Stadium when the game was 15 minutes old and it was their new halves pairing doing plenty of the damage.
Murray Wenzel06:57, May 01 2021
Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
Corey Oates scoring one of Brisbane’s breakaway tries in their comeback win over the Titans.
Brisbane have staged their greatest NRL comeback, beating Gold Coast 36-28 despite the Titans scoring four times in the opening 13 minutes of an incredible derby. The Broncos trailed 22-0 after 15 minutes in Friday night s clash and looked all at sea before scoring 36 consecutive points to eclipse their previous-best 18-point comeback against Canberra 15 years ago. The win was Brisbane s first against a team other than Canterbury since round two last year, while Titans coach Justin Holbrook likened his side s horrible defence to that of an under-20s team as they slumped to 3-5.
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