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The Bulldogs had boom teenager Brendan Piakura signed, sealed and delivered — according to reports — but the Broncos have convinced him to stay at home.
The club announced Thursday Piakura, 18, has signed a three-year deal through to the end of the 2024 NRL season.
The Courier-Mail reports the deal is worth $1.2 million, reportedly trumping an offer from the Bulldogs that was worth up to $1m over two years.
It is a huge win for the Broncos after reports the Bulldogs were leading the race with the Titans also hunting the signature of the former Australian schoolboys representative.
Piakura’s retention became one of the Broncos’ top priorities after the club had been left “filthy” at losing rising star fullback Reece Walsh to the Warriors.
Piakura was reportedly spotted touring facilities at the Bulldogs’ Belmore headquarters twice in recent months.
However, Dogs coach Trent Barrett said weeks after the reports that the Bulldogs expected Piakura to remain with the Broncos.
Broncos Head Coach Kevin Walters said locking in Piakura on a long-term deal was a great result for the club.
“He’s a very good young player who has been in our pathways system for many years,” said Walters.
“It’s great to see him sign a three-year contract to stay at the Club, and coming off the back of Jordan Riki’s contract news a few weeks back, it shows that the Broncos are heading in the right direction.”
The Broncos last month also celebrated the retention of promising forward Jordan Riki.
However, the club remains under threat of losing a number of big-name stars.
According to reports, Kotoni Staggs is close to accepting a rich deal to remain at the club, but the Broncos are still in a fight to retain stars Tom Dearden and Xavier Coates.
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