BRISBANE is reportedly in the process of offering a massive deal to star fullback Darius Boyd which will likely see him finish his career at Red Hill.

Courier Mail reporter Peter Badel told NRL Tonight the Broncos and Boyd are in discussions over a possible four-year deal said to be worth $4 million.

“It’s early stages at the moment but Darius Boyd is keen to finish his career at the Broncos,” Badel said.

“He’s seeking, from what I understand, a $1 million deal per season, a four-year extension is what they’re discussing.

Round 19

“The Broncos will look perhaps at a two-year deal with a two-year option.”

He would be 34 years old once that possible four-year contract expires in 2021.

Boyd is off contract this year but has a history of sticking by coach Wayne Bennett. Bennett made the veteran No. 1 captain of the club this year.

Boyd began his NRL career at the club in 2006 before following Bennett to St George Illawarra and then Newcastle, then returned to Brisbane in 2015.

News of the big money extension has taken Broncos great Steve Renouf by surprise, with the former Kangaroo star believing the club may be spending too much.

“It’s been a rise to fame for Darius to get the captaincy,” Renouf told Bill & Boz.

“He’s 30, they’re saying $1 million a year for four years. I think that’s a little over the top.

“I’m not sure he sits in that category - that’s the likes of Thurston, Smith and Cronk.”

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Darius Boyd passes the ball during a Brisbane Broncos training session. Source: Getty Images

MBYE SHUTS DOWN INJURY RUMOUR

Canterbury playmaker Moses Mbye has played down speculation over an elbow injury.

It’s been reported Mbye suffered a fractured elbow during a trial game but the Bulldogs halfback said it’s not as bad as that, confirming he will line up against Storm on Friday.

“I’m all good to go. I copped a bump in the trial, but it was more precautionary then anything. I had scans and they came back all good,” Mbye told media on Wednesday.

“There’s a little bit of bruising, but there’s no damage structurally to the elbow. I’ve been training and I’ll be playing this weekend.”

SALARY CAP MESS

Clubs are still waiting to hear what the salary cap will be from 2018 onwards and NRL 360 host Paul Kent says it’s still a while off.

“There’s no rush from the players’ association who are striving to get a percentage of gross revenue for what the salary cap is,” Kent told the show.

“Their belief is that they don’t want to rush it and do half a job.”

Here comes the problem.

With clubs needing to secure talent beyond 2017, some are operating on caps that are anywhere between $9.2 million to 11 million.

“If you’ve signed all your players now, chances are you’re going to be over because clubs are paying too much money for too many players,” Daily Telegraph journalist Paul Crawley told the show.

WHERE’S THE WOMEN’S COMP?

With the AFL launching a women’s league, many people have been asking if an NRL competition is far off.

Fox Sports reporter Lara Pitt believes we could be waiting a while.

“Three of four years,” Pitt told League Life.

“We don’t have the depth, we don’t have the quality of talent waiting and ready to go this year or next.

“It would be a complete failure and disaster for the women’s game.

“We’re paying the price for not having the grassroots in place like the AFL has for 20 years.”

Ben Ikin, Nathan Ryan and Ben Glover are joined by Raiders director of recruitment Peter Mulholland to discuss Canberra’s season-eve wheeling and dealing as well as all the big headlines from the off-season transfer bonanza.

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PAULI ON THE MEND

Injured Newcastle prop Pauli Pauli is targeting an early return to the field following a horror car crash in January where he dislocated his hip.

Pauli is itching to get back out on the training paddock with his teammates and is hoping to run out in round three.

“I am feeling a lot better from day one and I’m starting to walk now, hopefully running some time this week or next week, so I’m recovering really well,” he told Knights TV.

“The first couple of weeks were pretty hard but as you train more each day, you start getting fitter and better. I’m getting there slowly.”

EELS KEEN ON McQUEEN



Parramatta have thrown their hat in the ring for the services of former Origin forward Chris McQueen, according to Courier-Mail journalist Peter Badel.

The Gold Coast star is off contract at the end of the year and has already attracted attention from the Wests Tigers.

“At the moment the Tigers are looking to table a three-year deal worth around $1.2 million,” Badel told NRL Tonight.

“The Titans are keeping their cards close to their chest. They want to see his form in the early rounds of the season. They’re not committing to anything at the moment beyond a one-year deal with a one-year option.”

‘ENNIS IN THE MAKING’

Cronulla veteran Luke Lewis says he can’t wait to run out alongside young hooker Jayden Brailey in the NRL season opener on Thursday night.

Brailey will start at hooker for the Sharks, taking over from the retired Michael Ennis who has been mentoring him throughout the pre-season.

“He’s one of those future kids I’m really looking forward to playing with and to see how his future’s going to unfold,” Lewis told NRL Tonight.

“I think he’s definitely a Mick Ennis in the making and he’s got Micky beside him every day.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how that goes.”

RAIDERS VETERAN COULD BACKFLIP

He recently decided that the 2017 season could be his last, but Canberra prop Jeff Lima says he could scrap that idea and play on next year.

The 34-year-old is one of the game’s journeyman, having played at the Wests Tigers, Melbourne, South Sydney, Canberra, Wigan and Catalans over a career spanning back to 2004.

Lima says he’ll wait to see how his body pulls up before setting his decision in stone.

Jeff Lima of the Raiders. Source: Getty Images

“Nothing changes for me this year, if I pull up all right at the end of the year and feel like I can go again, then I’ll go again,” Lima told The Canberra Times.

“If it’s your last preparation or first, you still do things the same to see how it goes. There’s still a bit of an open door at the end of this year.

“If everything is going well, then we’ll see if we can go again. But the day I wake up and I can’t train is the day I’ll give it up. But for now, everything is going all right.”

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