Contract tragedy: What a split! Broncos locker room in serious jeopardy as two key jewels set for brutal urgent Exodus due to Reece Walsh staggering $5 million contract extension” which has seen them brought to the dust..
Selwyn Cobbo or Kotoni Staggs could be headed out of the Broncos soon, after Reece Walsh inked a big new $5 million contract that will put a strain on the NRL team’s salary cap. Walsh allegedly consented to stay in Brisbane for a $5 million, four-year contract extension.
Although nothing is official just yet, the Broncos have moved to lock him down before he becomes a free agent for 2026 on November 1. Initial reports from earlier this year stated that Walsh was looking at a new deal worth $6 million.
But despite the fact he’s seemingly agreed to take $1 million less, Walsh’s new contract will still have unwanted consequences for some of his teammates. Ezra Mam, Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan have all been re-signed on big-money deals in recent times, and with Walsh set to take another $5 million, there’s very little left for others.
Cobbo and Staggs are both free to negotiate with rival clubs come November 1, and the Broncos appear destined to have to part ways with one – if not both. Leading reporter Brent Read stated on NRL 360 on Monday night: “You look at the two centres they have – Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo – both are guys who are free agents on November 1. They (Broncos) probably won’t be able to keep both of those guys I imagine. They probably have to make a decision, unless they want to take significant haircuts.”
Phil Rothfield added: “The Broncos’ problem is Mam got a massive upgrade last year around $800k, Payne Haas got a big one, so did Patrick Carrigan. So they’re chewing up a lot of their cap on four great players.”
Reece Walsh’s $5m contract to spark salary cap squeeze.
The Broncos made the right decision in handing Walsh $1.25 million a season; he is a player of a generation who will fill seats with shit for the foreseeable future. Even Kalyn Ponga, who plays fullback for the Newcastle Knights and earns $1.4 million, is paid more than he is in the NRL. However, as the Knights have shown, spending so much money on one player makes it difficult to add talented players to a squad and may be fatal if the star player receives a significant injury.
Coach Kevin Walters has already admitted Cobbo and Staggs would need to take pay-cuts if they want to remain loyal to the Broncos. But with the side finishing 12th in 2024 in a massive fall from grace, there’s every chance they’ll look elsewhere in order to be paid what they’re worth.
Wendell Sailor, a Broncos great, foresaw this very scenario in a speech he gave in October. Speaking on Triple M radio, he stated, “I like Ezra, but that’s a lot of money.” I was just talking a couple of months ago about paying Reece Walsh a million dollars. That means that if you give him a million dollars, you’re also giving Payne Haas a million dollars. You’re overpaying, so something has to give.”
Broncos won’t be able to snare Sam Walker at halfback
The situation also means the Broncos can’t afford to bring Sam Walker back to replace veteran halfback Adam Reynolds, as Darren Lockyer highlighted earlier this month. Walker is from Queensland and would be the ideal target at No.7 for the Broncos, but they won’t be able to afford him.
Lockyer revealed earlier this month: “The salary cap probably restricts you from bringing someone like that to the club at the moment, because he’s demanding big money. He’s already got a decent offer on the table from the Roosters, even though it’s well below what he’s asking. The Broncos at the moment would not be in the market, could not afford that type of player.”
