We don't have a war chest: Broncos - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

We don't have a war chest: Broncos

By Wayne Heming 15/07/2010 04:59:27 PM Comments (0)

Brisbane's chief player negotiator Andrew Gee has dismissed reports the Broncos are armed with a huge war chest to chase any Melbourne Storm players offloaded by the fallen NRL premiers.

Gee was confronted on Thursday by more claims Brisbane was the only club with enough cash under the salary cap to sign Storm and Queensland superstar Greg Inglis.

Inglis asked Melbourne for a release from his contract on compassionate grounds last week, but an offer from the Broncos for his services was knocked back by his manager Allan Gainey.

The Queensland giants subsequently announced that the offer was now "off the table".

"The perception out there is we've got a massive war chest," Gee told AAP on Thursday.

"We certainly haven't got that.

"The offer we put to them (Inglis) is what we could afford and what fits in the cap.

"They (Inglis) would have have to come back to us and say what we offered might be on the mark, but by the sounds of it, it's nowhere near it."

Even before Melbourne's owners, News Limited, confirmed on Thursday that financial auditors Deloitte had discovered the Storm's breaches were a massive $3.17 million over the cap from 2006 and not the initial $1.7 million first reported, Brisbane were again linked to Inglis.

Melbourne believe they can retain their 'fab four' of Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Greg Inglis and Cooper Cronk by releasing as many as 10 other players, enabling them to squeeze under next year's extended $4.4 million salary cap.

Inglis approached Melbourne management last weekend seeking a release, provided Brisbane could make him a suitable offer.

Gainey contacted Gee on Monday to find out what the club could put in front of Inglis, only to call him back a few hours later to reject the proposal.

Brisbane were unimpressed that the offer, believed to be around $400,000-a-season, was snubbed so quickly, and withdrew it.

But Gee said if Gainey contacted the club again with reduced demands for his client they would have to listen.

"As far as I'm concerned the offer is dead and buried from our side," said the uncompromising fromer prop.

"They asked us to put forward the best offer we could and they wanted it done quickly and we did that."

Gee suggested there could be a few other NRL clubs who had are keeping some cash in reserve in case a blue chip player like Inglis or Slater appeared on the radar.

"I don't think any club would not back any of those four but we (Broncos) are not in a position to pay that kind of money," he said

"Greg's the only player we've talked about here and we made an offer and it was knocked back.

"For me it is dead and buried."

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