Peter Wallace and Joel Clinton (PEN) to Brisbane
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21828599-23214,00.html
Broncos snap up Panthers
Steve Ricketts and Steve Mascord
June 01, 2007
BRISBANE Broncos has pulled off one of the biggest signing coups in the club's history, with Penrith last night conceding prop Joel Clinton and outstanding young halfback Peter Wallace will join the NRL premiers next season.
Panthers general manager Mick Leary said the club could not match the Broncos' offers.
"With young Peter and the money he's been offered up in Brisbane, the best we can do is wish him luck," Leary said.
"It's the same with Joel. We don't like to lose local juniors but we couldn't match what is on offer elsewhere.
"They go with our best wishes and hopefully we can get into the player market and pick up a couple of players."
The signing of Clinton and Wallace could come at a cost, with Brisbane battling to keep Australia stars Shaun Berrigan and Petero Civoniceva in the face of enormous rival offers.
Berrigan is considered odds on to accept a $500,000-a-year offer to play for Harlequins in England next year.
Late bids for Civoniceva have forced the veteran prop to reconsider his position after it seemed a formality he would stay.
Berrigan, Civoniceva and Brent Tate were the Broncos' priorities this week and when Tate agreed to a four-year $1.8 million deal with the New Zealand Warriors it was expected Berrigan and Civoniceva would re-sign.
After training yesterday, Broncos coach Wayne Bennett was asked if he was confident of keeping most of his off contract stars.
He simply replied: "No."
Bennett initiated talks with Clinton and Wallace last week, no doubt fearing the worst in relation to Civoniceva and Berrigan.
The signing of the Penrith duo is Brisbane's biggest successful raid since it enticed Gorden Tallis back to Queensland in 1997 along with St George teammate Anthony Mundine.
Clinton, a former Test and New South Wales Origin prop, played under Bennett on the 2004 Kangaroo tour.
The Broncos are set to retain youngsters Darius Boyd and Joel Moon who are believed to have agreed to terms for new one-year deals with options in their favour for a further 12 months.
Cullen said the club also was keen to re-sign fellow youngsters Greg Eastwood, Steve Michaels, Rodney Davies and Denan Kemp after already stitching up a deal with promising prop Dave Taylor.
Test centre Justin Hodges is yet to re-sign, but is expected to soon confirm a new deal.
Bennett refused to confirm the club's new signings yesterday, but he said Tate would go with his blessing.
"He needs a change of clubs," Bennett said.
:crazy:
