The Brisbane Broncos have won the race to sign veteran NRL enforcer Marty Taupau for the 2023 season in a move that adds even more firepower to an already star-studded forward pack.
Taupau toured Red Hill late last week and met several of the Broncos playing group while up north, before returning to Sydney. The Sporting Base understands the 32-year-old Samoan international was particularly interested in playing alongside Payne Haas, who is widely regarded by many to already be the best prop in the game.
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Parramatta was another one of the NRL clubs in the race.
In total, five suitors circled Taupau for the better part of six months—everything was delayed for Taupau as the NRL struggled to decide what the season’s salary cap change would look like—and the Eels, Broncos, and Rabbitohs came closest.
Funnily enough, now ousted Manly coach Des Hasler was the only thing that stopped Parramatta from winning the race as early as mid-2022. The veteran enforcer had actually agreed to a deal with the Eels from 2023, but Hasler blocked the move because it included a swap clause that would have seen the 32-year-old move immediately.
Taupau joins the Broncos with just 2023 penned into his contract.
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The Samoan star, who has played an incredible 222 NRL games and 33 international Tests since debuting in 2010, was told by the Manly Sea Eagles they would not be seeking an extension to his deal last season. His last contract saw him earning $800,000 a year.
Taupau was actually unemployed for the last two months and earning nothing.
He spoke to the media several times during the lengthy wait, admitting the NRL dragging their heels on the salary cap decision had impacted him quite a bit in negotiations. At one time he even considered walking away from the game, but continued to back himself and still carries the belief he can be a key forward in the NRL.
“It’s been a really frustrating and stressful time,” Taupau said at the time. “It’s now a waiting game, not at our end, but with all the negotiations happening with the NRL and RLPA.
“I’m backing my ability to get a new deal. There are a number of clubs interested. But it comes back to the cap and how much clubs can spend.”
Taupau will move to Brisbane in the next few weeks to prep for preseason.
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