The Brisbane Broncos' pre-season has just kicked off, but the club is already facing some unwanted attention, accused of breaking promises in a contract dispute with one of the game's brightest young talents.
Australian Schoolboys Captain Karl Oloapu is at the centre of a dispute with the club and has refused to turn up to training, with reports indicating he may already be fielding interest from Super Rugby and the Super League.
Speaking with WWOS, Oloapu has accused the Broncos of pressuring him into signing a contract and making guarantees they clearly can't deliver on.
“My dream for as long as I can remember has been to play NRL and I've shed a lot of tears over how things have ended up – probably too many tears,” Oloapu told WWOS.
“I was between managers when I signed with the Broncos. I only went to see them with my older brother Joe for advice.
“They gave me a document that was more than 60 pages long and told me to sign it.
“I tried to read and understand it all in 30 minutes, but without a manager or legal advice it was very hard.
“The club told me I'd be in the Top 30 full-time players next year and that I'd be playing my preferred position of five-eighth and that I'd meet Kevin Walters, so I was happy.
“They gave me a chicken sandwich and that was it, we were shown the door. It didn't feel right.
“Since then I have been told I'm not a part of the full-time squad and they want me play at lock or hooker and change the shape of my body.
“I've never met Kevin and barely heard from the club. When my new manager asked to see their letter of offer to me, the club told him they'd lost it. How does that happen?”
The Broncos have refuted the claims and have since asserted they won't be releasing Oloapu from his contract.
“The club has been working with Karl's new management in recent months regarding this matter,” Broncos chief Dave Donaghy said.
“Earlier this year Karl signed a three-year contract with the Broncos, and the club will not be releasing Karl from his contract.”
“When my new manager asked to see their letter of offer to me, the club told him they’d lost it. How does that happen?”
Sounds fishy. There is a lot missing from the report. How old was he at the time? What did they offer to pay him? Having said that, he was dumb to sign that document without taking it away, and his brother was even dumber.
Advice to him walk away from the Broncs and sign up with a Rugby Union team – but have your agent read the contract, first.