Former NRL half Te Maire Martin is set to receive another shot at the NRL.
Martin medically retired from the NRL in the early part of 2020. It came following a 2019 incident which caused a small bleed on the brain for Martin.
He announced his retirement during January after he was unable to gain clearance from medical professionals to return to full contact training.
That has since changed however for a player once rated as one of the most talented juniors in the game. Martin played for the Junior Kiwis twice, kicking the winning field goal in 2014 before scoring a try in a tight loss the following year. He was also named as five-eighth of the year twice to the Holden Cup Team of the Year, and played four games for New Zealand during his first three years in the NRL.
It was first reported just a few weeks ago that Martin was playing football with his brothers in New Zealand following clearance on medical tests.
The Tokora-born 26-year-old has now reportedly signed a development deal with the Brisbane Broncos, according to The Daily Telegraph.
A development deal means Martin will train with the first-grade squad over the summer and play Queensland Cup - likely for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls - during the first portion of the season as part of the Broncos' feeder system.
From there, he would be cleared to play NRL from Round 10, in the same boat as every other player on a development deal.
Development deals are usually saved for younger players at the club, however, the circumstances of Martin have seemingly called for more than a train and trial contract, but less than a full-time gig given the length of time it has been since he last laced up the boots at the top level.
At the time of his initial retirement, a headline stated Martin could die if he played again, however, his agent Andrew Purcell told The Daily Telegraph that wasn't true.
“When he retired there was a headline ‘if I play again I could die’ and that wasn’t factually correct,” Purcell told the publication.
“No brain expert ever said that. Te Maire was coming off contract and was advised to have a spell. Then he retired for two years and started playing a bit of footy with his brothers in New Zealand.
“He felt OK and started playing country footy then rang me up and said he was keen again. He’s had multiple tests and all the scans came back with the green light.
“He feels like he can start fresh and he’s grateful the Broncos have opened the door.”
Martin will link up with the Broncos at training once he gains clearance to travel, although, being a Queensland-based team, he will likely need to serve two weeks of quarantine as New Zealand's travel bubble has been suspended with Australia.
Only New South Wales now has quarantine free travel to the rest of the world for Australian residents under current public health orders.
