From bargain buy to big-money target — Gehamat Shibasaki, currently earning just $85,000 this season, is set for a monster payday, with the Broncos unable to table an offer to retain the rising Maroons star.
After a breakout year that included a State of Origin debut, Shibasaki is now the centre of a multi-club bidding war, with the North Sydney Bears leading the chase and prepared to offer a deal believed to be worth upwards of $400,000 per season.
Despite his standout performances, the Broncos are hamstrung by salary cap pressures and have reluctantly accepted they won’t be able to match the offers heading Shibasaki’s way.
“We’d love to keep him, but we just don’t have the room,” a senior Broncos source admitted. “He’s earned every bit of what’s coming to him.”
The Bears, pushing hard to re-establish themselves as a powerhouse club, see Shibasaki as a headline signing — a proven Origin talent entering his prime.
With Brisbane effectively squeezed out of the race, all signs now point to a rich new chapter in Shibasaki’s career — and a significant loss for the Broncos.
