Broncos CEO wants Thaiday to stay put

The Brisbane Broncos want benched veteran Sam Thaiday to finish his career at the club despite his poor start to the new NRL season.

Brisbane chief executive Paul White wants under-fire veteran Sam Thaiday to see out his career at the NRL club.

Thaiday's future has come into question since he was demoted to the interchange bench last week by returning coach Wayne Bennett, who criticised his effort in the opening round loss to South Sydney.

Off contract at the end of the season, the 29-year-old Test and Origin star has publicly declared he wants to stay with the Broncos and co-captain Justin Hodges last week called on the club to re-sign Thaiday as soon as possible.

White said negotiations with Thaiday had not started yet, but the club "most definitely" wants to retain him.

"He's been a long-term player with our club. I know he's committed to our club and he'd like to finish his career here," White said on Tuesday at the announcement of a three-year funding partnership between the Queensland Government, the Broncos and the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health for the Deadly Choices program, for which Thaiday is an ambassador.

"From my point of view I'd love to see that happen."

Asked if Thaiday would have to take a pay cut to stay in Brisbane, White said: "I have never talked about specifics of any player or negotiations so I won't be starting that now."

"I just reaffirm my commitment to Sam as a person and a player.

"The work he does with this program in particular delivers outstanding outcomes which will now be driven right across Queensland."

Bennett said he saw glimpses of the "Thaiday of old" in last week's win over Cronulla but warned it would take more than just one good performance for the stalwart to earn a recall to the starting side.


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Source: AAP


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