Superstar forward Pat Carrigan pushing for Broncos pay rise

Origin and International rep star Pat Carrigan’s management have contacted Ben Ikin and the Brisbane Broncos requesting a contract upgrade. Carrigan’s management will be seeking a $100,000 plus contract upgrade at the conclusion of his current deal at the end of 2024.

The request comes partly off the back of Carrigan’s impressive 2022 season with the Broncos where he returned from an ACL injury in 2021 to play 14 games averaging 150m per game with 14 runs per game, including 19 offloads and 21 tackle breaks.

Primarily, the request comes from Carrigan’s enormous performances in representative games, not only for Australia most recently in the Rugby League World Cup, but earlier this year for Queensland in the State of Origin series win over New South Wales. Carrigan averaged just over 64 minutes per game, 138m run per game and 41 tackles en route to winning the Wally Lewis medal for player of the series.

Carrigan earnt the honour over Kalyn Ponga, Cameron Munster and Harry Grant who all had incredible series. Carrigan however stood above the rest with his enormous work ethic and minutes played, something very rare for Origin debutants.

The request by Carrigan’s management comes after relieving news that superstar forward and teammate Payne Haas had retracted his request to be released from his current contract to stay at the Brisbane Broncos. Haas’s deal, like Carrigan’s, expires at the end of 2024.

The Broncos will now be under enormous pressure to retain the pair that are leaders of their forward pack who, along with captain Adam Reynolds and the emergence of superstar winger Selwyn Cobbo, past 2024, were key figures in the Broncos mid-season success in 2022.

Carrigan has previously captained the Brisbane Broncos, and is tipped to be the long term leader of not only the club, but possibly his state and country.

Not only is Carrigan’s performance on the field imperative to the Broncos success but his leadership that was missing when the Broncos lost five of their last six games. Carrigan copped a four match suspension for a hip drop tackle on Jackson Hastings which was responsible for breaking Hastings’ ankle.

Carrigan’s prospective price could only increase during the summer should he avoid injury and spend more time of the field for the Australian Kangaroos where he could play a huge role in their possible Rugby League World Cup victory, as well as the Broncos crusade to return to the NRL finals in 2023.

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