NRL: Broncos lure Inglis away from Storm

Dark days lie ahead for Melbourne after losing Greg Inglis to Brisbane. Photo / Getty Images

The long-running Greg Inglis saga is over with the superstar rugby league test centre heading to Brisbane next season.

Inglis is believed to have agreed to a two-year deal until 2012 when he'll re-assess his future with an independent commission running the NRL and bigger salary cap operating once a new TV rights deal locked in.

Melbourne confirmed today that it would release Inglis and Brett White from the rest of their contracts after this season, as it submitted its playing roster for 2011.

At a meeting at the club's Carlton headquarters, Inglis and White addressed their teammates confirming that they will both be leaving the club at the end of the season.

White is joining the Canberra Raiders on a three-year deal.

Storm chief executive Ron Gauci said the club now expected to be salary cap-compliant in 2011 after releasing Inglis and fellow representative star White.

"We have undergone a thorough and transparent process that was always designed to ensure that we meet our salary cap obligations for 2011," Gauci said.

"This process has considered all matters, including our commercial position, the players' needs and preferences, as well as our on-field team balance.

"As a result of that thorough and transparent process we anticipate that we will receive NRL sign-off once the club's final salary cap audit is completed."

Gauci said there would be no further premature player departure announcements this season, indicating they would retain Smith, Slater and Cronk.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy paid tribute to the departing players.

"The legacy that all of our players who are leaving this club have made on the Melbourne Storm won't be lost on those still remaining any time soon," said Bellamy.

"We're sad to see them go and they're sad to be going."

It's believed Brisbane closed the Inglis deal yesterday after tapping into its A$300,000 marquee player allowance to bump up its offer to Inglis by an additional A$45,000.

The marquee player allowance lets clubs to top up deals to players.

It's been doubled from A$150,000 to A$300,000 in 2011 and can be used on one player or up to 15 players on a club's list.

Melbourne's confidence about keeping Inglis soared over the weekend following talks with NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert when there was no directive they would have to disband their Fab Four of Inglis, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk.

But their last ditch bid to retain him by releasing a string of players was trumped by the Broncos' revised two-year package plus Inglis' desire to be with his fiancee Sally Robinson who has just started a new job in Brisbane.

The opportunity to share in Darren Lockyer's final NRL seasons also greatly appealed to Inglis.

Fellow suitors Gold Coast made a late offer which included a better second year arrangement financially and South Sydney owner Russell Crowe also showed interest but Brisbane were always confident of securing Inglis.

They had been sitting back waiting for his manager Allan Gainey to make the final call, which he did yesterday.

Brisbane then played their final ace and the deal was done.

While they said publicly they would not budge on their final offer, they would have been mad to have missed out on a player of Inglis's talents for the sake of A$50,000.

Inglis's move to the six-time premiers will further strain relations between the two power clubs of the past two decades which hit rock bottom after the Broncos beat Melbourne in the 2006 grand final.

His signing however will seriously ease coach Ivan Henjak's pain at losing giant young centre Israel Folau to the AFL next season.

With Bulldogs representative prop Ben Hannant set to return to the Brisbane, the Broncos will be a real force in 2011 and beyond with so many exciting young players on their roster.

The likes of fullback Josh Hoffman, winger Jharal Yow Yea, hooker Andrew McCullough, props Mitchell Dodds and Josh McGuire and utility players Alex Glenn, Ben Hunt and rookie-of-the-year favourite Matt Gillett, Brisbane all have a bright futures and have all been signed to extended deals.

The addition of a world class player such as Inglis ensures Brisbane's backline retains its strike out wide with Justin Hodges preparing to return from a snapped Achilles which has kept him off the field in 2010.

- AAP