SALFORD RED DEVILS are battling to keep hold of their star halfback Brodie Croft ahead of the new season.
Croft, 25, won the Man of Steel award last season following a brilliant first year at the Red Devils, where he moved from Brisbane Broncos.
He signed a two-year deal with the club when he joined but there is interest from the NRL to bring him back to Australia immediately.
Salford have reportedly turned down an offer from St George Illawarra Dragons, said to be in the region of £150,000, for Croft.
The AJ Bell Stadium club, who reached the Super League play-off semi-finals last season with the help of Croft’s inspirational performances, insists their star won’t be leaving.
Instead they remain determined to secure him to a new contract to keep him in Salford beyond the end of this year.
“As far as I’m concerned, our club isn’t in a rush to release any players, let alone the reigning Man of Steel,” said Salford coach Paul Rowley.
“I know Brodie will be turning out for Salford and I’m quite confident he will be turning out as many times as he can during the 2023 season.”
Rowley commended Croft’s focus through the uncertainty: “We’re in a bit of a bubble here, trust me, and when he turns up for work there’s nobody talking about anything other than the job in hand.
“There is a lot of banter that gets thrown around the dressing room and that brings him back down to earth and focuses him.
“He’s never lost focus, so all that it’s water off a duck’s back. We’re coaching the team and he’s playing in the team.”
