Kurt Capewell’s immediate status has been verified.
Kurt Capewell, a veteran second-rower, has officially been released by the Brisbane Broncos from the remainder of his playing contract. Capewell will now play for the New Zealand Warriors for three years.
Shortly after the Broncos announced they would be cutting Capewell, the Warriors confirmed the news on Thursday morning. After visiting the club’s facilities recently, Capewell was reportedly expected to join for weeks.
Although it was thought that the Broncos were considering their options regarding Capewell’s future, they have finally decided to give him the release that terminates his playing contract.
Coach Kevin Walters confirmed the second-rower’s departure in a club statement. “Capes has played an important role for us over the past couple of seasons, both on and off the pitch as we laid down the foundations to turn things around as a club,” Walters said.
“He is a terrific guy and a great asset to our team. Since joining us in 2021, he has had a significant impact on our club quickly.
There aren’t many individuals who can speak poorly of Kurt.
“I’d like to thank Capes for all of his efforts at the club on behalf of the entire Broncos team, and we wish him well.”
Capewell’s transfer to the Warriors will keep him with the team through at least the conclusion of the 2026 season. Andrew Webster, the club’s coach, stated that the move was crucial.
In a statement, Webster added, “Kurt is a winner with tremendous passion and a terrific work ethic.”
“I had a great time working with him at Penrith, and I’m confident he’ll make a significant contribution to our team and the club as a whole.
“He completely matches our ideal player profile for the One New Zealand Warriors.”
The Broncos are currently facing a wage cap constraint as they attempt to extend the contracts of Adam Reynolds, Reece Walsh, and Ezra Mam. They have previously done this for Brendan Piakura and Jordan Riki, who are unquestionably the team’s long-term second-row options.
As a result, Capewell was left with no new contract for 2025 and a decreasing position in 2024. Instead, he’ll probably sign with the Warriors, where he could be able to secure a berth after the team let Josh Curran to sign with the Canterbury Bulldogs prior to 2024.
It’s hard to see the former Queensland State of Origin player moving forward with the move, even though it was previously thought that coach Andrew Webster wanted to develop young at the team.
In 2023, Curran was mostly used off the bench by the Warriors, who also have Marata Niukore and Jackson Ford, who re-signed with the team today, on the edge.
However, if Addin Fonua-Blake departs the team in 2025, Niukore will probably have to move into the middle third. The representative prop asked to be released from the Warriors before deciding to finish the 2024 campaign.
In light of this, Capewell, who joins the Warriors at the age of 30, could find himself starting and contributing significantly to Andrew Webster’s team, the biggest surprise of the 2023 campaign.
Early the next week, Capewell will visit Auckland in order to connect with the team.
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