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Brisbane coach Kevin Walters is adamant the NRL club can win the battle with Melbourne for the signature of emerging winger Xavier Coates.
In-demand winger Xavier Coates remains a key cog in Brisbane's future with coach Kevin Walters refusing to concede the 20-year-old is on his way out of the NRL club.
The Origin flyer has been strongly linked to a move to the Melbourne Storm to replace Thursday night's six-try hero Josh Addo-Carr, who is heading to Canterbury next season, on the wing for the defending premiers.
His exit would leave the once-mighty Broncos without a single current Queensland representative.
David Fifita opted to head to rivals Gold Coast this season, emerging half Sam Walker chose the Sydney Roosters over Brisbane while Reece Walsh (New Zealand Warriors) and Tom Dearden (North Queensland) are others who have looked elsewhere for an NRL future.
The six-time NRL champions have historically attracted players based on their reputation as a successful club.
But now, after convincing Kotoni Staggs to sign a four-year deal this week, last year's wooden spooners are being forced to offer more to retain their talent.
"I'm not sure about the financial commitment, but we're backing Xavier all the way," Walters said of the prospect of having to offer higher salaries to retain their in-demand players.
"I can assure everyone that we've got a really strong plan at the Broncos for the future and Xavier's part of those plans.
"I'm confident he'll stay; we're moving in the right direction and he's a part of that because we put a lot of work into Xavier and the development of his football."
The former Maroons coach admitted the club's focus had seemed to drift away from cultivated home-grown talent but that he planned to fix that.
"We are a Queensland-based club for Queensland kids; (it should provide) a pathway through," he said.
"Prior to me coming here that hasn't happened for whatever reasons, either keeping them here or reintroducing them (from rival clubs).
"I'm more than happy with that (recruiting some NSW talent), but primarily we're about Queenslanders."
