Gold Coast captain Scott Prince is set to join a rival NRL club after turning down an offer to play out his career for Hull FC in Super League.
Hull owner Adam Pearson has announced that Prince's move to the UK was off after being informed that an NRL club had now tabled a significant and much larger last-minute bid.
Pearson did not name the rival club but there is speculation that the former Test halfback could move to the Broncos.
**St George Illawarra may be another option but the Herald was told last week that the only Sydney club Prince would consider was Wests Tigers, who he steered to a premiership in 2005.**
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“We tabled a final and competitive offer for Scott and one that I know he was happy with and looked keen to sign,” Pearson said on the club's website.
“It was a difficult decision for him to weigh up, particularly with it being such a major move to the other side of the world and knowing he is still a prominent player in the NRL competition.
“Therefore, the bid which came in from another club in Australia has turned his head and rightly so with the money they have put forward.
“Scott has done what any player would do in this situation and despite being extremely keen to secure his signature, we aren't willing to match that offer with an amount of money that would be unjust for our club.
"It is very difficult to compete for players of his calibre against a rival club that is governed by a salary cap three times the size of ours and we won't do anything to put Hull FC at risk.” Pearson also revealed that Prince still had ambitions to play State of Origin for Queensland and represent Australia.
“We understand a player will be attracted by the largest offer and the opportunity to play at the highest level, which is the NRL,” he said.
“It is important for everyone to understand that Scott was going to shelve a lot for a move to Hull FC, he was already looking at places to live and had bought into the culture we're trying to promote at the club.
“However, he still harbours representative ambitions and you can't realise that in England."
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/prince-eyes-deal-with-broncos-after-rejecting-hull-20121031-28il6.html#ixzz2Ap9LyGay