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Message: [QUOTE="Unbreakable, post: 3060141, member: 8290"] [SIZE=26px][B]Why Broncos hooker Jake Turpin turned down $1.2m deal for a love of harness racing[/B][/SIZE] Turpin admitted he was close to succumbing to rival offers with up to six clubs queuing up for his signature — including a reported $1.2 million Warriors deal — after a breakout year for the Broncos No doubt it was tempting for Turpin who only scraped into Brisbane’s 2019 top 30 squad on a minimum $70,000 salary following Kodi Nikorima’s Warriors exit and regular hooker Andrew McCullough’s early season knee injury. However, the 22-year-old said his family’s love of horses ensured he didn’t leave the Red Hill paddock. His family from Haigslea, west of Brisbane, are heavily involved in harness racing with his sister Chantal a driver as well as a trainer along with Turpin. “I was pretty close to be honest,” Turpin said of leaving Brisbane. But asked if his Brisbane harness racing background was a factor, Turpin said: “For sure. The stables are only an hour and a half away and I can go and see my horses do some track work. “I can be around them.” More direct family ties also came to the fore for Turpin who initially broke into the 17 in round nine as injured rake McCullough’s replacement but will run out for his fifth straight game in the Broncos No. 7 jersey in Thursday’s NRL away clash with North Queensland. Turpin said he was trying to make up for lost time on and off the field after finally embracing his Broncos chance following an under 20s stint with Melbourne Storm from 2014-16. “I have two little nieces. If I moved way I wouldn’t see them grow up,” he said. “I spent three years (at Melbourne) from them which was hard on me — my first niece didn’t know my name for their first two years.” Turpin may be considered a long term Broncos hooker option after veteran McCullough retires. But in the meantime he is revelling in his starting halves spot, partnering captain Darius Boyd with first choice No. 7 Tom Dearden (ankle) sidelined. “It’s moved pretty quickly to be honest. I set myself little goals. I wanted to get into the top 30 and I achieved that then I wanted to play first grade and I achieved that,” he said. “There are always things in my game that I have to improve but I am really excited about the rest of 2019.” Source: [URL]https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/broncos/why-broncos-hooker-jake-turpin-turned-down-12m-deal-for-a-love-of-harness-racing/news-story/a48744a8e51b745cf59ce99f9b0a1866[/URL] [/QUOTE]

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