One of 13 players farewelled by the Penrith Panthers, versatile forward Preston Riki has reportedly been handed a lifeline from another NRL team, which will keep him in the NRL competition.
After a four-year stint with the Panthers, Riki’s time at the club has come to an end this year and he will now move on to his third club after beginning his career at the New Zealand Warriors.
As reported by News Corp, Riki has been handed a lifeline from the Brisbane Broncos, which will see him join the club on a train-and-trial contract for the 2026 NRL season.
His arrival comes after the departure of Kobe Hetherington (Manly Sea Eagles) and Tyson Smoothy (Wakefield Trinity).
Meanwhile, Jack Gosiewski is yet to secure a new deal with the club but remains in talks with the Broncos.
No relation to Jordan Riki, the one-time Maori All Stars representative, will look to follow in the footsteps of Gehamat Shibasaki next season.
Shibasaki transitioned from a train-and-trial contract to a development deal before eventually becoming a regular in the side and playing in the State of Origin arena in 2025.