Defiant Brisbane is refusing to enter a bidding war with 'little brother' Gold Coast for the services of Melbourne superstar Greg Inglis.
The Broncos appeared in the box seat to snare the Storm centre on a deal worth around $600,000 a season but the Titans have muddied the waters with an 11th hour bid believed to be worth $100,000 more.
Gold Coast CEO Michael Searle met with Inglis' manager Allan Gainey on Tuesday to officially table a deal.
But Brisbane boss Bruno Cullen is unfazed by the Titans' late interest or the fact Searle and Gainey enjoy a close relationship.
"We're not negotiating. We put our offer on the table a couple of weeks ago and made it quite clear then – and have continued to make it clear – that that doesn't change," Cullen declared on Tuesday.
"Michael's doing his best with his manager. I think there's a personal connection there – they know each other well, they're friends, I think Michael might even been his accountant or manager or something like that."
"There is a bit of a connection there and I understand that and Michael is doing his best, as he should."
"Searley is very proactive and is doing all those things but we're not. Our position is very clear - we're not negotiating."
Searle emerged from his talks with Gainey confident the club had presented a strong case.
"We think it's a week away before we can table a formal offer but I think Allan left here acutely aware of our genuine desire to try and put something to (Inglis) and have him playing at our club," he said.
"I consider him one of the top three players in the game and someone you can build a club around."
"It sends a clear message that we're competitive in the short term and long term."
But clouding the issue is a matter of when – or if – the Storm will accede to a request to release Inglis from his contract to ease the pressure on their salary cap heading into 2011.
"We're waiting to see where Greg gets with Melbourne and a release and the salary cap," Cullen said.
"When that's all over we will see where we are."
Searle added: "Obviously Melbourne is a key player in this. We still don't have notification the Storm will consider a release."