Matt Gillett

Top five second-rowers in the NRL

Who are the game's elite second-rowers going into the 2017 season? The NRL.com team got together and settled on the following five players.

5. Matt Gillett

2016 stats: 81.2 metres per game, 38 tackles per game, 38 tackle breaks

Gillett signs long-term Broncos deal

Australia second-rower Matt Gillett re-signed with the Brisbane Broncos, committing to the NRL club until at least the end of 2020.

Gillett, 28, joined the Broncos as a teenager and made his debut in 2010, before establishing himself as a Queensland State of Origin player.

Broncos chief executive Paul White was delighted with the re-signing of Gillett, who made his first appearance for Australia two years ago.

"Matt is a wonderful rugby league player but also a thoroughly decent person. His efforts for the club on and off the field do not go unnoticed," he said.

Broncos burdened by injury blows

As the team completed their captain's run in Sydney on Friday Gillett was off having scans on the injury that he sustained whilst playing for Queensland in Game Three of the Holden State of Origin series on Wednesday night.

A final decision on the make-up of the Brisbane team will be made on Saturday morning with Alex Glenn likely to move from the centres to the back row, Lachlan Maranta to come in on the wing and Joe Boyce to play his first NRL game of the season and just the second of his career off the bench.