Greg Inglis left the Broncos offices last Tuesday after being convinced at a meeting with club general manager of football operations Andrew Gee that his future lay with Brisbane.

The pair shook on it.

The Broncos held another meeting at their Red Hill offices on Friday morning, where Inglis reiterated his desire to sign the deal - which he agreed on several months ago - and be alongside fiancee Sally Robinson in Brisbane.

The contract, he promised, would be signed on Saturday afternoon. Gee had the papers ready.

But Inglis was ready to dud his new club.

He was suddenly in Sydney and spent Friday afternoon with his parents. He also talked to Anthony Mundine, who acted as a go-between for Inglis in talks with South Sydney officials.

Inglis rang Gee on Saturday morning and said: "It's raining and I don't think the planes are flying."

Gee told Inglis the planes did in fact fly in the wet. At 1.30pm on Saturday, the call that Brisbane feared arrived. The handshake had apparently been forgotten when Inglis told Gee: "I'm not coming back. And I'm not signing.

"A few other things are going on."

He had reneged on his deal. And his handshake.

Away from Bronco eyes, Mundine was pulling his mate Inglis to Redfern.

Fed up with the drama, Brisbane pulled the offer. Senior Broncos players backed management's decision.

Inglis will this week sign a two-year, $1 million deal with Souths.

Brisbane are reluctant to criticise Inglis but believe he acted with little or no professionalism.

Although disheartened at Inglis' decision, Broncos skipper Darren Lockyer attempted to stay upbeat yesterday.

"It will put some money back into the salary cap for the Broncos but at the moment the issue is there's not much in the market to buy," Lockyer said. "We'll have to wait and see what the club does from here."

Brisbane have drifted significantly in betting to win next year's premiership because of Inglis' departure.

The Broncos were, according to TAB Sportsbet, a $9 chance but they are now $13 outsiders.