Wagga City has pulled off the coup of the Southern Inland pre-season by luring representative centre Noa Rabici from Leeton.
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Rabici, who shared honours as the best player in the competition in 2017, missed a large section of last season due to a broken arm.
His inclusion is a big boost to the hopes of the Boiled Lollies who went from preliminary finalists to not winning a game last season.
Rabici had been linked to Ag College and rumours have been swirling that a big money deal, which is against the competition's by-laws, has seen the move to Wagga City.
City president Dan Ribot hit back at suggestions.
"We do not have the money regardless of the fact it's against the by-laws," Ribot said.
He's happy for any doubters to see the club's books.
Ribot also denied the club has refused to allow Rabici to play representative football.
They claim after suffering a season-ending injury last season for the Brumbies Provincial Team that now he doesn't want to commit.
"I've heard that too and it really upsets me," Ribot said.
"The truth is we've got players playing rep footy within the club and to imply that we would not let Noa is more or less putting him on a pedestal above those players.
"We've got five or six playing this weekend in the rep program so it doesn't make any sense that we would have those players play and not allow Noa.
"It's beggars belief and the fact is Noa played rep football last year, broke his arm and one of the things very important to Noa was starting full-time work.
"He's an electrician, obviously needs his arms and the reality is he's not a dill and recognises full-time work is more important than football.
"He was asked by myself and JC (coach James Curgenven) if he was interested in being in the rep program and he basically said no, why?"
Rabici leads a star-studded list of players coming to the Boiled Lollies this season.
There are plenty of familiar faces with Eddie and Gordon Lagaali back as well as Curgenven, Hamish Wrafter and Rory Sheard.
City have also added a new outside back in Trevor William and second row option Will Bonham.
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