Broncos veterans Darius Boyd and Alex Glenn say they will miss star half Kodi Nikorima if he leaves for the Warriors but insist 18-year-old half Tom Dearden is ready to fill the void.
NRL.com understands the Warriors will table a lucrative deal for Nikorima through until the end of 2022 and his departure from the Broncos is imminent.
Nikorima will not play against South Sydney on Thursday due to injury and Dearden, who trained at halfback for Brisbane on Tuesday, will take his place.
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"We've all had a chat to Kodi and he's told us he has a decision to make. Whatever Kodi decides to do we will back him 100 per cent," Broncos captain Darius Boyd said.
"Rugby league is a business and you always want to look after your family. He has just had a baby boy recently so if he thinks it is best to go the Warriors we wish him well.
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"He has been a great player for this club. If Kodi does go, it gives Tommy Dearden an opportunity. He is a young kid but definitely ready, has all the attributes and I am excited to play with him."
Glenn said Nikorima had "that flair and if he does take off we are going to miss that for sure".
"Kodi also has got good morals and is a good person to be around and I will miss him ... but we have every faith in Tommy that he will do the job," he said.
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"For a young fella, it is great for him to have Jimmy Roberts outside him and Matt Gillett inside him, who have both played Origin football. Those two will be guiding him around and he will be playing off Milford.
"Being an 18-year-old I was quite surprised at how confident he was out on the training field and watching him debut for Wynnum-Manly [in the Intrust Super Cup] he got man of the match."
New Zealand international Kevin Proctor, who has been on three Kiwi Test tours with Nikorima, predicted he would thrive under Kearney if he joined the Warriors.
"He must have been thrown some big cash because I didn't think he was going to move from the Broncos," the Titans forward said.
"He's worked with 'Mooksy' [Kearney] before too and worked really well together.
"I'm not too sure why he wanted to move. He might have wanted a new challenge or there was just an offer there that he couldn't resist.
"He's from New Zealand so he might have wanted to go back to his family. There are a few different factors there but it's a good pick-up for the Warriors."
Dearden has already been a good pick-up for Brisbane after they signed him following a standout season at Palm Beach Currumbin High and then for the Australian Schoolboys.
"He is definitely well beyond his years," Boyd said.
"Right from January when he came in he was making eye contact and shaking hands. He's humble and he's polite. He asks questions and trains hard, and not only that he's got all the talent as well."
Dearden has put on bulk since debuting for the Broncos in a trial against Souths-Logan and Boyd said he would handle his debut against the Rabbitohs.
"A few of the young ones didn't play the first month of the season. We just wanted to get a bit of weight on them and put a bit of muscle and tone into their bodies. Tommy was one of them," Boyd said.
"He did so well in the first trial that he played all three. I know he has been playing well in the Queensland Cup and doesn't need to change his game."
Neither the Broncos or Warriors have made an official statement regarding Nikorima's future.
