Pereira jumped at Broncos chance – with Griffin's blessing

Broncos recruit Jordan Pereira says he jumped at the chance to return to Queensland and praised former coach Anthony Griffin for supporting the move.

The journeyman 28-year-old winger was born in New Zealand and spent time in Perth before establishing himself in Mackay, from where he was picked up by the Dragons four years ago.

But the chance to move back to Queensland with his wife, Sarah, and their 10-month-old son Myles to be closer to her family, plus the chance to link with the Broncos, made his departure from the Dragons an easy decision.

"It's not something I saw coming; I loved my time at the Dragons, the first club to give me an opportunity in first grade but it all started for me here in Queensland up in Mackay," Pereira said.

"I've got a 10-month old son so having family around him, growing up around cousins and aunties and uncles and grandparents is massive for his development and our family happiness."

Pereira admitted his lack of game time was a factor behind the move, but he was not expecting to walk into a first grade spot at the Broncos.

"I obviously wasn't getting as many games in as I wanted to [at the Dragons] and if I can get another fresh start somewhere to start climbing the ladder and get some more game time that will be good," he said.

"There are definitely challenges but I like to see it as a learning experience. Corey Oates has been here for a long time, he's played a lot of footy at all levels. It's pretty good for me to rub shoulders with players like that."

Pereira praised Griffin, his coach at St George Illawarra last season, for his response to the signing news.

"He was really supportive," Pereira said. "When I told him this is where my future is going and I'm doing the best for my family he was just like 'congratulations', smiled and shook my hand and said 'all the best for the future and you'll go really well'."

Pereira admitted it was strange coming in not knowing any of the players – until he bumped into former Intrust Super Cup sparring partner Delouise Hoeter.

"[I knew] absolutely no-one, until I found out Delouise Houter was on a train and trial [contract]," Pereira said.

"I was playing left centre through Queensland Cup and he was playing right centre so we used to have some pretty heated battles and they were fairly vocal so now that we're friends it's pretty funny!"

That lack of familiarity with the rest of the squad may have bothered Pereira when he was younger but it wasn't a factor any more.

"When I first went to the Dragons I found it really tough but this time I don't really care what anyone thought of me, it was easy to be myself," he said.

"I'm not intimidated by the million dollar players and stuff because at the end of the day they are humans.

"You think of them when you see them on tv they must be like this or like that or whatever but you meet them and they're all just down to earth humans. Coming to the Broncos was like that, everyone was just down to earth.

"We're all like minded, we're all interested in the same sort of stuff. Footy is the main thing, it's pretty easy to bond over that topic that everyone's got a passion for."