At last, it’s official.

The Broncos have finally confirmed Darius Boyd will join coach Wayne Bennett at the NRL club on a three-year deal.

Four months after being initially linked to Brisbane and three weeks after being released by Newcastle, Boyd has been given the all clear to return to the club where he made his NRL debut almost a decade ago under master coach Bennett.

• Four nations: Shaun Johnson and other marvels 
• Broncos lure Adam Blair from Tigers

Seven-time premiership winning mentor Bennett had tipped an imminent announcement about Boyd on Thursday when trumpeting the arrival of Kiwi forward Adam Blair, tipping the fullback to be training at Red Hill by the middle of next week.

Barely 24 hours later Broncos CEO Paul White confirmed they had finally organised a settlement with Newcastle.

“We are excited to have finalised this agreement with Darius,” he said.

“He began as a Bronco and has now played for his state and country and won premierships.

“He comes back to us now as one of the elite players of the competition.

“At age 27 he is at the top of the game and will bring us a point of difference with the skills he possesses.

“We look forward to welcoming him to the club and supporting him in his development both on and off the field.”

Boyd – believed to be on a three-year deal worth $1.2 million – has only played under Bennett at NRL level.

He debuted as an 18-year-old under Bennett at Brisbane in 2006 and followed the master mentor to St George Illawarra, where Boyd won a premiership and the Clive Churchill Medal in 2010, and later Newcastle.

Boyd – a 20-time Origin player for Queensland – spent the last two months of the NRL season on sabbatical after checking into a mental health facility seeking treatment for depression.

He was initially linked with a Brisbane return when Bennett announced he had signed a three-year Broncos deal in July.

And Broncos fans had been sweating on Boyd’s arrival since Newcastle officially released the fullback with a year left on his contract earlier this month.

Bennett said on Thursday he had no fitness concerns for Boyd despite the fullback’s rollercoaster year.

“He’s done a lot of pre-seasons and he’s a wonderful athlete,” he told reporters.

“He’ll come in and be the fittest guy here.

“Knowing Darius he’s been training and he won’t turn up out of shape.”