Brisbane Broncos chief executive Dave Donaghy says Michael Maguire is not at risk of losing his job despite a form slump which has buried the reigning NRL premiers inside the bottom four.
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Following the Broncos’ ninth loss of the season on Thursday night – a 48-6 demolition to a dominant South Sydney, their sixth straight defeat – Donaghy told CODE Sports that Maguire would be in charge at Red Hill in 2027, while also addressing rumours of a premiership hangover within the Broncos’ ranks.
Round 15
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Asked if Maguire’s future is secure, Donaghy said: “Absolutely.”
“Our performances and our results are shared across the entire club – players, coaches, staff and management.
“We’re united in working through this present challenge and coming out the other side in better shape, together.”
The Broncos have a history of ruthlessly terminating coaches based on performance.
Maguire’s predecessor, Kevin Walters, famously took the Broncos to a grand final in 2023 only to be shown the door the following year. Before him, Anthony Seibold was given the built just 20 months into a six-year tenure after his side took out the wooden spoon.
Maguire’s current contract with the Broncos ends at the completion of the 2027 season. His first season at the Broncos is the stuff of legend, leading them to their first premiership in 19 years.
But 2026 has presented different challenges, with the Broncos forced to use 30 different players because of a huge injury toll – the most in the NRL.
Donaghy is adamant Maguire will see out that tenure regardless of whether the Broncos make the finals this year. At the time of writing, the Broncos would need to win at least eight of their remaining 10 matches.
“I don’t believe that. The hunger is there,” Donaghy said of the speculated premiership hangover.
“I see every day how much these guys care for each other, the team, the club.
“They’re hurting.
“I’m sure they’re frustrated because they haven’t reproduced yet the level of football they’re capable of. That’s the challenge for us after last year, success doesn’t automatically carry over, you’ve got it to earn it every week.
“I’ve been around long enough to know how quickly things can change. Momentum in our game is a powerful thing. We know we’ve got work to do, but I also know the quality of people we have at the club and I wouldn’t be writing them off.
“We’ve got a bye now to freshen up, it’s been a taxing start but there’s a lot of footy still to play out over the next three months.”
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MANLY ANNOUNCE BIG LEADERSHIP MOVE
The Sea Eagles have made a significant change in leadership with Jake Trbojevic appointed co-captain alongside younger brother Tom who is expected to make a return from a hamstring injury next week when Manly take on the Bulldogs.
Tom was appointed sole captain and chosen to replace club legend Daly Cherry-Evans who joined the Roosters this year.
The superstar fullback endured a rocky start with the club losing its first three matches which saw coach Anthony Seibold sacked.
But the club has turned things around under Kieran Foran who has gone from assistant to interim coach to the man tasked with leading the Sea Eagles for the next three years.
He’s made huge changes to their footy on the field, and he’s now made a big move off it with Jake promoted to the co-captaincy after leading Manly with aplomb while his brother was out injured.
Barnstorming back-rower Haumole Olakau’atu will be Manly’s sole vice-captain and will have a point to prove next week after he was dropped from the NSW side.
“Tom and Jake are the natural leaders of this group, and it makes sense to have them as co-captains,” Foran said.
“Jake has done an amazing job in Tom’s absence and we knew he would. He stepped up when the team needed him. That’s what leaders do.
“Haumole has also been wonderful this year, not only in his performances but also in the leadership he brings to the group.
“Right now, what’s best for the team is to have both Tom and Jake sharing the captaincy, supported by Haumole as vice-captain. It’s a pretty straightforward decision to be honest.
“We are lucky as a group to have two legends of the club leading the way.”
Jake has shown his passion for the Sea Eagles over the years and will play on in 2027 despite fears at the start of the season that this would be his last in the NRL.
“I’ve just loved the past few months, and I’ll do whatever is best for the team,” he said.
“If Foz (Foran) and Tom want this, then I’m all in.
Leading this amazing group of players and playing for this great club is a privilege.”
— Martin Gabor (NCA NewsWire)
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REYNO DOWNPLAYS INJURY CONCERNS
Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds was in no mood to discuss his health concerns following Thursday’s ugly loss to the Rabbitohs, with the veteran playmaker insisting he came off because of cramps as they slumped to a sixth loss in a row.
Reynolds took an early interception and was ultimately chased down by South Sydney forward Lachlan Hubner, with the playmaker clutching his left hamstring.
He stayed out there but appeared to be in significant pain midway through the second half of their 48-6 loss, with Reynolds coming off with 20 minutes to go and emerging from the tunnel with a giant bag of ice around his left hamstring.
“I’m right, just tight,” he said after the game, insisting it was simply cramps.
Already without injured stars like Patrick Carrigan and Gehamat Shibasaki, Brisbane could now lose Ezra Mam to an AC joint issue after he came off minutes after Reynolds left the field.
Mam has come off the bench in the past two games, with the five-eighth having some nice moments on Thursday night before he hurt himself while making a try-saving tackle on Ed Kosi in the corner.
He was clearly in pain and struggled to pass, but he stayed on for a few sets before he was eventually taken off.
“I have to talk to the doctors. It’s just an AC, so we have to work through that,” Maguire said.
“He did his AC and it just got too hard for him to stay out there.”
The Broncos have the bye next week but that might not be enough to save their season with the premiers in freefall after falling to their sixth loss on the trot.
Brisbane is in the bottom four and has a brutal run coming up, but their coach is adamant that their premiership defence isn’t over as they look to avoid becoming the first champions since the 2005 Tigers to miss the finals the following season.
“We’re still well and truly alive,” Maguire declared.
“People will probably think I’m mad, but one thing I do know is I’ve got a number of guys that are not on the field at this present moment. And as a group, we said we’re not going to use that as any sort of excuse or anything like that.
“But they’ll all come back and there’s a lot of quality there that I know that can come back into the team. So although we’re probably in a bit of a tough hold at the moment, we will get those boys back at some stage.
“We all know what the team’s capable of doing, so once they get back (things will improve). We’ve got to get through this little period now, which is tough for all of us. We don’t like going through it, but it can also be the making of us.
“These guys have had plenty of experience together. They’ve been through some tough times, they’ve been through some good times.
“I think they just have to come together like we do. I thought our prep this week was spot on, but it didn’t turn out onto the park so we’ve got to dig deep amongst ourselves to find that because I know I’ve got a team here.”
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