Broncos’ Cultural Overhaul: Ben Hunt Shares Insights on Maguire’s Tough Pre-Season

Ben Hunt has detailed the cultural overhaul driving Brisbane’s 2024 ambitions, declaring the Broncos’ pre-season under Michael Maguire the toughest he’s experienced since returning to the club.


Read: Madge Maguire Confirms Adam Reynolds as Brisbane Broncos Captain


Inside the Pre-Season Revolution

New coach Michael Maguire has wasted no time integrating Hunt into the club’s senior leadership group alongside Adam Reynolds, Pat Carrigan, Payne Haas, and Kotoni Staggs. While Reynolds continues to hold the captaincy, Hunt’s inclusion underscores the immense value placed on his experience and deep understanding of the Broncos’ culture.

Reflecting on his decision to return, Hunt shared, “It was always in my heart that if I ever had an opportunity to finish my career here or ever get back, it was something I really wanted to do.” Hunt’s choice to rejoin the Broncos over a lucrative offer from the Dolphins highlights his emotional connection to the club where his NRL journey began.

The Broncos that Hunt rejoins in 2025 bear little resemblance to the team he left in 2017. The tin shed training facility of old has been replaced by a state-of-the-art $27 million headquarters, and the playing roster has undergone a near-complete transformation. Hunt, however, views these changes as an opportunity to contribute rather than a challenge to overcome.

Hunt also confirms that Maguire’s approach has galvanised Brisbane’s star-studded roster. Under Maguire’s leadership, the team is focused on core values that resonate deeply with Hunt’s career. “The big drivers Madge is bringing in are working hard, competing, and never giving up on your mate,” Hunt explained, reflecting on the emphasis of a recent leadership camp that underscores the Broncos’ renewed direction.

Ben Hunt Embraces His Role in a Redemption Mission

Hunt’s return is more than symbolic. With the potential to reach 200 games for the Broncos this season, his immediate focus is on aiding the team’s premiership aspirations. With Ezra Mam suspended for nine games, Hunt will start at five-eighth in Round 1—a role he’s embraced. “I feel like it’s gone full circle with Madge; he obviously gave me my debut jersey and now, I’m a little older but he’s still showing faith in me,” he said.


Read: Why Red Hill Unit Owners Are Staying Longer Than Expected


For fans, his homecoming is a source of both nostalgia and optimism. Hunt’s experience, coupled with the club’s evolution under Maguire, positions him not just as a player but as a bridge connecting the team’s rich history to its ambitions for future success.

Published 24-January-2025

Brisbane Broncos Roundup: Cultural Reset, Mam Accident, and Key Figures in Transition

As the dust settles on Kevin Walters’ departure, Michael Maguire’s previous connections and clear vision for success are already influencing key decisions at Red Hill, where a cultural reset is brewing for the Brisbane Broncos.


Read: Brisbane Broncos Roundup: Broncos at the Crossroads


Cultural reset takes centre stage

Michael Maguire has wasted no time addressing speculation about the club’s culture, acknowledging but diplomatically handling claims about ‘rockstars’ in the Brisbane Broncos dressing room. “You hear all the noise, at the end of the day, until I meet someone, that’s when I’ll judge them,” Maguire stated on SEN Radio. “There are certain things I know we need to do as a group to see success.”

The new coach’s philosophy is clear: success comes through dedication. “I have only ever seen success come when players want to work hard. And that is what I will be asking of the players,” Maguire emphasised. “It comes with sacrifice…the harder you work, the more things come into your life.”

Club CEO Dave Donaghy has openly acknowledged the need for change. “I’m not going to shy away from the fact I do believe we’ve got some cultural challenges,” Donaghy said on 4BC’s breakfast radio show. “And that’s an area that we’re going to invest in and be really stronger.”

Mam situation creates potential Hunt homecoming

In a significant development that could reshape the Broncos’ playmaking options, young five-eighth Ezra Mam’s future is uncertain after testing positive during a roadside drug test following a car accident. CCTV footage has revealed Mam veered onto the wrong side of the road before colliding head-on with another vehicle, with Queensland Police alleging he was driving unlicensed at the time of the crash, the AAP reports.

The incident, which occurred around Friday, 5:20 p.m. on Simpsons Road in Bardon, resulted in Mam and the occupants of the other vehicle—an Uber driver and passengers in a Toyota Camry—being hospitalised, though all were reported to be in stable condition.

Following the accident, Mam has since voluntarily entered professional treatment, and a police investigation is now underway, reports the Courier Mail.

The situation could have far-reaching implications for the club’s roster management. With Mam’s $4 million contract under review, veteran commentator Andrew Voss suggests this could pave the way for Hunt’s return. “If Ezra Mam is sacked, and he’s on $800,000 a year, the Broncos will then have money to spend,” Voss noted on his SEN breakfast show.

The Dragons have granted Hunt permission to explore options with rival clubs despite his contract running until 2025, with the Queensland veteran’s desire to finish his career in his home state well-documented.

Reynolds, Walsh central to Brisbane Broncos transition

Amid the changes, Adam Reynolds is set to maintain his captaincy role, with Maguire expressing full confidence in his former premiership-winning halfback. “I don’t have any reason [to replace Reynolds as captain],” Maguire confirmed with SEN. “He is a winner. He’s taken that team to some pretty good places already, so as long as he’s fit and healthy and he is right, he is a great leader.”

Reynolds, who sits just 13 games shy of the prestigious 300-game milestone, has embraced the leadership responsibility. “I’d love to do the job next year, 100 percent,” Reynolds stated, while maintaining his focus on the team’s success above individual accolades. The veteran playmaker’s presence will be crucial as the Broncos navigate this period of significant change.


Read: NOIR Paddington Begins Exciting New Chapter


Star fullback Reece Walsh has emerged as another key figure in the Broncos cultural direction, backed by Queensland coach Billy Slater, who is challenging some of the misconceptions surrounding the young player. “He’s got a great work ethic,” Slater emphasised on Channel Nine. “He’s a very respectful young man—he has got a perception out there that he’s a bit of a larrikin and likes the limelight, but he works really hard and he loves the game of footy.”

The Courier Mail also reports that Michael Maguire, as New Zealand’s former coach, had previously tried to recruit Walsh for the Kiwis. “I knew he had New Zealand heritage, so I reached out, but Reece has a strong passion for Queensland and undoubtedly wants to play for Australia one day,” Maguire shared.

Published 21-October-2024

Brisbane Broncos Roundup: Enter the Michael Maguire Era

A new dawn at Red Hill as skipper Adam Reynolds is reunited with former coach, “Madge” Maguire, while young forward Kobe Hetherington earned national recognition with selection in the PM’s XIII squad.


Read: Madge MaGuire Comes To Red Hill


New sheriff heralds culture shift

Broncos captain Adam Reynolds, who won a premiership under Maguire at South Sydney, offered insight into what his teammates can expect. “He comes in, he demands success straight away and he holds everyone accountable to their actions both on the field and off the field and the boys will get a bit of a shock,” Reynolds told Triple M.

The incoming coach showed immediate understanding of the club’s significance, acknowledging the Broncos as “one of rugby league’s great clubs” and emphasising his commitment to the fans.

“We want the members to turn up and be proud of the way we play, proud of their team,” Maguire stated.

Echoes of 2008’s coaching crossroads

As the Broncos embrace their new coaching direction, a fascinating revelation has emerged about a pivotal moment in the club’s history. In 2008, the club was on the verge of securing Craig Bellamy as Wayne Bennett’s successor—a move that could have dramatically altered the course of rugby league history.

Fox Sports’ Matty Johns revealed to the Courier News that Bellamy was ready to accept the role until a single comment about coaching autonomy derailed the entire deal. “The Broncos didn’t want Craig to have the same power over them that Wayne had,” Johns explained, noting that this was the decisive factor in Bellamy’s decision to remain with Melbourne.

The implications of that moment continue to reverberate, with Johns reflecting, “No doubt he would have won premierships with the Broncos… Craig would have been the perfect fit.”

Club legends consider futures

Two-time premiership winner Darius Boyd has already decided to exit his role as mentor to the club’s outside backs. The Courier Mail reports that Boyd, who had been instrumental in developing talents like Reece Walsh and Selwyn Cobbo, notified the club of his departure one week before the coaching change, citing concerns about the direction of the football program.

Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds the future of club immortal Allan Langer, who is weighing up his position following the departure of his longtime friend Kevin Walters.

According to the Courier Mail, the club is considering offering Langer a transition into a corporate role working with sponsors, with CEO Dave Donaghy emphasising, “We will always value what Alfie has done for the Broncos and we want to keep him here for life.”

Madge has expressed his desire to retain Langer, stating, “I’ve had a fair bit of time with Alf, and I think we all like Alf. So I want to see what he wants to do with himself and work out where he fits in.”

Hetherington earns PM’s XIII honours

While the coaching appointment dominated headlines, the Broncos received additional recognition with Kobe Hetherington earning selection in the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII squad to face Papua New Guinea. The exhibition match, scheduled for 13 October at Santos National Football Stadium in Port Moresby, represents a significant honour for the Broncos forward.

Hetherington joins as the sole Broncos representative alongside an impressive roster of NRL talent, with the team to be captained by departing South Sydney Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook.


Read: Bridging Brisbane: Cleary’s ‘The Comfort of Figs’ Roots in Red Hill History


All eyes now turn to early November when Maguire will officially begin preseason preparations with the squad.

Published 06-October-2024