The Brisbane Broncos could be at risk of a player walk-out if the club elects to extend coach Michael Maguire’s services beyond the 2027 season.
Watch every game of every round of the Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
In a bombshell chat on Triple M’s Sunday Sinbin, it was suggested that Maguire could stay on as Brisbane’s head coach beyond 2027, despite his side plundering to 13th on the NRL table with just five wins from 15 matches.
The Broncos have struggled to emulate the form that took them on a scintillating run to the 2025 NRL premiership.
But such is the support of Maguire from Brisbane boss Dave Donaghy, he could soon be re-signed in a bid to avoid repeating the PR disaster around predecessor Kevin Walters, who was shown the door in 2024 – 12 months after taking the Broncos to a grand final.
The move would pre-empt a player exodus at Brisbane according to the Daily Telegraph’s Brent Read.
“There’s more rumblings coming out of Red Hill this week about team harmony and whether everyone is on the same page, and that’s going to continue until they start winning some football matches,” Read said on Triple M.
“They can’t re-sign Maguire, they can’t do it. They’ll have a mass exodus if that happens. I think players will leave if they re-sign Maguire. I think that will happen, yes.
“I can’t imagine they’ll extend him, I think if they do it will be madness.”
Brisbane’s waning harmony has been demonstrated time and again through 2027, with superstar prop Payne Haas confirming a move to South Sydney just weeks after securing the side’s premiership, and assistant Ben T’eo walking out on the club just three games into the 2026 season after a reported altercation.
$800K TO NRL LIFELINE: Sydney club signs ex-prodigy after 33kg transformation
Peaking? Robbo endorses superstar spine | 08:24
According to Triple M’s Ben Dobbin, the disquiet at Brisbane isn’t going away under Maguire’s tenure.
“Jesse Arthars was just given an offer by Brisbane and just declined it. Didn’t even entertain it,” Dobbin said. “I found that strange.
“We all hear the stories. The talk is that… it’s a very, very, very mentally demanding program. But it got them a premiership last year, and you can’t be critical of that.
“There are players that are agitating to leave, there’s no question.”
Brisbane have had some small wins in recent months around recruitment, with Dane Gagai and Mitch Barnett both signed to the club for 2027, and club legend Ben Hunt extending for another year.
In some welcome news to the injury-ravaged club, Maguire has confirmed Billy Walters, Adam Reynolds and Deine Mariner are set to return for the Broncos’ next game against Cronulla on July 4.
The Broncos endured their seventh consecutive loss against the Roosters on Friday, and the consensus is they’ll need to win eight from their final nine regular season matches if they are any hope of making the NRL finals.
“Their draw is horrible coming up, so I don’t think things are going to get better in the short term at least,” Read suggested.
Dobbin argued that Brisbane would ultimately see through a player exodus because of the depth and glamour around the club – but it would take time to rebuild.
“There is some merit to what you’re saying, that some players don’t want to be there,” he explained. “But for every player that doesn’t want to be there, there’s a Cameron Bukowski, and there’s young players that are coming through that just want an opportunity at the NRL and at the Broncos.
“The thinking is that ‘if there’s players that don’t want to be here, then we’ll get someone that does. Michael Maguire has had success at South Sydney, he’s had success at the international level, at Origin, he had success at the Broncos last year. Is he the right coach going forward? The Broncos absolutely think that.”
WHISPERS: Hunt’s drastic pay cut revealed; Tiger to join rival in mid-season switch
Madge SHUTS DOWN season over talk | 06:31
Earlier this month, Donaghy threw his support behind Maguire to revive the struggling Broncos and deliver long-term success, hosing down rumours the premiership winner could be stood down mid-season.
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.”
