2025 Pre-season discussion. The Madge dynasty begins.

[Gaz]

but professionalism and maturity are not necessarily what alf is known for.

Why he fitted in.

 

[BroncosFever]

I think Alf could get away with being the larrikin who takes the boys out for a beer and that was fine but then you get Kev being his best mate, sort of sets the tone for the squad.

 

[Fitzy]

I think Alf could get away with being the larrikin who takes the boys out for a beer and that was fine but then you get Kev being his best mate, sort of sets the tone for the squad.

Very much agreed. Kev is not much better. May have portrayed himself as such to his players but anybody and everybody has heard all the stories about him and Alf around town. The notorious stuff I hear is all quite light hearted funny haha shit, none the less unprofessional but not to bad but at the same time it’s not what you need to drive standards at a club that struggles to have standards driven.

 

[winslow_wong]

Will Madge learn the team song and bang on the wheelie bin?

 

[BroncosFever]

Will Madge learn the team song and bang on the wheelie bin?

I want to see the **** standing on it.

 

[Redfern_1980]

In the Tele this morning, Brent Read has stated that from his understanding a big area of concern raised in the end of year review was the players use of alcohol throughout the season. Under Madge, players will be allowed to have an occasional drink but only if they do what is required of them on and off the field. Privilleges such as this must be earnt.

Some of these fellas are in for quite the shock starting next Friday. Kev and Alf were probably handing the cans out from the esky.

 

[1910]

In the Tele this morning, Brent Read has stated that from his understanding a big area of concern raised in the end of year review was the players use of alcohol throughout the season. Under Madge, players will be allowed to have an occasional drink but only if they do what is required of them on and off the field. Privilleges such as this must be earnt.

Some of these fellas are in for quite the shock starting next Friday. Kev and Alf were probably handing the cans out from the esky.

Yeah; because Burgess and Auva'a were so upright and true.

 

[Renegade]

Yeah; because Burgess and Auva'a were so upright and true.

Regardless, if players are getting plastered on the reg it's a concern. It's 2024 and there's no shortage of medical literature on how alcohol is bad for muscle recovery etc.

Plastered might be a stretch, but if their use of alcohol is enough to raise concerns with management, it's more than a beer or two.

 

[LittleDavey]

Very much agreed. Kev is not much better. May have portrayed himself as such to his players but anybody and everybody has heard all the stories about him and Alf around town. The notorious stuff I hear is all quite light hearted funny haha shit, none the less unprofessional but not to bad but at the same time it’s not what you need to drive standards at a club that struggles to have standards driven.

Exactly. Kev and Alf are from a long-gone era. Footy isn't like that anymore, sure the basics are the same but the sports science and sports psychology has come a fucking long way since they played. It's not the same, it's almost a different sport. This sort of attitude is exactly the reason IMO the club hasn't won shit in nearly 20 years. We have got to be better and I feel that finally, between Madge and DD, we might be.

 

[Bull Shark]

Yeah; because Burgess and Auva'a were so upright and true.

Yeah but the major difference is, they, or at least Burgess, didn’t miss a beat on the field

 

[theshed]

In the Tele this morning, Brent Read has stated that from his understanding a big area of concern raised in the end of year review was the players use of alcohol throughout the season. Under Madge, players will be allowed to have an occasional drink but only if they do what is required of them on and off the field. Privilleges such as this must be earnt.

Some of these fellas are in for quite the shock starting next Friday. Kev and Alf were probably handing the cans out from the esky.

Even golden child Patty broke club rules by drinking while injured, then the drunken scuffle with the captain.

When your captain and future captain are having a public drunken wrassle - you probably have a culture problem

 

[Big Del]

 

[McHunt]

Billy Walters:

​

“I wasn’t the No.9 because my dad was coach, but because I am the best No.9 at the club."​

​

“I was at home cooking dinner when my younger brother who lives with dad messaged me and said that Kev had gone in for a meeting and he might be gone. I didn’t believe it at first. I didn’t think there was any way it would go down like that. I thought my brother was overreacting and maybe dad wouldn’t get sacked but would get a stern warning. When I did get word, there were so many thoughts going through my mind. ‘What was he doing to do? What was I going to do?’ You’re obviously emotional. I tried to call him and see if he was all right but he didn’t answer. I didn’t get to speak to him until the next day.”​

​

“It was emotional when I spoke to him. I know how much he loved the Broncos. It was his dream job and he doesn’t like living things unfinished. He probably feels like he has unfinished business here.”​

​

“We weren’t good enough this year, there is no denying that. It will always sound biased because I am his son but I don’t think Kevvie was the reason for that. The year we made the grand final we had 95 per cent of our squad have their best year and we had a great run with injuries. Even little things like 50/50 calls went our way. This year we lose a lot of experienced players. It’s sad to think how far we fell considering we were three or four minutes away from beating the best team in the NRL era in a grand final.”​

​

“I’m not going to lie there was probably about a half an hour there after getting the news where I thought, ‘I don’t want to be at the club.‘“But you have to look at the bigger picture. I don’t make the decision on who the coach of the Broncos is. It sucks for me because he is my dad but I’m not there to decide that. I love the club, the players and staff and I want to be a Bronco. It’s been my favourite three years playing for the Broncos.”​

​

“I’ve received a lot of messages and comments through social media about people telling me to enjoy Super League or Queensland Cup. I’m keen to get there and prove the haters wrong that I wasn’t wearing the No.9 because my dad was the coach. I was wearing it because I’m the best No.9 at the club.”​

​

“I called Madge not long after he got the job and told him I love the Broncos and wanted to be here. I have no hard feelings towards him. He didn’t kick Kevvie out. I enjoyed my time with him at the Tigers. I just wanted to tell him I wasn’t going to come in with a bad attitude. I want to win a competition. I just wanted to be clear with them that I want to be here and they don’t have to worry about moving me on.”​

​

“In the first week or two I wasn’t keen on catching up with Dave Donaghy because I was filthy. But I’ve sat back and looked at the situation. Dave has done his job and I’ve got to do my job. There is no bad blood there.”​

​

“The preseason will be tough. The wrestle sessions will go up a notch. A few of the boys will love it given they train how they play and will go hard.”​

​

"Dad is a bit better now. He was going through the motions when it all happened. There were periods where he was feeling down because he loved being the Broncos coach but there are times where he is glad it’s all over. He was sick of the attention and pressure of being a head coach. He isn’t keen on coaching again but give him a couple of months and he will get back into it. He is such a positive guy.”​

 

[winslow_wong]

Even golden child Patty broke club rules by drinking while injured, then the drunken scuffle with the captain.

When your captain and future captain are having a public drunken wrassle - you probably have a culture problem

Reynolds also out wrestled him. Forwards need some work in this department

 

[bert_lifts]

“I wasn’t the No.9 because my dad was coach, but because I am the best No.9 at the club."

lol.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Billy Walters:

​

“I wasn’t the No.9 because my dad was coach, but because I am the best No.9 at the club."​

​

​

Keep telling yourself that, Billy.

People (mean people, I will grant you that) aren't telling you to enjoy Super League because you're playing out of your skin.

 

[Renegade]

Reynolds also out wrestled him. Forwards need some work in this department

Lower centre of gravity always the favourite when shifting weight.

 

[theshed]

Billy Walters:

​

“I wasn’t the No.9 because my dad was coach, but because I am the best No.9 at the club."​

​

“I was at home cooking dinner when my younger brother who lives with dad messaged me and said that Kev had gone in for a meeting and he might be gone. I didn’t believe it at first. I didn’t think there was any way it would go down like that. I thought my brother was overreacting and maybe dad wouldn’t get sacked but would get a stern warning. When I did get word, there were so many thoughts going through my mind. ‘What was he doing to do? What was I going to do?’ You’re obviously emotional. I tried to call him and see if he was all right but he didn’t answer. I didn’t get to speak to him until the next day.”​

​

“It was emotional when I spoke to him. I know how much he loved the Broncos. It was his dream job and he doesn’t like living things unfinished. He probably feels like he has unfinished business here.”​

​

“We weren’t good enough this year, there is no denying that. It will always sound biased because I am his son but I don’t think Kevvie was the reason for that. The year we made the grand final we had 95 per cent of our squad have their best year and we had a great run with injuries. Even little things like 50/50 calls went our way. This year we lose a lot of experienced players. It’s sad to think how far we fell considering we were three or four minutes away from beating the best team in the NRL era in a grand final.”​

​

“I’m not going to lie there was probably about a half an hour there after getting the news where I thought, ‘I don’t want to be at the club.‘“But you have to look at the bigger picture. I don’t make the decision on who the coach of the Broncos is. It sucks for me because he is my dad but I’m not there to decide that. I love the club, the players and staff and I want to be a Bronco. It’s been my favourite three years playing for the Broncos.”​

​

“I’ve received a lot of messages and comments through social media about people telling me to enjoy Super League or Queensland Cup. I’m keen to get there and prove the haters wrong that I wasn’t wearing the No.9 because my dad was the coach. I was wearing it because I’m the best No.9 at the club.”​

​

“I called Madge not long after he got the job and told him I love the Broncos and wanted to be here. I have no hard feelings towards him. He didn’t kick Kevvie out. I enjoyed my time with him at the Tigers. I just wanted to tell him I wasn’t going to come in with a bad attitude. I want to win a competition. I just wanted to be clear with them that I want to be here and they don’t have to worry about moving me on.”​

​

“In the first week or two I wasn’t keen on catching up with Dave Donaghy because I was filthy. But I’ve sat back and looked at the situation. Dave has done his job and I’ve got to do my job. There is no bad blood there.”​

​

“The preseason will be tough. The wrestle sessions will go up a notch. A few of the boys will love it given they train how they play and will go hard.”​

​

"Dad is a bit better now. He was going through the motions when it all happened. There were periods where he was feeling down because he loved being the Broncos coach but there are times where he is glad it’s all over. He was sick of the attention and pressure of being a head coach. He isn’t keen on coaching again but give him a couple of months and he will get back into it. He is such a positive guy.”​

Billy redeemed himself a bit toward the end of that piece but all the dad talk actually has no place in professional sport and I’m embarrassed our club allowed that to happen.

As for being the best 9 at the club comment, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a player say “I’m the best [blank] at the club”. 99% of players at least have the sense to fake humility.