Contrary to his name, our new 38-year-old CEO Dave Donaghy is neither doughy nor nutty:
“I’ve got some strong views on what it takes to build a successful club. I am aware of the expectations internally and externally. The Broncos are a huge brand and this is a big job. It is a huge honour to be CEO of the Broncos. There is no magic wand, but I have the energy for this job and I can’t wait to play my role in getting the Broncos back where they belong.”
“I want the people involved in our club, and that includes our players, to get something out of being a Bronco. I don’t mean just by performance and trophies. I want them to grow as people. I can’t be critical of the past because I wasn’t there, but we should want to be a club that focuses on off-field growth as much as on-field growth. If we are making better people, we will make better players.”
His name sounds like donut
“We need a plan. The board has asked me to go in with a fresh set of eyes and have a look at what’s unfolded. I need to spend the first period of time gathering as much information as I can, seeing what works and where the improvements lie in the organisation. There is not a simple sugar-fix to make us feel good for a short period of time. That can only hurt us in the long run. We need a long-term strategy. I am keen to develop a blueprint and a strategic plan with existing staff that delivers sustainable success to the Broncos.”
“Managing a roster in the NRL is a science. It’s one of the most important parts of your business and given the impact it can have on your business, the CEO needs to be involved. I’m not sure the last time the Broncos would have had money to spend in the market. We need to make sure we are recruiting the right culture pit and players that don’t just fit short term, but fit long term and then keep those players in Broncos colours for a long time to come. Our cap has been slightly out of shape previously, but there’s some money available, so we need to invest that wisely."
"I want to make sure Kevin Walters has everything he needs to be a successful head coach in the NRL. Kevin needs to be well supported and the football program must be well supported to compete with every team in the game. I want him to succeed and I want him to be a coach of the Broncos for a long time to come. He is one of the game’s great winners but he is also a first year NRL coach. By his own admission, he acknowledges he has a lot to learn and he is very keen and eager to do so. So we need to ensure we are putting the right support around Kevvie to give him every opportunity to succeed.”
Never meaning no harm
“The Old Boys can play a really positive role. I caught up with Barry and Steve recently and their philosophy in the mid-to-late 80s still rings true now. I have spoken to a number of other past players, including Chris Johns (Old Boys chairman). Any sort of angst or concern or disappointment is a sign they genuinely care. They love the footy club and we have to make sure the Old Boys feel welcome and part of the footy club because they helped build it. That’s an important connection we need to strengthen.”
“How I left the Storm was very public. It wasn’t ideal, but I will always be grateful for the support the Storm gave me in my first job as CEO of an NRL club. I’ve had a beer with ‘Trippy’. He was like a big brother to me. Sometimes families have a blue and this is probably what it was. Melbourne are the benchmark organisation on and off the field and for every other club, that gives us something to aspire to. But you can’t copy and paste what works at one club and walk it into another. The Broncos have their own great brand and history.”
“There is no reason why the Broncos can’t be the biggest, strongest and most successful sports club in Australia. I can’t sugarcoat where we are at but I want us to become the first NRL club with 50,000 members and reward our fans for their faith."
“I never had the privilege to be there as a player so the closest I could get was as an administrator."
“When the players achieve their end goal of winning a premiership and you see it on their faces and you see the joy on the faces of your fans and members and sponsors, there is no greater satisfaction. I would love to see that feeling at the Broncos. I am keen to play my part to get us back to where the Broncos belong.”
McHunt
“I’ve got some strong views on what it takes to build a successful club. I am aware of the expectations internally and externally. The Broncos are a huge brand and this is a big job. It is a huge honour to be CEO of the Broncos. There is no magic wand, but I have the energy for this job and I can’t wait to play my role in getting the Broncos back where they belong.”
“I want the people involved in our club, and that includes our players, to get something out of being a Bronco. I don’t mean just by performance and trophies. I want them to grow as people. I can’t be critical of the past because I wasn’t there, but we should want to be a club that focuses on off-field growth as much as on-field growth. If we are making better people, we will make better players.”
His name sounds like donut
“We need a plan. The board has asked me to go in with a fresh set of eyes and have a look at what’s unfolded. I need to spend the first period of time gathering as much information as I can, seeing what works and where the improvements lie in the organisation. There is not a simple sugar-fix to make us feel good for a short period of time. That can only hurt us in the long run. We need a long-term strategy. I am keen to develop a blueprint and a strategic plan with existing staff that delivers sustainable success to the Broncos.”
“Managing a roster in the NRL is a science. It’s one of the most important parts of your business and given the impact it can have on your business, the CEO needs to be involved. I’m not sure the last time the Broncos would have had money to spend in the market. We need to make sure we are recruiting the right culture pit and players that don’t just fit short term, but fit long term and then keep those players in Broncos colours for a long time to come. Our cap has been slightly out of shape previously, but there’s some money available, so we need to invest that wisely."
"I want to make sure Kevin Walters has everything he needs to be a successful head coach in the NRL. Kevin needs to be well supported and the football program must be well supported to compete with every team in the game. I want him to succeed and I want him to be a coach of the Broncos for a long time to come. He is one of the game’s great winners but he is also a first year NRL coach. By his own admission, he acknowledges he has a lot to learn and he is very keen and eager to do so. So we need to ensure we are putting the right support around Kevvie to give him every opportunity to succeed.”
Never meaning no harm
“The Old Boys can play a really positive role. I caught up with Barry and Steve recently and their philosophy in the mid-to-late 80s still rings true now. I have spoken to a number of other past players, including Chris Johns (Old Boys chairman). Any sort of angst or concern or disappointment is a sign they genuinely care. They love the footy club and we have to make sure the Old Boys feel welcome and part of the footy club because they helped build it. That’s an important connection we need to strengthen.”
“How I left the Storm was very public. It wasn’t ideal, but I will always be grateful for the support the Storm gave me in my first job as CEO of an NRL club. I’ve had a beer with ‘Trippy’. He was like a big brother to me. Sometimes families have a blue and this is probably what it was. Melbourne are the benchmark organisation on and off the field and for every other club, that gives us something to aspire to. But you can’t copy and paste what works at one club and walk it into another. The Broncos have their own great brand and history.”
“There is no reason why the Broncos can’t be the biggest, strongest and most successful sports club in Australia. I can’t sugarcoat where we are at but I want us to become the first NRL club with 50,000 members and reward our fans for their faith."
“I never had the privilege to be there as a player so the closest I could get was as an administrator."
“When the players achieve their end goal of winning a premiership and you see it on their faces and you see the joy on the faces of your fans and members and sponsors, there is no greater satisfaction. I would love to see that feeling at the Broncos. I am keen to play my part to get us back to where the Broncos belong.”
McHunt
