THE BOSS Maguire Stomped The Naysayers! But...8 Months Later, Here We Are.

Big Pete said:
The issue with Walters is that he'd run out of solutions. Going into 2025 the Broncos success hinged on three people Ben Hunt, Trent Barrett and Ben Te'o. It was a tough call, but time was running out on this squad and Brisbane had to make hay while the sun was shining.

Madge was coming off success with New Zealand and New South Wales. He was easily the best candidate and the Broncos made a ballsy decision. By rights, Kev deserved 2025 but he just didn't have the faith to get the job done.

Now Madge finds himself in a similar situation and while he's earned a reprieve after delivering a premiership he needs to build a stronger case for 2026. Losing Haas was a massive body blow and this deal with Pezet has not aged well at all.

The decision to sign Preston Riki and extend Cory Paix and Ben Hunt are extremely questionable. The way he's managed his roster begs a lot of questions and while he's been dealt some tough hands he has not made life easy for himself either.

I think he's been complacent when it comes to the roster. I think a few of his selections have been short sighted and now he's locked himself in a position where he has to pick undeserving players.

Let me provide an example.

The situation with Ben Te Kura should have been handled so much better. Why would you release him in April just weeks ahead of the Origin season? Why would you not secure a replacement in the mean time?

Sometimes teams just go through rough patches. Penrith had theirs in 2025, Melbourne are having theirs right now but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I need to see a response from Brisbane.
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Its bizarre. Its like he had some success with shibasaki so now he wants to play fixerupper with every other fringe first grader in the comp. Ive seen aublix tahwa in several games but I don't think ive ever noticed him on the field. Like, has anybody seen him play yet? Im a mad fan and I'm not even sure what his role is... like why the **** did we sign him?
 
I really hope Madge can turn this ship around. We've got a lot of talent in the squad but our depth is horrific and our attitude and mentally overall is probably worse.

I really can't believe where we're now after how the team finished last season.

Madge will need to find some assistant coaches that can make a difference and bring in some decent forwards to give us a some confidence moving into 2027.

I hope Madge can find the right balance between his high intensity ways and fitness regimes. There's a bit of history in his ways burning out players and staff.
 
how did the two new guys go last game I really didn’t pay to much attention
I’m down for Madge going around a few more years and if there is some unhappy players see ya later doesn’t matter who it is no one bigger than the club
 
cento said:
how did the two new guys go last game I really didn’t pay to much attention
I’m down for Madge going around a few more years and if there is some unhappy players see ya later doesn’t matter who it is no one bigger than the club
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They had a dig. Their families would have been proud.
 
This year isn’t anybody’s fault…..we’ve had shithouse luck with injuries…….

Or if you really have to/want to blame someone it’s the refs.

Can’t we all just agree this year has been the ref’s fault?
 
Not the first person to say it and won't be the last, but I don't think our depth is as tragic as is talked about (me included), it's circumstantial in a way.

Example; I think Ben Talty in 2025 was a brilliant success story. From nowhere, to playing a great part in a title winning season. He excelled in that role off the bench, just getting through his work (in a mostly full strength side), limited mins just giving our starters a spell. When asked this season to up those minutes drastically, and keep the same intensity/effort/level we saw last year (but in a constantly changing side due to injuries), he has stood out as poor. He is a good depth player, that can do you a solid (or better) job when the rest of the team is fit or firing, he isn't a regular 40 min + prop that can lead a pack every week.

The problem is, we have had to dip into the 25-35 player range of the squad way too frequently, AND ask of them to perform as if they are nailed on consistent first graders. These guys are list # 25-35 for a reason. Sure, they can do a job here and there when the Squads full strength. Sure P.Riki might be able to play 20 off the bench one game when someone is out for a week, but he isn't good enough to be a starting prop playing big mins several weeks in a row.

Point is, I don't think they are all completely tragic. You absolutely cannot have 30 players that are all NRL standard, its impossible. When you need to sprinkle them in here and there, sure. But not needing several of them all at once to play at a level they either arent capable of, or are still developing to become.

Injuries arent an excuse for the lack of effort seen at times, but they absolutely are an excuse for lack of consistency in combinations, which has a roll on impact on fluidity of attack, trust in defence etc, and the fact we are at a stage where we have 2 blokes with FT jobs outside of footy playing on Saturday. Just think about how ridiculous that is for a minute, that we have used so many players out of necessity that this is what was needed this Saturday, and they are expected to be able to go toe to toe with our opponents and fill in for the level of player we have had out.
 
At least the last few weeks the effort has been there. That’s why I won’t throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet. Someone should give Madge a tin of spinach before each game.
 
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