Maguire, Walters reveal shock Brisbane coaching switch

Michael Maguire has revealed the "empty feeling" that ultimately led to him coaching Brisbane as his predecessor Kevin Walters expressed his "shock" at being fired.

The new Broncos mentor, speaking at the club's season launch, reflected on a poignant moment of deep reflection on July 18 last year. He had just wrapped up a 2-1 State of Origin series win as NSW coach and had a moment of illumination that made him realise he wanted to return to NRL clubland, where he had spent 10 years with South Sydney and Wests Tigers.

"I will never forget how I had finished the Origin (series) and had to do some media the next morning and it was a really strange feeling," Maguire said.

"We'd had a great night together and I had to do some stuff on Channel Nine and the other. networks.

"I went back to say goodbye to the players (at the team hotel) and literally all of them and all my staff had gone back to clubland.

"I stood there I had this feeling of, 'where is my team?' I can't go back and do something with this group'."

Maguire got back into preparing for the 2025 Origin series with that nagging feeling of still wanting to be a club coach.

"Then the Broncos job came up literally out of the blue," he said.

"It was a job I looked at and I thought of the gravitas of what the Broncos are, the history and how some of the all-time great players have come out of this club. I thought, 'I have got to go and do it'."

For the job to "come out of the blue" a vacancy needed to emerge. That happened when club legend Kevin Walters was sacked just 12 months after taking the side to the grand final.

Brisbane had finished 12th and the club had launched an end-of-season review.

Walters, speaking on his new "Inside Ball" podcast with co-host Ben Dobbin, said he was preparing for the 2025 season with new assistant coaches Ben Te'o and Trent Barrett.

He'd been out for a meal on September 25 with the duo but had a premonition that something wasn't right.

"I accelerated things," Walters said.

"I rang my manager and said, 'I have got a bad feeling in my stomach that this isn't quite right'. He made a phone call and we went in and they made the decision to finish up with me.

"I was shocked because we were a long way down the track with 2025 planning."

Walters took over in late 2020 after the club has "won" its first wooden spoon and accepted "full responsibility" for what happened in a difficult 2024 season.

"We had 32 players wear the Broncos jersey last year. That is not in the coach's hands, that is in the hands of the rugby league gods," he said.

"The key part of any rugby league team is their spine and ours started in six games together for the whole year."

Walters won five premierships as a player at Brisbane and said his heart would be always with the club where he spent 21 years. His son Billy is still there.

"I want to see the Broncos do well," Walters said."I am comfortable with my contribution to the Broncos.

"Coaching is my passion. I am going to coach again (in the NRL). I have got a lot of belief in myself."

Canberra Times

 

[theshed]

I don’t think Kev should need feel awkward being at the games.

The guy won 5 premierships, and took us from a spoon to a GF, and if the club has any success over the next few years, he can take a lot of credit for that.

On top of that, he’s an infamously good bloke.

Despite the awkwardness, Kev should always be able to walk around the club with his head held high. Outside of Wayne, you’d have to say Kev, Lockyer, and Alf have contributed more to the club than any other.

If we were to win a GF this year or next, you could almost argue the bloke deserves a statue at Suncorp.

 

[Sproj]

I still felt he should have been given another season but unfortunately, he kind of sealed his own fate with snapping so badly under pressure at the end of the season. Basically, I don't think anyone, not even those of us who really wanted to hold on to him and give him a shot at fixing things given the injury toll had a leg to stand on after he Seibolded under pressure.

 

[tommy]

I still felt he should have been given another season but unfortunately, he kind of sealed his own fate with snapping so badly under pressure at the end of the season. Basically, I don't think anyone, not even those of us who really wanted to hold on to him and give him a shot at fixing things given the injury toll had a leg to stand on after he Seibolded under pressure.

I honestly thought he deserved it too. That end of season review must have been damning. If it was player power that had him removed I'm not surprised.

 

[bert_lifts]

"We had 32 players wear the Broncos jersey last year. That is not in the coach's hands, that is in the hands of the rugby league gods," he said.

While this is true and was definitely a factor to our poor season. The few games we did happen to be full strength for were atrocious. The one that sticks out the most in my mind is the tits game at home. Truly pathetic performance.

If we won those games while being full strength kevvie would probably still have a job. Instead we looked just as bad, if not worse. There was zero improvement over the course of the season, only regression.

 

[Super Freak]

While this is true and was definitely a factor to our poor season. The few games we were full strength still looked atrocious. The one that sticks out the most in my mind is the tits game at home. Truly pathetic performance.

If we won those games while being full strength kevvie would probably still have a job. Instead we looked just as bad if not worse. There was zero improvement over the course of the season, only regression.

Bulldogs at home, as well.

Only player missing was Piakura. At home on a Saturday afternoon with our season on the line and that's the performance we dish up.

 

[Gaz]

They hired him to do a job they knew he couldn’t do, but told him they would surround him with people to make him succeed, they did - but he didn’t.

They gave him every chance, every chance.

 

[Scorchie]

He chose the assistants. If he didn’t like them, or his support crew, it was his choice alone to replace them.

 

[Sproj]

He got us to a GF and three minutes from winning the thing against the greatest side we've ever seen, he was as close to being successful as most coaches in the comp. Credit where its due, that was some accomplishment.

 

[Nashy]

He got us to a GF and three minutes from winning the thing against the greatest side we've ever seen, he was as close to being successful as most coaches in the comp. Credit where its due, that was some accomplishment.

One his captain will put in his resume.

Kev was a dud.

 

[BroncosFever]

He got us to a GF and three minutes from winning the thing against the greatest side we've ever seen, he was as close to being successful as most coaches in the comp. Credit where its due, that was some accomplishment.

Ease up, we don't deal with rational thinking on this forum.

 

[Dexter]

I thought the club would give Kev 1 more go but personally I've never been a fan of his coaching. His flamboyant style nearly pulled off a GF but ultimately it was that style that gave the riff their chance to rob us at the death.
I'm very happy with where the club is ATM.
I do think Madges hard nosed style is what we need but if wins don't come it's a style that gets old quickly.

 

[BroncsFan]

I think this time around Madge is a very defence orientated coach... we've not really had that despite a lot of coaches talking up the importance of defence.

Bennett easily the closest, but he was more the man manager rather than X's and O's. Seemingly relying on player talent and being able to get the squad to buy in to what he's selling... with his assistants doing the nuanced tactical side of things.

Madge is very much the tactical side... I think his optimal gameplan is high completion rates, high energy kick chase, high energy defence, strong ruck game (attack and defence), etc. all the things that get a team into the best possible position to 'not lose' games... and then an expectation that points will come off the back of building up that pressure.

It's all about the grind and the team needs to be wanting that grind... it's what has built penrith to where they are... I think it was mentioned that in 2021 their primary focus as a squad was getting into that grind and then running over the top of the opposition when they can't keep with them.

I think Barrett's focus is then where and how to find those points under the assumption that Madge's work gets them the field position and prevents the opposition from winning.

It could be a very good combo of head coach and assistant in terms of complimenting each other.

For it to be successful the playing group needs to buy into it completely... and that is the big unknown at the moment.

 

[The Strapper]

Whilst I wanted Kevvie to coach us this season I understand the clubs thinking in getting madge in.
The only issue I have is has the club made a rod for its own back? What do they do if we don't make the grand final this year and then miss the finals altogether in 2026. That would mean we have gone worse under madge then we did with Kevvie.
In the interests of consistency do they sack madge?

 

[jd87]

Whilst I wanted Kevvie to coach us this season I understand the clubs thinking in getting madge in.
The only issue I have is has the club made a rod for its own back? What do they do if we don't make the grand final this year and then miss the finals altogether in 2026. That would mean we have gone worse under madge then we did with Kevvie.
In the interests of consistency do they sack madge?

They are going to have to make that decision. The thing is, Maguire typically only manages to get 2-3 years of decent performance from his teams before they seem to capitulate. So, he’s unlikely to be a long-term coach for us unless he has learned from the experiences of the last two teams he coached.

He had three good years at Souths followed by three pretty ordinary years. The same went for the Tigers: in his first year, he lost more than he won, and the three years that followed were horrendous.

Interestingly enough, he has a lower win record in the NRL than Kevie, although he has over 100 more games under his belt, to be fair.

The jury is still out on him in my mind. To be honest, I’m not sure he’s going to be the messiah that some people think he might be based on his past performances. The only thing he has going for him is that he turned the NSW team around—although that was only over three games, so it's hard to judge.

That said, the boys look fitter than they have in a very long time, which is one plus for him

 

[theshed]

They are going to have to make that decision. The thing is, Maguire typically only manages to get 2-3 years of decent performance from his teams before they seem to capitulate. So, he’s unlikely to be a long-term coach for us unless he has learned from the experiences of the last two teams he coached.

He had three good years at Souths followed by three pretty ordinary years. The same went for the Tigers: in his first year, he lost more than he won, and the three years that followed were horrendous.

Interestingly enough, he has a lower win record in the NRL than Kevie, although he has over 100 more games under his belt, to be fair.

The jury is still out on him in my mind. To be honest, I’m not sure he’s going to be the messiah that some people think he might be based on his past performances. The only thing he has going for him is that he turned the NSW team around—although that was only over three games, so it's hard to judge.

That said, the boys look fitter than they have in a very long time, which is one plus for him

All good points. I share your concerns. I keep reminding myself that he won a prem in the ESL, NRL, won an origin, and a World Cup. And that even Wayne Bennett had a lower win rate than Kev when at the Knights.

The team is so stacked with talent that you would really think that any coach who can instil some discipline will be successful.

 

[Scorchie]

They are going to have to make that decision. The thing is, Maguire typically only manages to get 2-3 years of decent performance from his teams before they seem to capitulate. So, he’s unlikely to be a long-term coach for us unless he has learned from the experiences of the last two teams he coached.

He had three good years at Souths followed by three pretty ordinary years. The same went for the Tigers: in his first year, he lost more than he won, and the three years that followed were horrendous.

Interestingly enough, he has a lower win record in the NRL than Kevie, although he has over 100 more games under his belt, to be fair.

The jury is still out on him in my mind. To be honest, I’m not sure he’s going to be the messiah that some people think he might be based on his past performances. The only thing he has going for him is that he turned the NSW team around—although that was only over three games, so it's hard to judge.

That said, the boys look fitter than they have in a very long time, which is one plus for him

I dunno, making as many Preliminary Finals as the Bunnies did with his squad probably deserves a bit of praise.

Season 1,2 - Prelim Final
Season 3 - Premiers
Season 4 - Elim Final
Seasons 5-6 - 12th (sacked)

If Kevvie had that record we'd have been pretty happy and been ok with his sacking.

Bunnies then did 3 straight prelims, another grand final and another prelim under Siebs/Wayne. How much did Wayne coach -v- the squad that was built by Madge suddenly clicked, guess we'll never know.

 

[BroncsFan]

They are going to have to make that decision. The thing is, Maguire typically only manages to get 2-3 years of decent performance from his teams before they seem to capitulate. So, he’s unlikely to be a long-term coach for us unless he has learned from the experiences of the last two teams he coached.

He had three good years at Souths followed by three pretty ordinary years. The same went for the Tigers: in his first year, he lost more than he won, and the three years that followed were horrendous.

Interestingly enough, he has a lower win record in the NRL than Kevie, although he has over 100 more games under his belt, to be fair.

The jury is still out on him in my mind. To be honest, I’m not sure he’s going to be the messiah that some people think he might be based on his past performances. The only thing he has going for him is that he turned the NSW team around—although that was only over three games, so it's hard to judge.

That said, the boys look fitter than they have in a very long time, which is one plus for him

I was looking into his coaching awhile back and the thing that gets forgotten about with his time at the tigers is Covid.

His first year there he got them to 9th... previously their meme position, but good lord would they love to be back there again. Beyond covid they were horrendous, but the game completely changed at that point.

I think if I were to criticise him for anything during that period it might be that he didn't pick up on the trends of Vlando ball quick enough and adapt them, but I wasn't really paying attention to the tigers and whether they were playing the tactics and just didn't have the cattle. Overall that 2020/21 period was a chasm between the top 4-5 teams and everyone else, and you needed some stud players in key positions to be able to compete.

Looking at his coaching record overall the tigers are the only team that he has a negative winning percentage with and even then they didn't pick up the spoon until the year he was sacked. He also inherited the team before Ivan jumped off the bus and I think he left the club with some pretty shit contracts to deal with Matulino, Packer, etc.