Michael Maguire makes call on Ben Hunt and Selwyn Cobbo amid Ezra Mam drama at Broncos
The new coach says having Hunt in Brisbane would be "great".
Michael Maguire's Broncos era kicked off with a gruelling training session in searing heat on Monday as the new coach wasted little time in making his mark at Red Hill. The new Broncos coach says he is determined to get the club back to playing in the big dance come October and has identified former Dragons halfback Ben Hunt as someone who can help the club achieve that.
Hunt, 34, said in Australian camp this week that returning to the Broncos was on his agenda and that it had a certain "romance" about it - as he was signed to the club as a 12-year-old and went on to play 187 games at Brisbane. Hunt's manager Col Davis is understood to be speaking to several clubs about their interest in Hunt, with the Broncos being the halfback's destination of choice.
Speaking about the chances of Hunt being at Red Hill in 2025, Maguire sang the halfback's praises and said it is something that the club will try to work out after he finishes Kangaroos camp. "Ben is a world-class player and has plenty of experience,'' Maguire said.
"We all know what he is capable of and what he would bring to the place. We will let him go through the Australian space this week, and after that, he will probably sit down and work out what he wants to do. They are things that are a work in progress. One thing I won't do is talk too much about contracts, but someone of Ben's calibre coming to the team would definitely be great."
"What it does say is a fair bit about the place and the experiences he's had. It shows how special the Broncos (environment) is. I will talk to the right people once he finishes with the Aussies."
Ezra Mam's future will determine how Broncos look in 2025
However, the main issue with bringing Hunt home to Brisbane is how he fits into the club's salary cap. Salary-cap space is a serious issue at Red Hill and whether Brisbane can afford Hunt could come down to what happens with Ezra Mam.
The Broncos five-eighth was involved in a car accident that injured three people while he was allegedly driving unlicensed and under the influence of a prohibited drug. The results of a second drug test are still pending. Mam subsequently checked into a rehabilitation facility, with a final resolution on his playing future yet to be determined.
"I couldn't tell you the timeline. That is a work in progress," Maguire said. "Ezra is working on himself at the moment. I met Ezra four years ago and he is a good young man.
"He is going through a bit. I said 'If you own it you can deal with it moving forward', and that is something I know he is doing."
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Michael Maguire keen to keep Selwyn Cobbo at Brisbane
Following the first training session of the Broncos pre-season under Maguire, the new Brisbane mentor is confident he can bring the best out of Selwyn Cobbo, while also stating his desire to hang onto Kotoni Staggs. That will be easier said than done, with both free agents and off-contract at the end of 2025.
Salary cap space will be the major factor in re-signing Cobbo and Staggs but Maguire is adamant he won't have to pick one and let the other go. "They are two players I would like to keep. That is part of the salary cap," Maguire said.
"Sitting down and going through that is not up to me. I will let the powers that be sort through that part, but those two players are world-class."
Cobbo has shown himself to be one of the best outside backs on his day and Maguire is confident he can bring out the best in the 22-year-old. "He is strong, and in my opinion, I can really help him grow his game," Maguire said.
"Selwyn is young. You can see the talent he's had here at the Broncos and when he's played for Queensland he is destructive. Myself, personally, I feel as though I can help him grow as a player and a person as well. That is what I enjoy doing … growing individuals. There is a bit of work to do, as we know inside these walls, but that is something we will set out to do."
with AAP
