Michael Maguire's brutal act towards Brisbane Broncos players as pre-season training begins

Michael Maguire is wasting little time stamping his mark on the Broncos, with details emerging of the 'brutal' pre-season training regime that Brisbane's new coach is implementing. Maguire has replaced Kevin Walters as head coach and has a massive task ahead of him to lift the standards at the club and restore them as an NRL finals force next year, following an underwhelming 12th-place finish in 2024.

Maguire is a renowned disciplinarian and has been brought in to address some of the shortcomings that the Broncos players have often been criticised of. Brisbane had one of the worst completion rates of any NRL side in 2024 and their defence was not up to scratch either - two areas that point to problems around the attitude of some of the players.

The standards at Broncos training were also called into question by critics and there were suggestions many of the players - particularly some of the senior squad members - were not holding their teammates to account. But it appears Maguire won't stand for that after taking the reins at the Broncos, and the former NSW coach is already cracking the whip according to reports.

In some of the first pre-season sessions since Maguire took over as coach, the Broncos players have been put through gruelling workouts from Maguire's support staff that involved switching between sprints, wrestling and skills-focused drills in the increasingly warmer Brisbane heat. It's understood as many as eight players have already vomited as the new regime takes shape.

According to The Courier Mail, Maguire has also chosen to conduct his first full training session with the squad on Monday in the middle of the day in Brisbane, with the mercury pushing 30 degrees. The veteran coach has also made the decision to move sessions away from their state-of-the-art training ground and across the road to the much more humble setting that sits in front of the club's famous old gym.

Some of the greatest players in Broncos history such as Allan Langer and Gene Miles used to call the old gym home and all six of the club's premierships came before it was replaced with a multi-million dollar new facility. Maguire has always been regarded as an old school coach and the move is yet another indication that he wants the players to forget about the glitz and glamour and concentrate on getting back to the basics and down to hard work.

Reece Walsh ready to work hard after early return to training

Superstar fullback Reece Walsh has already touched on Maguire's work ethic after returning to pre-season training two weeks earlier than he was required to. Walsh recently extended with the Broncos on a bumper new four-year deal worth more than $4.4 million and is keen to impress the new coach, with massive expectations that come with being Brisbane's marquee player.

“I want to be someone who works hard, someone who brings success, someone who helps bring premierships to this great club, but first of all I’ve got to be a good person off the field, a caring dad, a good role model and I’ve got to work hard on my footy," Walsh said last week. "I’ve had a few conversations with Madge (Maguire) and hard work is one thing he touches on a lot – I can’t wait to be around the boys again and get stuck into it together.

"As a player, you want to win and being a part of the Broncos that is expected, it’s a massive club with amazing members and fans, and amazing people working at the club as well as all our families, so you’re playing for more than just yourself. We didn’t have the best year last year and we are all looking forward to getting back in and working."

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Maguire also has a massive challenge in front of him after the Ezra Mam scandal in the off-season, with the superstar five-eighth awaiting the results of a second drug test before his NRL future becomes clearer. Mam was involved in a traffic collision last month, with police alleging that he failed an initial roadside drug test after driving without a license.

Mam has since checked himself into a rehab clinic after a four-year-old girl suffered a broken hip in the crash. According to reports, the NRL and Broncos are leaning towards giving Mam a second chance and not terminating his five-year, $4 million contract. It would make fitting Ben Hunt under the Broncos' salary cap extremely difficult after the former Dragons captain and free agent admitted he'd be open on returning to play for Brisbane.