The $5 million reason Reece Walsh and Broncos players have been banned from going shirtless

Former NRL player Denan Kemp has revealed there was a ban on taking shirts off at the Brisbane Broncos back when he was there as well, while journalist Michael Carayannis has suggested it might be a sponsorship issue. Details emerged on Thursday that new Broncos coach Michael Maguire has barred players from going shirtless at training - a new edict only brought in this pre-season.

Reece Walsh and his teammates were often spotted with their tops off during Kevin Walters' time in charge, but Maguire is trying to change the 'rock star' culture and mentality that crept in at the club this year. Players are also required to wear club gear at official functions rather than street clothes.

The general theory is that Maguire is trying to make the players more humble after their egos got over-inflated this season after they made the grand final in 2023. It saw them suffer their biggest fall from grace in club history and finish 12th in 2024.

KIA spent $5 million to get branding on Broncos shirts

But speaking on SEN radio on Friday morning, Carayannis also pointed out that sponsors might have become unhappy that shirts were being taken off at training. KIA is the major shirt-front sponsor of the Broncos, meaning every time a player takes their shirt off they lose brand visibility.

"I think it comes down to some other standards that Madge (Maguire) has not enjoyed in regard to dress sense and just the way players have been carrying themselves," Carayannis said. "It might also be a sponsorship thing where the sponsors are unhappy at the Broncos that they're spending millions of dollars to have their logo and branding on the team kit, and they go through all of summer not wearing it."

The Broncos signed a sponsorship deal with KIA in 2019 worth a reported $5 million. So it wouldn't surprise if the car manufacturer insisted the players wear the branded shirts a little more.

Denan Kemp explains Michael Maguire mentality at Broncos

Speaking on Thursday night, former Broncos winger Kemp revealed there was a similar edict in place when he was at the club. Kemp played for the Broncos in 2006 and 2007 under Wayne Bennett, and the master-coach also insisted players kept their shirts on.

"Back in those days we actually did have a shirt (off) ban as well," Kemp said on SEN. "So maybe [Maguire] has gone deep into the research archives to see what was working back then. We also weren't allowed music in the gym. That changed with different generations but initially it was like that."

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Kemp pointed out that Maguire has also started using the old gym across the road from Broncos headquarters, rather than the state-of-the-art new one at Red Hill. The changes Maguire is making are all designed around getting the club back to its hard-working roots when dedication and perseverance were cornerstones.

"I do like Madge taking them back to the old training facilities," Kemp said. "When you walk into a really clean, sterile facility that's got everything you possibly need, it takes away that gritty edge. Whereas when you're in a gym without air conditioning and sweating...there's something about that."