The preseason for the Brisbane Broncos has officially begun, with new head coach Michael Maguire taking over and establishing lofty objectives for the 2025 NRL campaign.
Maguire has a crucial preseason to mold the team in order to guarantee a berth in the finals, particularly since the contracts of several important players are about to expire. Selwyn Cobbo, one of those stars, has a contract with the Broncos that expires after the 2025 campaign.
Maguire is keen to keep the dynamic center despite a wage cap that is almost at capacity because he sees tremendous potential for improving Cobbo’s game.
Cobbo was recently spotted working out alongside re-signed forwards Martin Taupau, Xavier Willison, and marquee prop Payne Haas.
Reece Walsh, a fan favorite, has signed a long-term contract with the Broncos that will last until 2029.
Walsh’s high-profile contract not only secures one star’s future but also reduces the financial flexibility required to retain other key players, such as Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs, who both have contracts expiring in 2025. Maguire is eager to keep both centers because he thinks Cobbo, in particular, can advance in the team.
I believe I can assist him improve his skills because he is powerful. There is something there; Selwyn is young, and his talent at the Broncos is evident, and he has been destructive while playing for Queensland. Maguire told The Sydney Morning Herald about it.
“I believe I can support him in developing both personally and as a player. Both here at the Broncos and in Queensland, he has demonstrated destructive force. My greatest passion is helping others grow. There is work to be done here, but it is work that we are dedicated to. Maguire is also dedicated to Staggs, who he sees as being just as important to the Broncos’ future.
Kotoni has expressed his feelings for this club, and he is certain that he wants to stay,” Maguire stated.
“It would be great to keep these two players because they are the core of the team.”
However, maintaining both centers could necessitate considerable pay modifications due to the stretched wage cap.
The financial situation is further complicated by rumors that Ben Hunt would move back to Brisbane.
Both the Dolphins and the Broncos have expressed interest in the 34-year-old, who is officially open to offers and has stated that he would much love to return to Queensland.
Hunt admitted that the Broncos, with whom he made his debut in 2009 and played 187 games, continue to hold a special place in his heart.
As his career draws to a close, a trip back to Brisbane would complete the circle and provide him with a significant chance to retire with his first club.
“That a player of his caliber would want to return says a lot about the Broncos. It’s a work in progress, but that’s something wonderful,” Maguire said.
In addition to the Broncos’ difficulties, teenage five-eighth Ezra Mam’s future is questionable after a car accident. where he reportedly drove without a license and failed a roadside drug test.
Maguire acknowledged he’s not sure what the next steps or possible disciplinary consequences could be, even though he has kept in touch with Mam.
The Broncos and their new coach are juggling high expectations with budgetary constraints as preseason training heats up in an effort to assemble a team ready for the championship game.