Broncos urged to delay Maguire extension as slump puts roster in flux
The Brisbane Broncos have been urged to hold off extending the contract of coach Michael Maguire, with the club’s dramatic slump in form fuelling fresh scrutiny of its direction and its handling of a key roster window later this year.
Twelve months ago, the Broncos were preparing for another finals campaign and had emerged as genuine premiership contenders before going on to break their 19-year title drought.
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From premiers to crisis talk
Since lifting the title, Brisbane’s fortunes have dramatically shifted. With the club losing 12 of its last 13 matches, pressure has intensified on Maguire and on the football program more broadly.
The collapse has been severe enough that the Broncos are now being spoken about as potential wooden spoon candidates, a stark contrast with their status as champions only a season ago.
Despite that downturn, the hierarchy at Red Hill remains publicly committed to Maguire and has reportedly outlined plans to extend his contract beyond 2027.
Calls for caution on Maguire’s future
The prospect of a new long-term deal has prompted former NRL star Braith Anasta to urge Brisbane to pause before locking in their coach.
“I think given the scenario and agitation we’re hearing from the players there, I’d be waiting,” the former NSW Blues representative said on NRL 360.
“I wouldn’t be re-signing (him) and I love Madge. I really do.
“I’m a big fan of his, but you can’t look at that and the situation there where they are right now and the situation over the last 12 months and the rumblings coming out of Brisbane and thinking it’s a good decision right now.
“When you’re signing a coach or upgrading or extending a coach that isn’t actually doing well at the time, it very rarely ends well.
“And within a year they’ve cost themselves a fortune because they’ve got to pay the coach out.
“We’ve seen it at the Dragons and some other clubs at times. You need to see a clear direction, a clear path, and a clear success plan. How can you see that right now?”
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Timing clash with key contract window
Any extension for Maguire does not sit in isolation. It intersects directly with the next player movement cycle and the futures of a number of senior and emerging Broncos.
Under the rules of the National Rugby League, players coming off contract at the end of the following season are typically permitted to negotiate with rival clubs from 1 November. For Brisbane, whose roster includes several players able to open talks with other teams from that date, clarity over the coaching position is a live factor in whether they test the open market.
An extension for Maguire could significantly impact the playing group, particularly those who can negotiate with rival teams from November 1.
With the Red Hill-based club already facing questions over its roster balance and over the relationship between Maguire and sections of the playing group, the timing of any new deal is viewed internally and externally as crucial.
“All the commentary coming out of the Broncos headquarters from the hierarchy is Michael Maguire is the future of the club,” CODE Sports reporter David Riccio said.
“They plan to keep him at the club. We know that he is contracted until the end of 2027 and that they are planning to give him a new deal. It’s all about timing.
“Do they announce this new deal prior to this November 1, or do they wait until after November 1, knowing the decision before November 1 will definitely impact how many players go to market on November 1?
“Or do they wait and have players sitting there wondering who the head coach is going to be? I think it’s a delicate scenario.
“The club needs to make a firm decision about how many layers they want to keep or if they want to keep Michael Maguire.”
Squad stability and the Willison question
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The debate around Maguire’s future is already bleeding into individual contract discussions, with the situation of forward Xavier Willison under particular focus.
Willison faces an uncertain future at the club and has been linked with the PNG Chiefs as he weighs his next move.
It is understood that he could command close to $1 million a season, a potential price point that has raised questions over whether Brisbane should commit such a significant portion of its salary cap to a still-developing middle forward at a time when results are deteriorating.
“He’s a good young player, but that’s what he is,” foxsports.com.au’s Paul Crawley said.
“He’s not Joe Tapine, he’s not AFB. He’s not Payne Haas. He’s not Moses Leota. It’s crazy.”
For a club already navigating the competing demands of retaining established stars, rewarding emerging talent and responding to a sustained form slump, the Willison negotiations highlight how any decision on Maguire’s tenure will ripple through the rest of the squad.
High-stakes decision for a flagship club
Brisbane is one of the NRL’s highest-profile markets, and major coaching calls at Red Hill tend to shape not only on-field performance but also commercial momentum, membership confidence and perceptions of stability across the competition.
The current debate leaves the Broncos’ leadership weighing two unpalatable risks:
- Extend Maguire before November 1 and double down on a coach through a downturn, potentially locking in a payout if results do not recover, but offering immediate clarity to off-contract players.
- Defer a decision until after November 1 and avoid a premature commitment, but leave players and agents uncertain about the long-term football vision as they enter the open market.
For now, the club remains aligned behind Maguire in public. The challenge over the coming weeks will be whether that endorsement is translated into a formal extension before the next contract window opens – or whether Brisbane accepts the short-term turbulence of waiting in the hope that performances, and internal dynamics, stabilise.
