NRL 2024: Michael Maguire says Ezra Mam and Broncos player must own their behaviour, prepares culture sweep of club

Michael Maguire has declared a new era of accountability is coming for his Broncos players on and off the field, preparing to instil a hard edge as he sets out to change the club’s culture and break their premiership drought.

Michael Maguire says Ezra Mam and Brisbane players must own their behaviour as the new Broncos coach prepares to instil a hard edge to break the club’s 19-year premiership drought.

Maguire arrived at Red Hill on Wednesday with a suitcase to begin a new life at Brisbane and Kevin Walters’ successor has walked into a Broncos firestorm on day one of his employment.

His star five-eighth Mam’s future remains in limbo as Queensland police investigate the car crash that could see the Queensland Origin hopeful suspended for the opening two months of the 2025 NRL premiership.

Renowned for his strict discipline, Maguire will kick-off Brisbane’s pre-season on November 1 and the Broncos coach has put Mam and the entire playing group on notice.

Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy concedes the club has cultural challenges, and Maguire declared a new era of professionalism and accountability is coming as he challenged Brisbane players to take ownership for their on and off-field conduct.

“It’s well-documented that things have been going on (at the Broncos) and I’ll address them as I see them,” Maguire said.

Michael Maguire has entered a Broncos club in crisis. Picture: Richard Walker

“There’s certain things you need to do as a professional player to get yourself to the top.

“It’s about hard work, character of the club and people.

“All that plays a part in what brings success to an organisation.

“The opportunity I see now is that I can bring that to the club.”

Mam will be a poster boy for the reformation required at the Broncos.

It is understood the 21-year-old is unlikely to be sacked, but the 2023 grand final hat-trick hero will be on his last chance under Maguire, who will expect Broncos players to uphold personal standards.

Ezra Mam’s Broncos future remains up in the air. Picture: Scott Davis/NRL Imagery.

“People will make mistakes but they’ve also got to own them. That’s the big thing,” Maguire said of the Mam saga.

“If he owns where he’s at … his actions moving forward are very important.”

There is a view Brisbane’s freefall from grand finalists to 12th place this year was triggered by a “rockstar” mentality, prompting Donaghy to remark that the Broncos’ fightback has to be “performance led, not lifestyle led”.

Michael Maguire rolls into Red Hill with suitcase to start a new chapter and life in Brisbane as Broncos coach.

Maguire addresses Ezra Mam scandal.https://t.co/YHN5QiJZ1Opic.twitter.com/QPKZVVxtsL

— Pete Badel (@badel_cmail) October 23, 2024

Maguire broke South Sydney’s 43-year title drought in 2014 on the back of a relentless pursuit of excellence and he made it clear there will be no room for complacency at Red Hill in 2025.

The premiership coach said a cultural broom will be swept through the Broncos – starting in pre-season.

“We’ll definitely be shifting to that (a performance culture),” he said.

“I’ve been around a number of players that have excelled consistently over long periods of time and that takes a lifestyle choice to do that.

Michael Maguire will be aiming to shift the culture at Brisbane during the pre-season. Picture: Richard Walker

“Whether you call that culture … it’s how we look after our supporters, how we deal with everyone every single day, how we turn up to training.

“They’re all the areas I’ll be looking at over the next couple of days.

“The players play a big part in that. Staff play a big part.

“We’ve all got to own where we are right now.

“I’ve started today. I’m going to own where we’re at and we’ll adjust to where we need to get to.

“We’ve got a great opportunity. The Broncos are a big brand and represent a lot of people in Brisbane.”

Maguire believes the Broncos have the roster to challenge for the title in his first year in charge and he won’t tolerate anything less than a finals campaign.

“We’re always going to aim high. I mean, that’s why you do it,” he said.

“You always start a season to make the finals and be in the grand final and win it.

“This playing group has a lot of experience now. They’ve been in finals. They’ve been at the top of the ladder. They’ve been in a grand final.

“First things first, we’ve got to get together and build the connections of who we are as a group.

“But the common goal for everyone is to build yourself now to be there playing in October.”

Donaghy backed Maguire to preside over cultural reform.

“We’ve got some real culture challenges,” he said.

“The thing I know about Michael is he also drives really high standards.

“He’s really hit the ground running. It’s his first real day in the building but he’s been part of our club for the last few weeks.

“He’s already put a lot of work in.

“It’s not all on Michael. It’s on the people around him, our leadership group, the players and the rest of the club to support him in driving those standards.”

Originally published as NRL 2024: Michael Maguire says Ezra Mam and Broncos player must own their behaviour, prepares culture sweep of club