Madge vs Buzz: Michael Maguire’s explosive response to Broncos’ pre-game Sydney Harbour cruise

It’s never a good idea to upset Broncos coach Michael Maguire - especially when he’s under pressure. Inside the explosive 15-minute phone call to address Brisbane’s pre-game Sydney Harbour cruise.

It’s never a good idea to upset Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire, not when he’s under the pump from four losses in five weeks.

I found out firsthand in an explosive 15-minute phone call on Sunday morning.

Madge was not in a good mood.

He didn’t like the What’s the Buzz column on Saturday, revealing he took his players on a luxury Sydney Harbour cruise in a five-day-turnaround week before Friday night’s loss to an injury-ravaged Souths, missing millions of dollars of salary-cap talent.

A cruiser that is normally hired out by his celebrity accountant mate Anthony Bell to Sydney’s rich and famous.

I rang Madge to give him the opportunity to explain what’s really going wrong at the Brisbane Broncos, why they are doing worse after 10 rounds than last year under Kevin Walters, rather than rehashing the old stock-standard press-conference quotes.

If only we could print the conversation.

This was Madge at his angriest ... but sadly it was all off the record.

Michael Maguire.

You’re left wondering, if this is how he speaks to the players, no wonder he’s had falling outs at the Rabbitohs and the Wests Tigers in previous coaching stints.

We went through a whole heap of issues over the last 10 years including:

• Him losing the dressing sheds at the South Sydney Rabbitohs (2016) and the Wests Tigers (2022),

• His Broncos pre-season army camp and players vomiting at training from exhaustion,

• His relationships with key players that are said to be deteriorating,

• About his success with the Kiwis in international football and with the NSW Blues in State of Origin – but how coaching in rep footy over short, sharp campaigns is so different to managing footballers and personalities with the week-in week-out demands over a long and grinding NRL season,

Brisbane blew a golden chance against South Sydney. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

• And finally about a phone call I had with one of his player’s managers on Sunday morning in regards to why the Broncos have lost to Souths, Penrith, the Warriors and Roosters in five weeks.

The manager said he had feedback that Maguire was over-training the team, hence they looked so flat – just 10 weeks into the season - against the Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium.

The same the week before when they were touched up in Magic Round by the Panthers. Also, that Madge was an old-school coach who had not changed his ways to be more not in sync with the new generation of footballers like a Cameron Ciraldo or an Andrew Webster.

And on having to spend three days in Sydney for the boat cruise in a decision the manager claimed was one that went down poorly with the majority of players.

All I got from Madge was angry denials, but nothing to be publicly shared with the fans.

The Broncos are now heading into the most critical stage of their season with a side that looks totally disconnected.

State of Origin is around the corner and they will lose their best players on and off for eight weeks.

How Madge handles this period will make or break their season.

Since the 2014 premiership victory at Souths, his record in club footy isn’t great.

He has only a 39 per cent win record at Souths, the Wests Tigers and Broncos since winning that grand final.

This is a man hired by the Broncos to replace Kevvie Walters to win a premiership, something they haven’t achieved since 2006. Nothing less is expected of him.

There is a long way to go this season but it’s a tough road ahead.

One thing is for certain … your columnist won’t be ringing him back any time soon to check on their progress.

Originally published as Madge vs Buzz: Michael Maguire’s explosive response to Broncos’ pre-game Sydney Harbour cruise