Michael Maguire believes front-row duo Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan can follow footsteps of Broncos legends and lead title push
At the heart of the Broncos’ six premierships has been the presence of commanding front-rowers. Michael Maguire believes front-row duo Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan are ready to follow in the footsteps of club legends and lead Brisbane’s title charge.
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Michael Maguire believes Pat Carrigan and Payne Haas are ready to walk in the footsteps of club legends as the twin engines of the Broncos premiership revival.
The Broncos are the talk of the NRL after their crushing 50-14 defeat of the Sydney Roosters with Carrigan’s switch to partner Haas in the front-row an instant success with the duo running 347m between them.
Broncos coach Maguire has spotlighted the fact that a key feature of the club’s six premierships has been the presence of commanding front-rowers and believes Carrigan and Haas have the chance to reinforce this theme as the club strives to break a 19-year premiership drought.
“Historically, the Broncos have always had great props when it comes to winning premierships. Guys like Glenn Lazarus, Shane Webcke, Andrew Gee and Petero (Civoniceva) are club legends,’’ said Maguire as he prepares for his team’s second match against the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday.
“Payne and Pat have the opportunity to be like those guys and that’s what the Broncos have built their successes on.
“How will Payne and Patty be recognised? That’s a great opportunity they have got.’’
Club great Lazarus, who won five premierships with three different clubs, will forever be remembered as the player who defined the true worth of a world class front-rower.
The Broncos were a fine team before he arrived in 1992 but his injection provided the mid-field fibre that took the team from goodness to greatness as they won two premierships in a row.
Webcke, who won four premierships with the Broncos, had a similar presence and it is a sobering fact that the club has not won a premiership since his final club game in 2006 netted a grand final win over the Melbourne Storm.
The win over the Roosters saw Brisbane altar Haas’ role from the brutal consignment of often taking the “suicide run’’ up the middle off the first tackle to occasionally taking later tackles which give him the chance to showcase his underestimated attacking wares.
“We’re working harder as a middle,’’ Maguire said.
“Sometimes Patty will take the earlier runs and Kobe will also make those tough hit-ups, so we need our middle to be playing together and with a connection to help Payne.
“A team is about bringing a group of players together and the more they want to work for each other, the more they will get the outcomes we want to achieve.
“We have to bottle the will to work for each other and to give the Broncos fans a club they are proud of.
“One thing I’ve realised coming here is the enormous support this club has and if we harness that, the passion of the Broncos fans, we will be a real force.’’
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