NRL 2021: Bad boy Broncos issued behaviour ultimatum by CEO Dave Donaghy
A series of off-field incidents have dragged the famous Broncos’ brand through the dirt and CEO Dave Donaghy has had enough.
NRL
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Brisbane boss Dave Donaghy has put the entire playing group on notice and vowed to fix the Broncos’ culture in the wake of the club’s third off-field incident in 14 days.
The Broncos’ famous brand has copped a battering over the past fortnight with the club rocked by a series of off-field dramas that have taken the gloss off Brisbane’s planned fightback as a finals force next season.
Brisbane’s final game of the regular season against Newcastle on September 4 had an explosive postscript when teammates Tom Flegler and Jordan Riki were embroiled in a pub fight that left a bloodied Riki requiring stitches to a facial injury.
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On Sunday, South Sydney-bound five-eighth Anthony Milford was locked-up by police following a drunken altercation with at least one female, while TC Robati will face court on Thursday after being charged with dangerous use of a motor vehicle.
The incidents come after Broncos rookie Tesi Niu copped a six-month driving suspension in March, while star centre Kotoni Staggs has been involved in two off-field incidents that have led to $30,000 in fines from the NRL.
Donaghy, who started as Broncos CEO in May, has seen what it takes to be a rugby league force after his premiership-winning tenure at the Melbourne Storm.
He has had enough of Brisbane’s off-field dramas and warned Broncos players to shape up - or be shipped out.
“I’m incredibly disappointed with how the last few weeks have unfolded,” Donaghy said.
“If we are fair dinkum about being a world-class sporting organisation, we can’t just talk the talk, we need to walk the walk and that’s everyone.
“We have reported our matters to the NRL integrity unit and the players understand how disappointed I am with what’s happened in recent weeks.
“It (improving the individual) is something I am passionate about and it will be an enormous focus for us moving forward.”
The Broncos have suffered a leadership void over the past three years and there is a view Brisbane’s emerging group of rookies, such as Robati, Staggs and Niu, can benefit from having more experienced cohorts at Red Hill.
Broncos head-of-football Ben Ikin has moved to address the leadership vacuum by signing Souths skipper Adam Reynolds, Penrith’s Queensland Origin back-rower Kurt Capewell and former Titans captain Ryan James.
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Brisbane offloaded the wooden spoon this season, but Donaghy is not satisfied with a 14th-placed finish as coach Kevin Walters looks to deliver a finals campaign next season.
Donaghy said the Broncos will be beefing-up their support systems to ensure the Broncos are not the bad boys of the NRL.
“We will keep putting good people in place,” he said.
“We will be investing in support services available for players.
“We have committed to that and we think that is an area we can address.
“Adam Walsh (Broncos welfare chief) is very good at what he does and he has spoken to us about the need to increase resourcing and investment to support cultural change, so that we develop not just good footballers, but wonderful people.
“We have a young group and they will benefit from leaders like Adam Reynolds, Kurt Capewell and Ryan James to drive standards on and off the field. That will help us.
“Leadership in rugby league is a really underestimated part of a successful program. While guys like Reynolds, Capewell and James will be wonderful additions to the program, this is a chance for the younger players in our group to become emerging leaders as well.
“We will be looking at that part of our program to improve performances on and off the field.”
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