Sport Confidential: Corey and Margaux Parker go head-to-head, Gorden Tallis rips Michael Maguire in new feud
Former Broncos captain Corey Parker is set to go head-to-head with his wife Margaux while Gorden Tallis rips into NSW coach Michael Maguire. That and more in SPORT CONFIDENTIAL.
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Former Broncos captain Corey Parker will go head-to-head with wife Margaux in Brisbane’s radio wars.
Parker continues to rise as an emerging media star after being appointed co-host of SENQ Breakfast alongside Australian cricket legend Ian Healy.
Parker will replace Brisbane media doyen Pat Welsh in the New Year in a rebranded show called “Breakfast with Corey Parker and Ian Healy”.
Interestingly, the 6-9am timeslot puts Parker on a collision course with wife Margaux, who heads up the popular Triple M breakfast show with Greg Martin and Dan Anstey.
A straight-shooter with Fox Sports, Parker has been a regular contributor on SEN and will step into the co-hosting hot-seat.
“I’m looking forward to working with Heals and the crew as they are people that I have huge respect for,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to bringing in the big-name guests, having strong debate on all the tough topics, and engaging with our passionate audience to deliver a first-class sports show.
“I couldn’t be more excited for what this show will deliver.”
A Channel 7 legend, Welsh is scaling back following nearly five decades in the sports media.
“It’s the perfect timing for me to take a step back after close to 50 years in the industry,” he said.
“It’s not goodbye just yet. I’ll be around to fill in when Corey or Heals take time off.
“I think Corey will be a media star for years to come. Corey’s opinionated, and that’s a good thing, he calls it how he sees it, and I know he’ll be a big hit with the SENQ faithful.
“You’ll have bona fide legends of Australia’s two favourite sports doing their thing every morning.”
RAGING BULL RIPS MAGUIRE
Brisbane legend Gorden Tallis’ feud with Michael Maguire has exploded with the Raging Bull saying the NSW Origin mentor should never coach the Broncos.
Former Maroons skipper Tallis fired up earlier this season when Maguire famously accused Queensland of “living in glass houses” following criticism of the Blues for wiping Reece Walsh out of Origin I.
Tallis hit back at Maguire by calling him a “nobody” and a failed first-grader who never played State of Origin.
Now Tallis has bristled at speculation Maguire could be lined up as Brisbane’s next coach if Walters fails to get the Broncos firing in 2025.
“Out of respect, we don’t want a NSW coach coaching a powerful Queensland club,” said NRL 360 co-host Tallis.
“C’mon … we need a Queenslander coaching Queensland.”
Maguire has previously been in the running for the Broncos job. ‘Madge’ was on a four-man shortlist for the Broncos post in 2018 following the sacking of Wayne Bennett. He was interviewed for the job, but ultimately lost out to Anthony Seibold.
Maguire has the hot hand after guiding the Blues to Origin glory this year and views the Broncos job as one of the most prestigious in the game.
MAJOR TOM EYES NRL RETURN
Former Broncos utility Tom Opacic is hoping for a return to Red Hill after a successful stint in England.
Opacic is coming back to Australia at season’s end after brokering an early release from Super League club Hull KR to return home for family reasons.
Opacic turns 30 on Saturday and still believes he has something to offer in the NRL after 83 games for Brisbane, the Cowboys and Parramatta.
His preference is a return to the Broncos, where he made his NRL debut in 2016.
The Broncos will farewell outside backs Corey Oates and Tristan Sailor at season’s end and Opacic would add depth to Brisbane’s ranks on a minimum $130,000 deal.
Opacic is capable of playing several positions including centre, wing and back-row. Should he fail to win an NRL deal, Opacic will happily finish his career in the Queensland Cup.
WAYNE USES WALTERS’ WORDS TO BURY BRONCOS
Wayne Bennett inspired the Dolphins to an emphatic Battle of Brisbane victory by showing his players video clips of comments made by Broncos coach Kevin Walters.
Sport Confidential can reveal how Bennett conjured one of the great ambushes after the Dolphins hammered the Broncos 40-6 last Saturday in a Riverfire rout that ended Brisbane’s season.
Having never beaten the Broncos in three previous encounters, the Dolphins went into the derby as outsiders after being smashed 48-6 by the Storm in Melbourne.
But Bennett drew on his 50 years of coaching experience, pulling out every trick from his playbook to exact the ultimate revenge on the club that sacked him in 2018.
First, Bennett and his assistants decided to make drastic changes to the make-up of their team following nine losses in 12 games.
He shifted fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to centre, recalled the electric Trai Fuller, dumped halfback Isaiya Katoa for Sean O’Sullivan, moved centre Jake Averillo to five-eighth and brought back Tevita Pangai Jr and Jeremy Marshall-King from injury.
But he decided to hide the changes from the media, running his normal team at Tuesday’s training session before holding a closed hitout at Redcliffe on Wednesday, away from prying eyes.
Bennett unveiled the mass changes at Friday’s captain’s run, but it was too late for the Broncos to react given they had completed their preparations.
But it wasn’t only tactics where Bennett trumped Walters.
The super coach gathered the Dolphins on Friday and delivered one of his trademark stirring speeches that he reserves for the biggest occasions.
Bennett is renowned for inspiring heroic performances, like the Dolphins’ first ever win against the Roosters and Queensland’s stunning 2020 Origin series triumph.
As part of his pre-game address, Bennett showed the Dolphins clips of the Broncos acting arrogantly in previous Battles and Walters in the media.
The comment that struck a nerve at the Dolphins was Walters’ infamous quote after the Broncos’ round 25 win against Parramatta.
“There is no ‘if’. We will make the finals but we have got to play well next week against Redcliffe,” he said.
Walters emphatically declared the Broncos would make the finals and to do that they would beat the Dolphins.
The Dolphins also take offence at being labelled “Redcliffe” – something the Broncos have made a habit of doing across the board.
It backfired spectacularly.
Pangai Jr confirmed it was one of Bennett’s great speeches.
“He was pretty animated and fired up, I’ll tell you that,” he said.
“I don’t want to go into detail but I hadn’t seen him like that for a while.
“He played some crazy videos. I’m not going to say any names, just look at the away (Broncos) sheds.”
Former Broncos star Herbie Farnworth was man-of-the-match after producing an incredible performance against his old club and said Bennett stoked the fire.
“I can’t go into too much detail but (Bennett) touched on a couple of things that happened in the past between the two clubs,” Farnworth said.
“It fired all the boys up.”
Walters may have inspired the Dolphins’ ambush but he didn’t run away from the result, making a point of visiting the Dolphins’ dressing rooms and congratulating the players and rival coach Bennett.
He was spotted in the Dolphins’ inner sanctum shaking hands with the players, many of whom he has coached, and Bennett after the game.
It was a nice gesture considering the Dolphins had just ended his team’s season and showed there is respect between the clubs, despite the public bickering.
The win has given the Dolphins a shot at making the finals by beating Newcastle on Sunday while the Broncos are guaranteed to celebrate Mad Monday next week.
TITANIC COUP
The Titans have unearthed a teenage superstar with halfback sensation Zane Harrison tipped for big things after signing a new deal to remain on the Gold Coast.
Sport Confidential can reveal Gold Coast coach Des Hasler has won the battle for the signature of Harrison, who rejected interest from NRL rivals to ink a three-year upgrade.
The 18-year-old playmaker will remain on the Coast until the end of 2027 and is tipped to one day wear the Titans’ No.7 jumper in the NRL _ possibly as early as next season.
Wallabies rugby convert Carter Gordon is another scrumbase option for the Titans but in Harrison, good judges on the Coast believe the teenager is destined for NRL stardom.
Harrison attends Palm Beach Currumbin High and outpointed Broncos halfback young gun Coby Black in Tweed’s Mal Meninga Cup grand final win over Brisbane feeder club Burleigh.
Harrison was man of the match in the grand final as Tweed went through the competition undefeated.
Hasler was so impressed with Harrison the rising playmaker was invited to train with the Titans’ senior NRL squad in pre-season to help give him a taste of the big time.
“It’s such a good experience training with all the boys at the Titans,” Harrison said at the time.
“It’s surreal knowing I’m coming back to school next year but getting to do a NRL pre-season is pretty cool … I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity.
“I’ve just gone into this trying to prove a point that I’m not too small and I can handle a pre-season.
“It’s obviously a good experience training with all the experience at the Titans and it makes you a better player, that’s been my goal.”
UNION’S NOT-SO SHORT LIST
The award for the NRL’s most ridiculous award process goes to the Rugby League Players’ Association.
The RLPA this week announced the “shortlist” for its prestigious Players’ Champion Award.
The gong is respected within the game because it is voted on by the players themselves.
However the voting process is laughable after a staggering 68 players made the list of contenders.
Four players from each of the NRL’s 17 clubs have been short-listed.
We’re not going to name and shame but some of the finalists have had below-par seasons not worthy of being in contention for an award.
“The Players’ Champion is the biggest and most significant player-voted award in rugby league, and becoming a Players’ Champion comes with incredible respect that is sealed in the history of the game,” RLPA chief Clint Newton said.
“To be selected by your club’s leaders as one of the four contenders to be eligible for the individual Players’ Champion is a huge acknowledgment to a players’ commitment and contributions during a long and entertaining season.
“It is now up to the rest of the NRL playing group to select their Players’ Champion, in what will be a significant recognition for that player from the people he plays against every week.”
Surely the RLPA could get away with naming one or two finalists from each club.
ROOKIE ROOSTER’S NEW DEAL
Roosters rookie monster prop De La Salle Va’a has signed a new deal with the club ahead of his NRL debut against Souths on Friday night.
A former Broncos Academy young gun, Va’a defected from Red Hill to Bondi in 2021 and he will get his reward when he takes on the Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium.
Va’a was already contracted for 2026 but the Roosters are so rapt with his development they have extended the 19-year-old until the end of 2027.
His NRL baptism has vindicated the decision to the Broncos with his older brother Xavier, a former Queensland under-19s captain who has battled injury this season, but is also tipped to play first grade.
At 198cm and 114kg, De La Salle is a hulking teenager who once sparred former Broncos, Cowboys and Queensland prop Ben Hannant.
De La Salle and Xavier are both handy national-level fighters who once considered becoming professional boxers before focusing on cracking the NRL.
“The Va’a boys are super talents and the Roosters have done a great job with them,” said De La Salle’s manager Shaun Pyne.
“It’s great recognition for De La Salle. Not many young forwards make their NRL debut as teenagers but De La Salle has the size and toughness to handle it.
“He and Xavier are loving it at the Roosters and De La Salle was happy to extend his stay there.”
DOLPHINS REGGIES FLYING
The Dolphins are making waves in Queensland’s reserve grade and have claimed bragging rights over the Broncos.
All three of the Dolphins’ feeder clubs remain alive heading into the second week of the Hostplus Cup finals.
After finishing second, Norths Devils progressed to the preliminary finals by beating Redcliffe in the first week.
Redcliffe will now play the CQ Capras on Saturday, with the winner to progress to the prelims.
Former $1 million-a-season NRL star Anthony Milford has been in sublime form for the Capras.
Interestingly, the Broncos’ three feeder clubs have all bombed out of the title race.
Wynnum-Manly and Burleigh lost in week one of the finals while Souths-Logan finished 10th.
The Titans’ two feeder clubs – Tweed Heads and Ipswich – finished third-last and second-last ahead of wooden spooners the Clydesdales, who only won one game in 2024.
NRL’S TURF WAR WARNING
Ipswich mayor Teresa Harding has urged ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys to back an NRL western-corridor bid following the AFL’s latest turf-war strike.
The AFL is making incursions in rugby league’s traditional heartland after striking a three-year deal with Ipswich Council to promote the code in Brisbane’s greater west.
The Ipswich Jets, in unison with Sydney foundation club Newtown, are bidding to win the code’s 18th licence and Harding says the region can sustain an NRL team.
“Ipswich has a deep love and association with rugby league that dates back more than a century, as our city has fostered some of the greats of the game,” Harding said.
“The Ipswich Jets are at the centre of our city’s connection to rugby league.
“I certainly believe it is the right time to see the Jets take their rightful place in the NRL.
“Ipswich will experience the highest rate of population growth in the next 20 years of any council area in Queensland.
“Our population is set to more than double in the coming decades.
“The significant population growth being experienced in the western corridor presents a compelling opportunity to grow interest in playing and watching rugby league.
“It is certainly an opportunity the AFL has seized with both hands with the Brisbane Lions moving their headquarters to Ipswich and investing heavily in our local community.”
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