Sport Confidential: Broncos boss Dave Donaghy can pocket up to $250k bonus if he brings success
Brisbane’s annual report reveals that chief executive Dave Donaghy could pocket a mega bonus. Plus, the Broncos have made an excellent financial recovery.
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Brisbane chief executive Dave Donaghy stands to pocket up to $250,000 in bonuses if he can bring success to the Broncos this season.
Brisbane’s annual report, obtained by Sport Confidential, reveals that Donaghy is on $500,000 this season, with the potential for a bonus “of up to 50 per cent of his base salary each year in accordance with specified key performance indicators including annual profit and football results.”
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Donaghy celebrated premiership success at the Melbourne Storm and Broncos hierarchy are hoping one of the code’s rising administrators can sprinkle some title magic dust over Brisbane in the Kevin Walters era.
The report shows the Broncos have made an excellent financial recovery in the wake of the Covid crisis which gripped the NRL.
Their revenue rose 46 per cent to $50.9 million, while Brisbane’s after-tax profit of $2.89 million represented a staggering 870 per cent spike on the Covid-affected previous financial year.
Despite tough times, the Broncos now possess $18.4 million in cash reserve (up from $16m), while Brisbane have injected an extra $1.5 million into their football program as part of coach Walters’ plan to break the club’s 16-year premiership drought.
BENNETT FLIPS OUT OVER FOLAU RUMBLINGS
Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has slammed the door shut on the prospect of controversial dual international Israel Folau finishing his career with the NRL’s 17th team in 2023.
News Corp broke the news on Monday that Folau’s wife, New Zealand netball legend Maria, is in secret talks with the Queensland Firebirds about a shock comeback to the sport two years after her retirement.
The possibility of the 150-Test New Zealand icon returning on Brisbane soil triggered speculation Israel could also make a sporting comeback of his own with NRL expansion newcomers the Dolphins.
The former Storm and Broncos whiz-kid turns 33 next month, making him one month younger than Dolphins recruit Jesse Bromwich, the Storm front-rower who could potentially captain Brisbane’s second NRL team next year.
Other NRL teams have flirted with signing Folau.
This time 12 months ago, the Dragons board held discussions about tabling a deal to Folau, only to abort their plans following a fierce public backlash against ‘Izzy’, who was sacked by Rugby Australia in 2019 over his much-publicised homophobic comments.
The Broncos also had brief internal talks, but never made a formal approach to the former Wallabies ace amid fears major sponsors would withdraw millions in funding.
Bennett has never been afraid to do things his way but not even the eight-time premiership super coach is prepared to risk damage to the Dolphins’ shiny new brand by putting out the welcome mat for Folau.
Bennett declined to comment when contacted by Sport Confidential but confirmed he has no interest in signing Folau.
The multi-code star has not been seen in the NRL since 2010, when he scored 20 tries from as many games for the Broncos before his bombshell defection to AFL side Greater Western Sydney in 2011.
Bennett, meanwhile, says he is no rush to appoint his assistant, who will be groomed to replace the 72-year-old when his Dolphins deal expires.
“I still haven’t got an assistant,” he said. “I’m taking my time there. There’s a couple of names I am looking at and I’m hoping to make a decision around the middle of the year.”
Highly-rated Penrith assistant Cameron Ciraldo has been linked with the Dolphins, while St Helens and Tonga mentor Kristian Woolf is another candidate.
STORM STRIKE OVER BRONCOS
The Melbourne Storm have registered an early off-field win against long-term rivals the Brisbane Broncos.
The Storm this week announced a lucrative sponsorship deal with online brokers Tiger Brokers ahead of their launch into the Australian market.
And we’ve been told the company had narrowed down its NRL sponsorship option to two clubs — the Storm and Broncos.
The Storm and Broncos have for long been fierce rivals on the field and they are now battling each other in the lucrative sponsorship market.
SLATER’S MAROONS MISSION
New Queensland coach Billy Slater has underlined his desire to bring down the Blues by travelling more than 6000km on a tour of duty to fire-up Maroons stars for their Origin revenge mission this season.
Slater has spent the past month on a whistlestop tour of the eastern seaboard, stopping into Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney and Newcastle to connect with Queensland stars ahead of his coaching debut in the 2022 Origin series.
The Storm legend was renowned for leaving no stone unturned as a player and now, as coach, Slater wants his Maroons players primed to avoid a fourth series loss in five years.
During the month of February, Slater jetted into four cities from Melbourne for dinners with key Maroons, including skipper Daly Cherry-Evans, Valentine Holmes, Kalyn Ponga and Kurt Capewell.
The 31-game Origin legend has impressed Queensland Rugby League hierarchy with his attention to detail.
“Billy is already throwing himself into the Origin job,” QRL CEO Rohan Sawyer said. “He has been doing the rounds. He caught up with some players and told them his story and what Origin means to him.
“He travelled around and caught up with groups of players anywhere between six and 10.
“Because we couldn’t bring them in for a camp (due to Covid restrictions), Billy decided to jump on a plane which has been a good move. We were mindful of the Covid environment so we wanted to keep it to smaller groups and Billy was keen to do it. It was a good chance for him to meet some of the players ahead of what is a very important series for us.”
QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher backed the 38-year-old Slater to lead Queensland out of the doldrums after last year’s horror series loss.
“The enthusiasm that Billy and his team have engendered already is impressive,” he said.
“There is a new awakening. Billy is bringing a fresh approach and it’s what we needed. Coaching is probably the hardest thing you can do in sport. We know Billy was a champion player but he will have to be clear in his instructions in what he wants to achieve as coach.
“I believe he is at the right age to take on the job and there are people like Wayne Bennett or Mal Meninga who are just a phone call away.”
HATCHING AN EXIT STRATEGY
Rugby league will lose one of its most passionate administrators at season’s end when Queensland Rugby League chairman Bruce Hatcher calls time on his decorated career.
Hatcher’s six-year reign as QRL chairman will come to an end on December 31 and he is sure to exchange a farewell Christmas card with ARL Commission Peter V’landys after some robust exchanges between the pair in recent years.
Hatcher is renowned for his razor-sharp mind and forthright opinions and the 76-year-old will leave a major void at the QRL after serving two terms as chairman.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of people clapping their hands at my departure,” Hatcher said with a laugh. “I’m proud I have survived the journey and I would like to think I’ve operated with integrity and stood for something.
“I’m 76, so I might smoke a pipe on the porch.
“No, I will make sure I stay busy doing things. I will help out where I can in rugby league. I don’t know if I will ever be able to shut my mouth completely because I have an opinion. I would rather let people know how I feel then let them die wondering.
“I’m sure Peter will get a Christmas card, we’ve had our disputes but as chairman of the QRL I have great respect for his role and I feel it’s my duty to fight for the rights of our organisation.
“I would like to think there’s been a lot of improvements in the QRL over the past six years, I’ve just tried to do what I think is right and now it’s time to move on and give the position to a fresh set of eyes.”
TINO’S TITANS FAMILY AFFAIR
The Gold Coast Titans have become a family affair for captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui.
Fa’asuamaleaui was last month handed the Titans’ captaincy ahead of the 2022 NRL premiership season, taking over from last year’s co-captains Jamal Fogarty and Kevin Proctor.
He inked a massive five-year contract extension late last year, keeping him at the Gold Coast until at least 2026.
And Fa’asuamaleaui will have plenty of familiar faces around the club for years to come.
His younger brother Iszac is part of the Titans’ squad and has also been working in an off-field role at the club.
And now Fa’asuamaleaui’s partner Jordan Ngarimu has joined the Titans’ fledgling netball team ahead of its first season.
A HARD ROAD FOR ZERAFA
Queensland slugger Issac Hardman has issued a stern warning to Michael Zerafa ahead of their middleweight blockbuster on April 20.
Nicknamed ‘Headsplitter’, Hardman has lived up to his nickname with 10 knockouts from 12 professional bouts and the unbeaten 25-year-old has predicted a painful ending for ‘Pretty Boy’ when they trade blows on Zerafa’s home soil in Melbourne.
“I’m confident of not only beating Zerafa, but bashing the piss out of him and making it a complete whitewash,” Hardman said.
“I’ve sparred 10 rounds with Tim Tszyu before so I’m very confident of beating Michael Zerafa.
“Credit where it’s due, Michael Zerafa has had a lot of fights and this is the toughest fight of my career so far, no doubt.
“But Zerafa will get a shock when he feels my power. I honestly feel like I will streamroll this guy. I’ve only had 12 fights, so I’m on the rise and getting better and better.
“Mentally, I don’t feel Zerafa is as committed or hungry as me.
“If the fight was on at 6am tomorrow, I would happily show up anywhere, anytime. But Zerafa needs to have everything perfectly laid out for him to win.
“That’s why he is called the Pretty Boy. He doesn’t like getting down and dirty and that’s why I will outbox him.”
BRONCOS DIG DEEP
The Broncos have cancelled Friday’s season launch in the wake of Queensland’s devastating floods and instead made a hefty donation to recovery efforts.
The Broncos had planned for their annual season launch to be held at the Brisbane showgrounds a week out from next Friday’s Suncorp Stadium blockbuster opener against South Sydney.
But they have made the decision to cancel it and have instead donated $50,000 to help grassroots clubs affected by the flood.
“Many parts of Brisbane remain flooded and the clean-up is only just beginning across our city for thousands of residents,” Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy said.
Due to the ongoing flood emergency, we have cancelled our 2022 Season Launch function.
— Brisbane Broncos (@brisbanebroncos) March 1, 2022
We will be making a donation towards helping the many junior rugby league clubs affected by the floods.
“While it’s disappointing to have to cancel our season launch event for the first time in the club’s history, it’s certainly the right thing to do given the extraordinary circumstances.
“There is widespread damage and we will work with the Queensland Rugby League to facilitate how to make sure the support gets to as many of our footy clubs as possible.
“We’ll also discuss a flood campaign with the QRL and the NRL to raise more funds for those junior footy clubs doing it tough.
“Brisbane is a strong community and Queenslanders are renowned for backing each other up and I’m sure we will see that in the days, weeks and months ahead as our city gets back on its feet.”
The Titans were set to launch their season on the same night, but have instead postponed their function until March 16.
KELLY’S COVID CURSE
Broncos playmaker Albert Kelly has had a challenging week in the lead-up to the NRL season kicking off.
Kelly was a late withdrawal from last Saturday’s trial game against the Cowboys, which was his last opportunity to press his claims for the No.6 jersey, after contracting Covid. He had few symptoms and was felt fine to play, but was sent into a mandatory seven-day quarantine.
To add another challenge, Kelly’s house in Brisbane was then flooded in and he also lost power for a number of days.
He’s looking forward to getting back on the training paddock on Friday.
Kelly wasn’t the only one at the Broncos to be affected by the floods. Football chief Ben Ikin had a significant amount of water come under his Queenslander property.
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