NRL 2021: Brisbane Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy has signed Ash Barty’s mindset coach Ben Crowe

Broncos chief Dave Donaghy has secured a major off-field coup by signing the secret weapon behind tennis star Ash Barty and AFL powerhouse Richmond.

Dave Donaghy at Red Hill. Pic Annette Dew

Broncos chief Dave Donaghy has landed a major off-field coup with the man behind Wimbledon champion Ash Barty’s success and Richmond’s rise as an AFL powerhouse to join Brisbane.

On his 100th day in charge of the Broncos, The Sunday Mail can reveal Donaghy has secured respected mindset coach Ben Crowe on an NRL exclusive contract to work with the club.

A former Nike executive, Crowe has mentored some of the world’s biggest sports stars including golf great Tiger Woods, tennis legend Andre Agassi and surfing star Steph Gilmore.

Barty has credited Crowe with playing a key role in her rise to World No. 1 and a two-time grand slam champion.

The leadership guru has joined the Broncos in a consultancy role and Donaghy said his exclusive acquisition was a huge coup for the club following a turbulent season of change at Red Hill.

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Ben Crowe, the mindset coach of Ash Barty and Richmond, has joined the Brisbane Broncos. Picture: Tony Gough

“There have been some changes on and off the field which needed to happen,” Donaghy said.

“Some players and staff have departed, which is always a tough thing to go through, but we have extended a number of our current roster, including some really talented young players, and we have signed some exciting new players who will join us from 2022.

“Given the changes that have been made, stability is important now. We may add a few pieces to the program if there are gaps but we’ll also invest in the good people we have to continue their development and evolve the program from within.

“A few of us have been working with Ben Crowe of late. He’s in vogue at the moment, Crowey, especially when you see how athletes like Ash Barty and clubs like Richmond have responded to his work.

“He’s very good at what he does and if he can play a role in adding shape to our development, that can only be positive.”

THE FIRST 100 DAYS

After an ugly contractual spat with former club Melbourne Storm, which ended up in the courts, Donaghy took the reins at Red Hill on May 1 and had little time to find his feet.

With wife Sharyn by his side, Donaghy watched the Broncos conjure a club record comeback win against the Gold Coast Titans on April 30 at Suncorp Stadium before his first day at work.

The next day he was on a plane to Sydney with coach Kevin Walters to sign Rabbitohs halfback Adam Reynolds on a three-year deal.

Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy has been working closely with coach Kevin Walters. Picture: Annette Dew.

It was the first major decision of Donaghy’s tenure as Paul White’s successor and there have been plenty of big moves at the Broncos since.

Donaghy has overseen the departure of football boss Peter Nolan, recruited Ben Ikin in his place and released star players Matt Lodge and Tevita Pangai Jr.

Seismic change was needed to kickstart the resurrection of the Broncos after collecting the wooden spoon last year for the first time in the club’s illustrious history.

“There’s been some big changes made inside the club already, now it’s about stability, setting a plan with short and long-term goals and seeing progress,” Donaghy said.

“I’m really enjoying the role. I couldn’t be more grateful to the board for their patience earlier in the year.

“When I did finally start, I came in with my eyes wide open and have found it really is an incredible club, with many great people working really hard to build on the foundations we have.

“We’ve had our challenges on-field over the past few years, but we’re much broader than that. Financially, we’re in a strong position and within the community, we play such an immensely positive role in people’s lives.

“The Broncos are a big part of what makes Brisbane tick, I knew that coming in and the past three months have only reinforced that.

“I’m sure our members and fans can see the direction the club is heading in football-wise now as well. I have great hope for the future, provided we all stay hungry and keep working hard. But it will take time.”

Matt Lodge was a big name player to leave the Broncos. Picture: NRL Photos.

RED HILL ROLLER COASTER

Since Donaghy stepped into the hot seat at Fulcher Rd the Broncos have continued to ride the rugby league rollercoaster.

They have only won five of 20 games this season, will miss the finals for the second year running and are facing back-to-back bottom four finishes.

Donaghy has thrown his support behind Walters as he enters the final year of his contract, with the coach under pressure to start delivering results.

Reynolds and Queensland star Kurt Capewell will headline a roster overhaul which includes Lodge, Pangai Jr, Anthony Milford, Xavier Coates and Brodie Croft leaving the club.

Donaghy has helped retain the likes of Kotoni Staggs, Jordan Riki and Brendan Piakura following the early season defections of Reece Walsh, Tom Dearden and Coates, which thrust the spotlight on Brisbane’s recruitment department.

The Broncos reported a $3.17 million profit for the first half of this year compared to just breaking even in 2020 due to the mass disruption of Covid.

Donaghy is convinced the tide is turning at the Broncos after the club hit rock bottom and fans will have plenty to cheer about in the coming years.

Kotoni Staggs has committed to the Broncos. Picture: Richard Walker

“I’m enjoying working with Kevin again, we can be very upfront and direct with each other because we both know we only have the club’s best interests at heart,” Donaghy said.

“We all know how passionate Kevin is about the Broncos, he knows what success looks like. We’re piecing it together, bit by bit and I’ll continue to provide him with the support and tools he needs.

“I think the on-field performances over the past six weeks or so have been a reflection of positive change. They are a connected and happy group.

“We want our players to perform consistently at a high level but that won’t just automatically happen – we need to sharpen our performance environment even more, so our players continue to grow and develop both as people and athletes.

“When we went into lockdown and the game relocated up here to Queensland, we said we wanted to come out of this period in better shape than what we went into it in. We’re on track.

“There have been some challenging times and we are always grateful for the support of our members and fans and, of course, our sponsors.

“We’ve made some tough calls with regards to change. Change is always hard at the start and can be messy in the middle, there’s going to be some lumpy parts to work our way through yet, but we’re all committed to working hard, working together and staying hungry.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Brisbane Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy has signed Ash Barty’s mindset coach Ben Crowe