Brisbane Broncos hire crisis management expert to help the NRL club deal with culture issues

The Broncos have moved to protect the club and its brand following a series of ugly headlines over the last 18 months, hiring one of the country’s most experienced spin doctors.

Grant Williams (L) has been brought in to save the Broncos brand.

The Brisbane Broncos have taken the extraordinary step of hiring a crisis and reputation management expert to deal with the issues and pressure engulfing the club.

Grant Williams, one of the country’s most experienced spin doctors, who once looked after former NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller, has been rushed in to protect the club and its brand.

The Broncos have been under pressure over a series of ugly and unwarranted headlines over the last 18 months, including:

• The fallout from Ezra Mam’s head-on car crash, that seriously injured a four-year-old girl, following which he pleaded guilty to driving while a relevant drug was present in his blood or saliva, and driving without a licence;

• The sacking of veteran forward Marty Taupau for liking a social media post that was critical of coach Michael Maguire;

Crisis management expert Grant Williams has joined the Broncos. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Flavio Brancaleone

• Reece Walsh’s social media stupidity in posting a video of himself punching a mate in the head;

• Reports of player unrest;

• Maguire’s testy relationships with certain sections of the media;

• Old boys’ backlash over the recent logo rebrand; and

• An issue involving a senior staff member that is being dealt with behind the scenes.

Williams previously worked for the NRL before starting his own crisis PR company.

He was once the executive producer for John Laws when he was in his halcyon days at Sydney radio station 2UE, and then became the boss of Channel 9’s A Current Affair.

But these days his job is all about crisis and reputation management.

“The Broncos are a tremendous club and I’m looking forward to supporting their team with strategic counsel where required,” Williams said.

It is understood Williams has been brought in to consult on a range of issues across the club and its operations. His role will also include working with players and their managers on the club’s expectations around the use of social media.

Reece Walsh punched a mate in the head.

In a video uploaded to TikTok.

His website says: “Grant Williams Consulting is a public affairs, strategic communications and media management advisory providing crisis, issues, and reputation management to companies, organisations, senior executives, professionals and individuals.

“Grant Williams, will personally prepare you for any crisis or issue, anticipate and identify risks before they happen and provide a 24/7 urgent and bespoke response when they do.

“GWC will protect your brand and reputation and provide a communications strategy built on 25 years of high-level experience in senior executive roles across Australian media, business and government.”

The Broncos, one of the pre-season favourites to win the premiership, sit eighth with six wins and seven losses at the halfway point of the season.

They had suffered four straight defeats before a 44-12 win over the Gold Coast in Round 14.

Brisbane have the bye this weekend, before a difficult run of games against fifth-placed Cronulla and third-placed New Zealand at home, and ladder-leading Canterbury in Sydney.

Maguire’s men will likely need to win at least six of their remaining 11 games to ensure a top-eight finish.

Originally published as Brisbane Broncos hire crisis management expert to help the NRL club deal with culture issues