NRL 2022: Broncos boss Dave Donaghy opens up on what is fanning success and belief at club

When David Fifita sensationally defected the Broncos’ aura as a destination club appeared lost, but a Red Hill heavyweight says the club’s re-emergence as a powerhouse is almost upon us.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JULY 10: Kotoni Staggs of the Broncos celebrates scoring a try during the round 17 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the St George Illawarra Dragons at Suncorp Stadium, on July 10, 2022, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Brisbane boss Dave Donaghy has declared the Broncos have their aura back as a “destination club” as the NRL’s $53 million powerhouse flexes its muscle in a looming turf war with expansion rivals the Dolphins.

After two years of misery, tainted by the shock of their first-ever wooden-spoon, the Broncos are within striking distance of a finals campaign this season — evidence of Brisbane’s Red Hill renaissance under coach Kevin Walters.

While derby rivals the Titans are in crisis and fighting to avoid the wooden spoon, the resurgent Broncos can all but seal their first playoffs appearance in three years by defeating Gold Coast on Saturday night at Robina.

For the first time in 32 years last season, the Broncos missed the finals in back-to-back seasons, triggering fears that Brisbane’s status as an NRL superpower had come crashing down.

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Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs rejected Newcastle to sign a $2.8 million upgrade.

But Donaghy believes a $10 million recruitment and retention drive over the past 15 months, headlined by Queensland Origin young gun Selwyn Cobbo inking a new deal a fortnight ago, is evidence Brisbane have their mojo back.

In just four months’ time, the Dolphins will launch their inaugural pre-season. There is a view Dolphins mentor Wayne Bennett, the former Broncos super coach who delivered all six of Brisbane’s premierships, will cast a powerful shadow over Red Hill and potentially threaten the club he helped make famous.

But as Brisbane’s territorial monopoly prepares to come to an end for the first time in 35 years, Donaghy welcomed the birth of the NRL’s 17th team, saying the Broncos have picked up the pieces from the worst period in the club’s history.

“It’s not unreasonable to suggest we have become a destination club again for players,” Donaghy said ahead of the Broncos-Titans derby.

“To have Selwyn recommit for another two years when he had so much interest … that’s a sign we are again a destination club.

“He wants to stay and be part of building something special at the Broncos.”

Since the arrival of Donaghy and football boss Ben Ikin, Brisbane’s Big Three, including coach Walters, have presided over a roster restoration plan aimed at breaking the Broncos’ 16-year premiership drought.

Chief executive Dave Donaghy believes a $10 million recruitment and retention drive has ensured Brisbane has its mojo back.

Millions have been spent recruiting the finest existing talent, nurturing rising stars and retaining established top-liners.

Halfback Adam Reynolds (Souths) and back-rower Kurt Capewell (Penrith) left incumbent grand-final clubs to buy into Brisbane’s vision for success.

In the past six months, the Dolphins targeted Pat Carrigan, Herbie Farnworth and Cobbo. All three stayed loyal to the Broncos.

Prop Keenan Palasia knocked back a four-year, $1 million package from Manly to ink a one-year extension with Brisbane. Strike centre Kotoni Staggs rejected Newcastle to sign a $2.8 million upgrade.

Classy teenage playmaker Ezra Mam and Queensland under-19s hooker Blake Mozer, rated the next Cameron Smith, have signed extended deals.

They are contractual statements of faith in the Broncos brand far removed from the ructions of July 2020, when back-row sensation David Fifita sensationally quit Brisbane to sign a $3 million deal with the Titans.

The Fifita defection — choosing Little Brother over Big Brother — was seen as a seminal moment in Brisbane’s history. Suddenly, the Broncos were viewed as vulnerable. Donaghy, however, believes Brisbane’s market strength has been restored.

Big Brother has put the embattled Titans back in the corner.

“Adam Reynolds and Kurt Capewell are premiership winners and they chose to be a part of the Broncos,” he said.

Queensland Origin young gun Selwyn Cobbo inking a new deal a fortnight ago.

“They can see the world-class facilities we have.

“The Queensland Origin team trained here a few weeks ago (before Game One) and they were blown away by the set-up we have.

“Brisbane is a great city to live and we are well-resourced to provide support networks around our players.

“If you look at our roster, there is a strong nucleus of growth that is coming and building together.

“Guys like Payne (Haas), Herbie (Farnworth), Selwyn (Cobbo), ‘Paixy’ (Cory Paix), Xavier Willison, Brendan Piakura, Blake Mozer and Deine Mariner have all been through the Broncos Academy program

“We have seen several of our guys, like Selwyn and Ezra, blossom this year which is wonderful. Those players are the guys we want to continue with in the coming years.

“It’s hard to keep a squad together longer-term with free agency, that is the blunt nature of the NRL business, but we will be doing everything we can to keep this group together because they are wonderful athletes and they are the key to bringing success back to this club.”

When Walters succeeded Anthony Seibold as Broncos coach in September 2020, the club legend vowed to bring one key ingredient back to Brisbane — unity.

Halfback Adam Reynolds left an incumbent grand-final club to join Brisbane.

Donaghy accepts the Broncos are not the finished article under Walters. The project will not be truly complete until Brisbane hoist a seventh premiership, but Donaghy can sense a shift in the dressing room.

“Selwyn’s decision to stay is a sign of the respect the players have for Kevvie,” said Donaghy, a premiership-winning CEO at his former employer the Storm.

“They want to be part of his program and we will give Kevvie every support he needs to make sure he is successful.

“The challenge for all NRL coaches is to maintain that level of consistency.

“Whether you have a good week or bad week, people feed off your energy and Kevvie has been terrific.

“The players are responding to Kevvie and he is well supported by some strong leaders in ‘Reyno’ and Capewell.

“Kev would be the first one to say we are not the finished product yet, there is still a lot of work to do, but hopefully a lot of upside as well.

“There is a good feel among the place and there is a great opportunity ahead of us.”

Originally published as NRL 2022: Broncos boss Dave Donaghy opens up on what is fanning success and belief at club