The Tackle: Broncos thrive under Michael Maguire’s tough love, how was high shot missed?

Some Broncos players may not be loving life under Michael Maguire but their fans are liking the results, while the NRL’s new foul play sin bin is working - sort of. FATIMA KDOUH’s likes and dislikes from the pre-Season challenge.

Fatima Kdouh reveals her likes and dislikes from week two of the Pre-Season Challenge, revealing Joe Ofahengaue was reprimanded by Parramatta bosses, while Nathan Cleary took a major step in lining up in Penrith’s round 1 side in Las Vegas.

PRE-SEASON LIKES

BRONCOS RESPOND TO MADGE’S MILITARY WAYS

If Brisbane players were unhappy with Michael Maguire’s so-called military-like pre-season training regimen, there were no signs of discontent ahead of the Broncos Round 1 blockbuster against the Roosters.

Instead, the Broncos looked well drilled, well conditioned against Canterbury in Saturday’s trial, and like an outfit on track to be one of the most improved sides in 2025.

Maguire can quickly silence any detractors that say he is running the risk of burning players out by keeping the Broncos in the finals race this year.

Broncos head coach Michael Maguire. Picture: David Martinelli

The bigger problem for the coach, in fact any NRL coach, is silencing those within the club who may be voicing what are now ­clearly unwarranted ­concerns.

Thankfully for Maguire it should be an easy fix given none of the naysaying about pre-season training being too hard is coming from Brisbane’s core group of players.

Maguire also scored the first win of his Broncos tenure after Brisbane claimed back-to-back pre-season challenge crowns, picking up a $100,000 cheque after the Bulldogs win.

NRLW STARS STEAL THE SHOW

Des Hasler’s new-look spine lit up the field on the weekend but it was NRLW stars Shaylee Bent and Jaime Chapman that stole the show in the stands at Kayo Stadium.

Chapman was on hand to watch her new beau Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in Dolphins colours for the first time since going public as the latest sporting power couple in December.

She was kept company in the stands by Titans teammate Bent, who has been in a long-term relationship with NRL star David Fifita.

NRLW star Jaime Chapman (R) was on hand to watch her NRL boyfriend Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow in Dolphins colours for the first time. She was joined by Titans teammate Shaylee Bent, who is dating David Fifita. Picture: Gold Coast Titans

DOLPHINS ESCAPE INJURY TOLL

Krisitan Woolf is sweating on the fitness of star winger Jack Bostock (knee) and new prop Daniel Saifiti (hamstring) but both are firming for the season opener against South Sydney.

The Dolphins don’t return to training until Wednesday but Bostock and Saifiti will be sent for scans on Monday to determine the extent of the injuries.

Jack Bostock failed to finish the trial tonight due to a knee injury.

Rare mechanism with lower leg getting caught midair as upper leg/rest of his body fell - appeared to stretch medial knee. MCL sprain of most concern by video, Dolphins are reportedly not too worried. pic.twitter.com/R1uvXdYR8j

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) February 22, 2025

The Tackle understands that Dolphins medical staff believe Bostock’s knee injury and Saifiti’s hamstring complaint are only minor and will not rule out either player long-term.

It’s understood Saifiti could have played out the rest of the Titans trial but he was taken from the field as a precaution.

If Bostock is ultimately ruled out, Woolf has a number of options on the edge, including Junior Tupou and Max Feagai.

PRE-SEASON DISLIKES

HEAD KNOCK HORROR

The NRL is the toughest sport in the world but that doesn’t make the sight of one of the game’s stars crumble into heap any easier.

Young Dragons flyer Sione Finau looked sick and sorry after he was whacked across the head by South Sydney’s Lewis Dodd in Saturday’s trial in Mudgee.

Finau was affected by the heat but was also suffering from delayed concussion symptoms, highlighting why the NRL’s crusade on illegal head contact is warranted.

It was also the first real test of the NRL’s sin-bin experiment, where a player can be marched for 10 minutes if a rival who was injured due to foul play fails a head injury assessment. Dodd’s tackle happened in the 27th minute and he was subsequently binned at halftime.

The experiment passed the test, giving the NRL a strong case to introduce the rule during the regular season.

What is of concern, however, is the fact that the referee Adam Gee or Grant Atkins in the bunker didn’t take more decisive action in real time.

Dodd’s shot was clearly high and had force, lesser illegal tackles were immediately punished with the sin bin last year.

ROOSTERS RATTLED

Spencer Leniu has taken his assignment to step-up in Jared Waerea-Hargreaves’ absence a little too literally.

Leniu was not only sin binned for a head high shot on Newcastle’s Phoenix Crossland, but the fiery prop could also be in hot water with the judiciary putting him in doubt for the season opener against Brisbane.

Waerea-Hargreaves was sin binned three times last year and the Roosters had 10 sin bins in total – only the Tigers and the Rabbitohs fared worse.

Discipline in general was also an issue for the Roosters in 2024, copping more penalties (188) than any other side.

James Tedesco and the Roosters were comprehensively outplayed by the Knights. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

They’re the kind of bad habits coach Trent Robinson will want to stamp out this season, especially if his side can’t recover from the ill-discipline and find themselves on the back foot – as transpired against the Knights on Sunday afternoon.

A chaotic opening 15 minutes which included Leniu’s sin-bin, two set restarts to the Knights, an off-side penalty conceded, a play the ball error and three tries conceded – including a penalty try – set the tone for a Roosters side that not only looked out of sorts but failed to recover.

The lack of discipline in defence would also leave Robinson worried but Michael Maguire’s strike weapons on the edges, like Kotoni Staggs, Selwyn Cobbo and Jesse Arthars, licking their lips at the prospect of taking on a feeble Roosters’ defence in round one.

The right edge defence of Dominic Young and Robert Toia would be another huge concern for Robinson after they were cut to pieces by Bradman Best.

PARRAMATTA’S BACKROW WOES

A starting backrow spot was Kelma Tuilagi’s to lose and his defensive performance against the Wests Tigers only hurt his chances ahead of Round 1 against Melbourne.

Tuilagi missed seven tackles in Friday night’s trial and especially struggled with his lateral and sliding defence on the right side of the field.

Bryce Cartwright started on the other edge, after being named in the reserves, but reverted to some old habits like pushing passes instead of taking the tackle.

It will give coach Jason Ryles plenty to think about with youngsters Kitione Kautoga and Charlie Guymer at his disposal as Shaun Lane recovers from a knee injury.

Ryles is likely to start the season with Tuilagi but the coach will know all too well that Craig Bellamy and five-eighth Cameron Munster, who pulls the strings on the left side of the field, will put a target on Tuilagi’s back.

CIRALDO AND THE DOGS HAVE REASON TO WORRY

Canterbury’s sub-par performance has alarm bells ringing for Bulldogs fans ahead of Round 1 but they should be ringing for coach Cameron Ciraldo.

The Bulldogs were the surprise packet of 2024 and were primed to prove that the club’s return to finals footy after eight years wasn’t an aberration.

Instead, the Bulldogs dished up a performance against Brisbane that looked like they could be in for a bout of second-year syndrome.

It’s left Bulldogs fans fearing their round 1 opponent and fierce rivals St George Illawarra – the side that has been installed as an early wooden spoon favourite.

Matt Burton struggled to take control of the game. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

“Play like that and we’re definitely gonna cop a hiding against the Dragons,” one fan said.

Another warned: “We better not rock up to round 1 like this … I saw no set plays and defence was lazy.”

While most were grateful Saturday’s performance was a pre-season game.

“Only a trial. Only a trial. Only a trial,” Adam insisted.

Ciraldo was missing metre-eater Jacob Kiraz and forward recruit Sitili Tupouniua but still rolled out his best available 17, the side likely to be rolled out against the Dragons.

Yet instead of showing the improvements Canterbury have made over the summer, the Bulldogs left their fans taking the worst kind of trip down memory lane.

One disappointed Bulldogs fan put it best.

“Woke up in 2021 today,” Liam Cleaver said on social media after the Broncos loss.

That’s because it took the Bulldogs 20 minutes into the second half, against a mostly second-string Broncos outfit, to crack Brisbane’s defence – with a try that came from some individual brilliance from backrower Jacob Preston.

Both halves, Matt Burton and Toby Sexton, struggled to take control of the game.

What would have worried Ciraldo most was some of the poor one-on-one attempts in defence – an area that the coach prides himself on.

It’s said you can’t read too much into trial form and there is a truth in that but even Ciraldo what his side dished up wasn’t “Bulldogs football”.

The Dragons look like a vastly improved outfit on last season and will be looking to make their neighbouring rival, the Bulldogs, a big Round 1 scalp.

After Saturday’s trials, the Dragons should go into the season opener as favourites but only a Bulldogs win will calm the nerves of Canterbury fans.

Originally published as The Tackle: Broncos thrive under Michael Maguire’s tough love, how was high shot missed?