Club icon Allan Langer dumped from Broncos football department

The Michael Maguire era has well and truly arrived in Brisbane with another huge move clearing the decks for the incoming coach.

Broncos legend and trainer Allan Langer with Reece Walsh. Picture NRL

Brisbane Broncos legend Allan Langer will be moved into an off-field role as the Michael Maguire revolution continues at Red Hill.

While Langer’s role as a blue shirt trainer has become synonymous with the Broncos as fans joked he spent as much time on the field as many of the players, the era is over in the latest move as the Maguire era kicks off.

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The Broncos move to oust former coach Kevin Walters reportedly hit Langer hard and left the 58-year-old “shattered” and tossing up whether he’d continue his role as trainer for the club in 2025.

Walters has previously said of Langer: “He is a great ally to have and is a real Broncos man, which makes it even more special.

“We will be carrying Alf out in a box.”

Rated by legendary coach Wayne Bennett as the greatest Bronco and a snubbed Immortal, stating he would have been awarded the honour “if he’d been down in NSW”, Langer has been part of the furniture at Red Hill in the two decades since his retirement.

Allan Langer is one of the greatest Broncos of all. Picture: NRL Photos

Langer with the 1992 Winfield Cup.

However, the club is hopeful that even though he’s been moved out of the football department that Langer will remain at the club.

News Corp reported Broncos officials will offer Langer a role as a corporate ambassador, working with sponsors.

While from the outside it could appear like another casualty of the club’s move to install Maguire as head coach, the former NSW and New Zealand mentor has stated he wants Langer to stay.

He’ll reportedly meet with Langer in a bid to keep the icon at the club.

“Alf will be in the organisation,” Maguire said.

“I haven’t really had a chance to see him properly yet, but I have spoken to Alf over the phone and he’s a great man.

“I’ve been able to spend some time with him over the years.

“Now that I’m moving up, I want to sit down with Alf and see how best it all fits in together.”

Current captain and halfback Adam Reynolds said Langer was an important part of luring him to the club as he wanted to be mentored by the rugby league legend.

It’s unknown if it will effect his role as trainer for Queensland. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Maguire said Langer, who played 258 games for the Broncos, won four premierships and claimed the 1992 Clive Churchill Medal as well as 37 State of Origin matches for Queensland and 25 matches for Australia, still had a part to play at the club.

“He’s obviously one of the greats of the club and such a popular figure in the game,” he said.

“I think everyone enjoys Alf, but it’s just best how we put our program together.

“I’m looking forward to sitting down with him over the next couple of weeks to talk about where he fits in.

“Alf can play so many different parts within the Broncos organisation.”

Maguire is just two days into his tenure as Broncos coach, having started on Tuesday.

The 2024 NSW Blues mentor has a challenge on his hands though as he seeks to change the culture of the club, which has been in the spotlight in recent years.

The Broncos have missed the finals in four of the last five years, including claiming the club’s first wooden spoon in 2020.

Star centre Kotoni Staggs spoke to 2GB on Tuesday, revealing he found out Walters was being fired over the news.

“I have a good relationship with Kev, I loved playing under him,” Staggs said on 2GB.

“He helped me get the best out of my footy. I was pretty down by the way we found out actually, it was off the news, that’s not what you want to hear about your coach.

“I gave him a call after it and told him thanks for the last four years I’ve had, I learned a lot off him and wished him the best for his future. It wasn’t the thing I wanted to see on the news … that’s not the right way to go about it I guess but we’ve got to move on from there.”