NRL 2025: Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga backs Michael Maguire to succeed at the Brisbane Broncos

Twenty-five years after handing Michael Maguire his first coaching gig at Canberra, Mal Meninga has backed the new Broncos mentor, comparing him to Craig Bellamy.

Australia coach Mal Meninga has declared Michael Maguire can break Brisbane’s 19-year premiership drought, likening the new Broncos mentor to Storm super coach Craig Bellamy.

Maguire officially stepped into the Broncos hot seat on Monday, almost 25 years after former Canberra mentor Meninga gave ‘Madge’ his first job as a strength-and-conditioning coach at the Raiders.

Bellamy started as a strength-and-conditioning assistant to Wayne Bennett at the Broncos before launching his head-coaching career in 2003 at a Melbourne club he has turned into an NRL juggernaut.

Now Maguire hopes to follow a similar path to supremacy, with NRL Immortal legend Meninga backing his former Canberra protege to deliver Brisbane’s first premiership since 2006.

Brisbane Broncos first day of training for 2024. Coach Michael Maguire. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“I think Michael will bring success to the Broncos,” Meninga said as Maguire completes his first week in a new chapter at Red Hill.

“The one thing that stood out to me about ‘Madge’ has always been his great work ethic.

“He had a bit of bad luck with injuries as a player, so he didn’t get to where he wanted to go, but Michael was always a good student of the game and I never doubted he had the knowledge to be a good coach.

“He reminds me of Craig Bellamy with his work ethic. They are both great students of the game and great teachers.

“The bonus for the Broncos is that Madge has worked in very good systems around the world.

“He went down to Melbourne and actually worked under Craig, he’s been to England and had success there with Wigan, then he went to the Rabbitohs and won a premiership (in 2014).

“I think Michael will be a good fit for the Broncos.”

Broncos players have already received a gut-busting insight into Maguire’s methods in pursuit of success.

On day one of Brisbane’s pre-season on Monday, the Broncos trained at 1.30pm in scorching 31 degree heat.

Broncos players have been vomiting in bins and prop Marty Taupau almost passed out in the heat as Maguire laid down a daunting marker of the tougher standards he will drive at Red Hill.

Maguire is mindful not to push too hard and break players at every training session, but the roots of his coaching methodology can be traced to the glorious Green Machine era of the 1990s.

Maguire not only treasures his first job under Meninga, but the lessons imparted by the champion Raiders players, including Ricky Stuart, Laurie Daley and Bradley Clyde, as Canberra claimed three titles in 1989-90 and 1994.

Brisbane Broncos first day of training for 2024. Coach Michael Maguire. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“Big Mal was the man who started it for me in coaching and I will always credit him for the path I’ve taken,” said Maguire, who played 16 games for Canberra and Adelaide from 1992-98.

“Unfortunately, I fell out of playing through injury at a pretty young age, but I had a determination to help other players and Mal gave me a role in strength-and-conditioning when he was coaching.

“I ended up becoming an assistant to Matt Elliott, who replaced Mal, and then I got a call from Craig to join him at Melbourne, which was a great experience.

“But one of my great learnings was seeing those champion Canberra teams. You’d walk into training and it was like seeing a NSW, Queensland and New Zealand team all rolled into one.

“The attitude of the players was unbelievable. Their training was top shelf and that’s the sort of expectation level I want to bring to the Broncos.

“Even with the best players at Canberra, guys like Mal, Ricky and Laurie, they only got success off the back of hard work.”

Maguire handed the Kangaroos their worst ever loss in the Pacific Championship final in 2023. Picture: Getty Images

Meninga, who will coach the Kangaroos in Sunday’s Pacific Championships final against Tonga, says Maguire understands how to balance hard work with caring for his players.

Ironically, it was Maguire who dished out one of the worst hidings of Meninga’s career last year with New Zealand’s 30-0 Pacific Championships final drubbing of the Kangaroos.

“Michael will get the best out of people at the Broncos,” he said.

“Over time, he’s developed the way he coaches as well.

“He’s had great success in recent times at rep level with New Zealand and the NSW Origin team and I think he can transfer that to clubland with the Broncos.

“Michael is a very decent human being, he understands people really well and communicates extremely well.

“He will be very good for the Broncos.”

Originally published as NRL 2025: Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga backs Michael Maguire to succeed at the Brisbane Broncos