Inside Brisbane Broncos’ private Suncorp Stadium Captain’s Run ahead of Cowboys derby

The Broncos abandoned their finely manicured field at Red Hill to hold a private Captain’s Run away from fans and media as Michael Maguire braces for a Cowboys ambush.

• NRL Late Mail: Broncos’ Staggs blow

Michael Maguire has scoffed at suggestions the Broncos have adopted a siege mentality as star centre Kotoni Staggs was officially ruled out of Friday night’s blockbuster against the Cowboys.

Broncos coach Maguire took the rare step of moving Brisbane’s captain’s run on Thursday from Red Hill to Suncorp Stadium, the scene of the must-win round 3 derby clash with their 2015 grand-final nemesis.

By going behind closed doors, strike weapon Staggs was able to test out his hip flexor injury with a private field session at Suncorp away from the prying eyes of the Brisbane media.

The Broncos were increasingly hopeful of Staggs being cleared to face the Cowboys in his first game of the season after the former NSW Origin flyer ran strongly at training on Tuesday.

While there was no fresh setback for Staggs, Maguire has erred on the side of caution, saying his No.1 centre will be unleashed fully fit in the Battle of Brisbane against the Dolphins next week.

Michael Maguire moved Brisbane’s Captain’s Run to Suncorp Stadium.

“Kotoni won’t play but he will be in the 19 (man squad),” Maguire said.

“We have done a lot of work to get him to this point but I feel at this present moment with where Kotoni is at, I will keep him on edge there.

“He is in good shape.

“He was very close to playing, but Kotoni has had a few issues with his injury. It was touch-and-go, but it’s the right thing to do at the moment for Kotoni and allow him to have more time.

“It’s just up in the hip flexor, it’s a bit higher than his quad, they can be tricky at times.

“He trained really well. He was excellent. He has done a lot of work and he had that issue last year as well, but he has worked really hard to make sure he is ready to go.

“I just think it’s the right decision at this present moment to give him some more time.”

Pressure is already building at both clubs.

Maguire was privately seething at last week’s 32-22 loss against a Canberra side that belted Brisbane in midfield, while the Cowboys are under siege after leaking 78 points from two straight defeats in a disastrous opening to 2025.

It’s unusual for Brisbane to abandon their world-class, $27 million facility with a finely manicured field for a Suncorp cameo, but Maguire hosed down talk of a Broncos siege mentality.

“I wouldn’t say that, no,” he said.

“This was the first time we could get onto Suncorp.

“It was the circumstances of training there and I thought it was nice to be able to get away.

“I appreciate we can’t get on there very often because of all the different events they have at Suncorp, so to get on there was great.

“When you are playing a derby, there is always a little bit extra, we know that.

“We got taught a bit of a lesson last week, so we have to make sure we do everything we can to turn up.”

Maguire elaborated on his candid critique that, as coach, he had to take responsibility for Brisbane’s loss to the Raiders.

“I probably won’t give too much away but I am learning (about) the organisation, the noise and how we roll from week-to-week,” he said.

“I am getting an understanding of how you best prepare and the mental state of the organisation.

“I learned a lot. That is what I was alluding to.

“The enormity of the club. It gets going doesn’t it?

“Last week was a really good one for me to realise that there are a few things there that I could look at myself to make sure we are set and ready to go.”