Sport Confidential: Brisbane Broncos deny Ben Ikin set to return to club

When Ben Ikin was a surprise no-show at the State Championships final the whisper campaign of his possible Red Hill return turned into a roar – now the Broncos have responded.

Brisbane chiefs have addressed speculation former football boss Ben Ikin could make a shock return to the Broncos.

Rumours sweeping leagues circles over the past week have suggested the Broncos are lining up Ikin to return to Red Hill.

The speculation gathered steam at last Sunday’s NRL grand final, when Ikin was a surprise no-show for the State Championships final, despite being the CEO of the Queensland Rugby League.

Retiring Queensland chairman Bruce Hatcher was the QRL’s representative on stage for the State Championships trophy presentation, but there was no sign of Ikin, who has taken annual leave.

Ikin taking time off during the biggest week of the NRL calendar sent the rumour mill into overdrive at a time when the winds of change are sweeping through the Broncos.

Broncos mentor Kevin Walters was sacked a fortnight ago and his departure was viewed as a possible trigger for the return of Ikin, who quit Brisbane last year following “creative tensions” with the coach.

Ben Ikin is not returning to the Broncos – yet.

Ikin took charge of the QRL, but there has been a push for the 47-year-old, lauded as one of the sharpest minds in the code, to lead a Broncos revival, possibly as CEO Dave Donaghy’s successor.

Donaghy has been linked with the Dragons CEO post, but it’s understood the former Storm boss, entering his fifth season at Red Hill, is happy at Brisbane and has no plans to walk away.

Despite Brisbane’s on-field woes this year, Donaghy steered the Broncos to a record $80 million in revenue, a 16 per cent increase in sponsorship and a half-year before-tax profit of $6.3.

Broncos chairman Karl Morris dismissed suggestions of an Ikin comeback, lauding the performance of Donaghy, who parted ways with Walters a fortnight ago following a club-wide review.

“We are very happy with Dave,” Morris said.

“We have never had more members and sponsorship, but it’s also about winning on the field and that’s our goal every year.”

Ikin is kicking goals as the QRL’s head honcho. He recently brokered a monster four-year, $100 million funding contract with the NRL – the biggest deal in QRL history.

Ikin is also part of an NRL task force looking into the code’s structures and pathways, including plans to set up an under-21s national youth competition for 2026.

There is a view the Broncos have missed Ikin’s strength of leadership in the front office since leaving Brisbane in May 2023.

“The short answer is I came in expecting to do a certain number of things, some of those things dropped off, and I picked up some other projects,” Ikin said at the time of his exit.

“The end result is Kevvie, Dave (Donaghy) and I leave on good terms ... the Broncos are in pretty good shape.”