Sport Confidential: Broncos caught up in fake jersey scandal; male referee stood down for shocking act
Brisbane has unwittingly been drawn into a counterfeit jersey scheme with online scammers taking advantage of Broncos fans using the club’s famous one-off kit.
The Broncos have warned desperate fans to be wary of being scammed following a flood of counterfeit jerseys being sold online.
Brisbane’s famous all black jersey for mental health that the Broncos wore against the Titans in round 14 sold-out in record time.
That didn’t go unnoticed by scammers, who have been printing fake jerseys in bulk and selling them online.
Sport Confidential has been sent at least three different advertisements for the black jerseys on Facebook Marketplace.
The jerseys are being advertised for $50-75, well below the RRP of $170 for official NRL merchandise.
Some of the ads reference the fake jerseys as being “replicas” while others make no mention.
The Broncos urged fans to be vigilant when purchasing merchandise.
“The Brisbane Broncos club cautions our fans to avoid online purchases of unauthorised products due to the high risk of fraudulent and deceptive conduct and the likelihood of financial loss to the purchaser,” a spokesman said.
The black jersey was incredibly popular but it was a one-off for the Broncos.
BRONCOS WON’T DUFF IT
The Broncos believe they have got their man after Cowboys young gun Tom Duffy toured Brisbane’s facilities in the strongest sign yet he is destined for Red Hill.
Duffy’s management have been in talks with the Broncos and Brisbane recruitment chiefs are confident they will secure his signature within a fortnight.
Duffy has interest from Super League clubs but at 22, he is reluctant to head to England at his age because he believes he is good enough to carve out a successful career in the NRL.
Brisbane agree and will formalise a deal for Duffy to wear Broncos colours next season as a possible successor to champion skipper Adam Reynolds.
The parties are in the advanced stages of talks and discussing whether to rubber-stamp a one or two-year deal.
The signing of Duffy does not mean the Broncos have lost faith in boom 19-year-old playmaker Coby Black.
The Queensland under-19s halfback is highly rated and will be part of Brisbane’s full-time squad in 2026.
But the Broncos are also mindful of the pressures of NRL playmaking and don’t want to throw Black, who is three years younger than Duffy, into the deep end before he is ready.
TITANIC SALARY CAP MESS
The Titans face a difficult task climbing out of the premiership cellar following revelations the Gold Coast are mired in a salary cap crisis as prop Jaimin Jolliffe refused to leave the club.
The Titans are juggling major salary-cap pressures and face the prospect of selling off players to recalibrate their payment ceiling for 2026 and beyond.
The Titans desperately need to go into the market to buy some stars capable of leading a revival but there is one problem - Gold Coast don’t have the funds under the salary cap to embark on a spending spree.
The Titans have a number of well-paid players on their roster and some aren’t delivering bang for buck.
Skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui is on $1.2 million and has had a patchy season in his return from a knee reconstruction while David Fifita, on $1 million, has played just eight games this year due to an ankle problem and has fallen out with coach Des Hasler.
Former Queensland Origin star AJ Brimson is one of the higher paid players while prop Moe Fotuiaka is another on big money at the Titans.
With Kieran Foran retiring, the Titans need a premiership-quality halfback to give the team direction but the Gold Coast won’t be an active player in the market any time soon.
Jolliffe has closed the door on a move to the Cowboys and wants to remain on the Gold Coast.
Jolliffe was linked with an exit from the Titans as the club looks for ways to free up salary cap space and rebalance its forwards heavy roster.
But in the lead-up to his 100th NRL game on Saturday against the Panthers, Jolliffe doesn’t want to leave and is hoping to secure a contract extension beyond the end of 2026.
“Well, I’m contracted here next year,” he said.
“I’m here at the Titans and that’s just my focus and contract talks, when that pops up my manager gets in touch with me and we’ll deal with that then.
“But for the next year I’m definitely here and I’d love to stay here. I’d love to see success at this club and I’ve been here a long time now and we’ve got such a talented roster but we haven’t got it together.
“There’s been really good teams that have had good rosters that haven’t gone well and they can turn it around.
“If we can follow some of the teams that are doing well, like your Bulldogs and stuff like that, I think we can definitely turn it around.”
REF TACKLES PLAYER
The Queensland Rugby League has been caught up in a bizarre incident after a referee tackled a player during a grassroots game in Brisbane recently.
The male referee has been stood down and is facing a disciplinary hearing after tackling a female player in the final minutes of a lopsided clash.
Witnesses were stunned by the incident, which is believed to have been a joke that went wrong.
With her team holding a big margin right near fulltime, the player carted the ball into the opposition’s defensive line.
But instead of being tackled by an opponent, the referee instead grabbed her, leaving the players stunned.
The player’s coach is understood to have been furious with what transpired and let the referee know about his feelings and the incident was reported.
The QRL confirmed Rugby League Brisbane had stood down the match official and was investigating the incident, with potential sanctions to be handed down.
The QRL stressed its referees do a remarkable job at all levels and this was an isolated incident.
BRONCOS UP ANTE FOR ‘MUD CRAB’
The Broncos have secured Kobe Hetherington and unsung hero Corey Jensen is the next forward set to ink a deal to remain at Red Hill.
The Broncos have kicked off talks with Jensen and insist the veteran forward will be on deck in 2026 as he prepares for Friday night’s clash against South Sydney.
The 31-year-old has amassed 79 games for the Broncos since joining the club from the Cowboys in 2022 and has impressed with his workrate and no-nonsense contributions supporting Payne Haas.
Jensen remains off-contract but is keen to stay at the Broncos, who have set aside the necessary salary-cap funds to keep ‘Mudcrab’ at the club for 2026 and beyond.
The retention of Jensen leaves forward Fletcher Baker and hooker Cory Paix in limbo, with the pair yet to secure deals for next season.
Hetherington said he never had any intention to leave Brisbane and is backing himself after agreeing to a one-year extension.
After months of negotiations, Hetherington has agreed to remain at Red Hill until the end of 2026.
The Broncos offered the punchy bench forward a two-year deal and he had a three-year offer on the table from Manly.
But Hetherington is backing himself to fire next season under Michael Maguire and potentially come on the radar of the Perth Bears.
The NRL salary cap is also expected to increase significantly in 2027 if the code can secure a bumper new TV deal.
“Nah, not really,” Hetherington said when asked if he was tempted to leave Brisbane.
“I’ve been with the Broncos since I first left school and I’ve come down here. I love everything about the club.
“I love what ‘Madge’ (Maguire) is doing with the club. I’ve been here since I was a kid, since I first moved out of school, it’s all I’ve sort of known.
“I live and breathe this club, I love it.
“We’ll see what happens (next year). I’ll just take it one year at a time.”
TITANIC PUSH FOR HANNAY
Queensland Origin assistant coach Josh Hannay has emerged as a frontline contender for the Titans post if the Gold Coast part ways with Des Hasler.
Queensland halfback great Cooper Cronk and former NSW pivot Matt Johns may be Origin foes but they are united in the belief that Hannay should be the next cab off the rank for an NRL coaching job.
Hannay has been a trusted right-hand man for Billy Slater in the Origin arena and played a key tactical role in Queensland’s fightback to win this year’s series.
Hannay has previously been desperately unlucky to miss out on coaching jobs at Parramatta and the Cowboys, the club he debuted for, but Johns and Cronk believe he is ready for an NRL baptism.
“Josh Hannay is next,” said Fox League expert Johns.
“I think Willie Peters is an option and there is a real opportunity to go with the Walker brothers (Shane and Ben) and the way they play.
“The Walkers have a totally different style and I am a big fan of teams not trying to play like Melbourne, just having their own style.
“But Hannay is my No.1, he is the next coach up.
“Some of the wraps Billy (Slater) has given Josh have been enormous. He said he doesn’t win this year’s Origin series without Josh.
“It will be interesting to see what happens with teams like Newcastle and the Gold Coast.
“I reckon both of those clubs have their eye on him, it’s just a matter of who jumps first.
Cronk agreed, saying the 45-year-old veteran of 153 first-grade games has served his coaching apprenticeship.
“Billy has a big wrap of what Josh Hannay has done at Origin level,” said Cronk, also a Queensland Rugby League board member.
“Craig Fitzgibbon (former NSW assistant and now Sharks coach) is a good example of how to go about coaching, that’s how I see it.”
BILLY’S KEV PLEA
Broncos hooker Billy Walters has put his hand up to be water boy on Australia’s Ashes Tour after father Kevin secured his coaching comeback.
Kevin Walters has replaced Mal Meninga as Kangaroos coach for the season-ending tour of England.
‘Kevvie’ has some big decisions to make around his 22-man squad and support staff for the three-game series.
His son Billy said he’d love to get on the tour somehow as his father makes his return to the coaches’ box after being sacked by the Broncos last year.
“I’m trying to get waterboy or something there, maybe get a free trip,” Billy said with a laugh.
“I’m really happy for him, he loves coaching and he’ll do a really good job.
“He’s really good at bringing pride into the jersey so I feel like it’s a good fit for Australia and I hope they go really well for him over there.
“He’s got that coaching itch. He loves the Fox Sports stuff and the commentary, but he’s always wanted to scratch that itch of coaching.
“He’s coached the Broncos, Queensland and Australia and also played for all three. It’s a pretty special achievement.”
BUSTED BEN
You won’t see Broncos assistant coach Ben Te’o running water on the field for the next few weeks.
Te’o was struck down by appendicitis a fortnight ago on the Gold Coast and underwent emergency surgery.
He has been sidelined for a month and has instead been spotted in the coaches’ box alongside Michael Maguire, with Matt Ballin stepping up to the blue-shirt duties on-field.
VALE TO A LEGEND
The Queensland rugby league fraternity is in mourning following the sudden death of Danny Peacock.
Peacock passed away in Toowoomba last week aged 57. A celebration of ‘Bird’s’ life will be held at TS Burstow Chapel, 1020 Ruthven Street, Toowoomba, on Tuesday, August 5, commencing at 2.30pm.
A speedy winger, centre or fullback, Peacock played 128 games for Wests, Gold Coast and the South Queensland Crushers during a fine career from 1988-1996.
QRL LOCKS IN FINALS
The Hostplus Cup decider is heading back to Redcliffe and fans can snap up grand final tickets from Friday.
Four classic matches are locked in for a blockbuster QRL grand final day at Kayo Stadium on September 27.
The Hostplus and BMD Premiership grand finals will be played along with men’s and women’s City-Country clashes.
“Four quality games of footy at the one family-friendly venue … it doesn’t get much better for rugby league fans in September,” said the QRL’s David Maiden.
“Our grand final day is built on history, passion and fierce rivalry that will no doubt be the catalyst for two classic grand finals.
“That rivalry extends to the opening two matches, and I can assure you that if you’re in the ground nice and early, you will enjoy the intensity of the City v Country double.”
The two grand finals will be broadcast live on Fox League and Kayo and tickets are on sale via Ticketek from just $10 for juniors and $25 for adults.
NRLQ SERIES TAKES OFF
There is a push for the NRLQ under-20s competition to be expanded to include Fiji and Papua New Guinea.
The Cowboys, Titans, Broncos and Dolphins formed a mini-league this season to give their under-20s rookies a league in which to test themselves amid plans for a fully-fledged National Youth Competition next year.
But the NRL aborting plans for an NYC league, Queensland’s clubs will push on next season with an NRLQ competition - and hope it will feature more rounds and teams in the coming years.
The four clubs will each play six games this season, but it is hoped the teams will eventually play 12 or 15 games, with Fiji and PNG mooted are possible additions to the NRLQ.
Papua New Guinea will join the NRL in 2028, while Fiji has fielded a team in the NSW Cup.
The Cowboys have been pushing strongly for their own reserve grade team, as opposed to farming out players to feeder clubs in the Queensland Cup.
“The games are going really well,” Cowboys football boss Micheal Luck said.
“It’s been great to see our kids playing in our colours. The Dolphins are the standouts, but we are very happy, we would love a longer competition.
“It would be great to get it up to around 12 or 15 games and we’ll have some discussions with the QRL and NRL and whether other teams can come into the competition.
“There’s a Fiji team and there are opportunities for PNG to come in when they come into the NRL.”
LATRELL COOKS UP A STORM
Here’s another example of why Latrell Mitchell is the most misunderstood player in the NRL.
Mitchell is the game’s most polarising player but he was the ultimate ambassador for the NRL when he visited the BBQ and Brisket World Championships near Newcastle over the weekend.
Hundreds of competitors attended the event and Mitchell, who has a farm at Taree, stopped into the event while he recovers from a quadriceps injury.
A judge in the competition contacted Sport Confidential to report on Mitchell’s behaviour – and it was far from a negative response.
“Latrell Mitchell is a credit to the NRL,” said the judge.
“You would not meet a better, more humble person.
“He popped in to check it all out and he happily spoke to people for hours and took off his hat when females approached him to say hello.
“He offered to take photos with kids who were in awe of him ... I couldn’t fault Latrell at all.”
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