Brisbane Broncos rocked by tragic death of long-time fan moments before kick-off against Titans at Suncorp Stadium
The Broncos were left shocked after one of their most passionate supporters died in the stands of Suncorp Stadium just moments before kick-off in their match against the Titans.
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The Broncos have been rocked by a tragedy with one of their fans dying at Suncorp Stadium during last week’s win over the Titans.
Brisbane boss Dave Donaghy confirmed a long-time Broncos club member died just moments before kick-off in the side’s 44-14 defeat of the Gold Coast last Saturday night.
It was largely a night of celebration with the Broncos wearing one-off all black jerseys in honour of the club’s dedicated mental-health round.
But the Broncos were left shocked after one of their most passionate supporters suffered a heart attack in the stands just minutes before Brisbane and Titans players were due to run onto Suncorp.
The Broncos and Suncorp Stadium management provide on-site paramedics for all fixtures, but it is understood the man was unable to be revived among the crowd of 39,884.
The deceased supporter’s family notified the Broncos of his passing and have reached out to the club requesting a jersey.
Donaghy said the club is doing everything possible to support the family and have honoured the family’s request by donating a Broncos jersey to be placed on the man’s coffin at his funeral.
“It was horribly sad,” Donaghy said.
“Our thoughts are with the family right now and of course we will do whatever we can to support them at this difficult time.
“The first responders on the night were remarkable, I couldn’t imagine the job they had to do in difficult circumstances.”
BRONCOS ROOKIE PUTS HEAT ON COBBO
The Broncos have tabled a two-year offer for Josiah Karapani in a sign Selwyn Cobbo could be forced out of Brisbane.
Cobbo’s camp was set to hold urgent talks with the Broncos on Thursday as he faces the prospect of an extended stint in reserve grade.
Karapani is set to ink a new deal to remain at Brisbane until the end of 2027, sweet reward for his brilliant form this season.
The Broncos are yet to make Cobbo an offer and have no interest in entertaining the $1 million-a-season salary he could attract on the NRL’s open market from desperate clubs.
Cobbo was a shock axing for last week’s win over the Titans and Karapani took his chance, scoring two tries in the 44-14 victory.
In his previous two games for feeder club Burleigh, Karapani had run for a staggering 406 metres with 12 tackle busts and has impressed Broncos coach Michael Maguire with his attitude.
Just turned 23, Karapani played 10 games for the Broncos last season and made his 2025 debut against the Titans after putting pressure on Cobbo, who remains without a deal for next season.
Brisbane’s decision to offer Karapani a new deal leaves even less money in the salary cap to retain Cobbo, who is fighting for his career at the Broncos.
While the Broncos enjoy a week off due to a bye, Cobbo will line up for Wynnum-Manly against Souths-Logan in the Hostplus Cup on Sunday.
He played fullback for the Seagulls last week without a training run, meeting his teammates for the first time an hour before kick-off.
Cobbo could get to know them a lot better if the Broncos keep firing and he remains stuck in the reserves.
Karapani, a centre or winger, arrived at Red Hill from South Sydney two years ago and Maguire lauded his work ethic and speed.
“He’s been really consistent in the way he’s been playing through the pre-season,” Maguire said.
“Josiah worked hard and he showed a lot of good signs there and he’s experienced first grade.
“I can’t be happier with his attitude.”
TITANIC BLUNDERS HURT HASLER
Spare a thought for Gold Coast coach Des Hasler every time he looks at the NRL ladder.
Hasler’s Titans are wooden spoon favourites and anchored to last spot on the ladder heading into Friday’s clash with Manly at Cbus Super Stadium.
To make matters worse, the Sea Eagles will have skipper Daly Cherry-Evans on board after his Queensland Origin axing.
This month marks the 10-year anniversary of ‘DCE’ backflipping on a signed contract with the Titans.
A decade on from the Cherry-Evans debacle, Hasler is without a recognised halfback following a series of recruitment blunders by the Titans over the years.
Take a look at the top of the NRL ladder and it becomes painfully clear what could have been for the Gold Coast.
The halfbacks of three of the NRL’s current top four teams are Gold Coast rejects.
Ladder-leading Canterbury No.7 Toby Sexton was the last player punted by the Titans when he was released to the Bulldogs midway through 2023.
That was after the Titans released Jamal Fogarty to Canberra in 2022 to, wait for it, put their faith in Sexton for the future.
Fogarty’s Raiders are second on the ladder and he has just secured a $2 million, three-year deal with Manly after being cut by the Titans three different times.
Melbourne halfback Jahrome Hughes is the reigning Dally M Medal champion and has the Storm sitting fourth on the ladder.
Hughes made his NRL debut for the Titans in 2013 before being cut a year later.
The other current top four club – the Warriors – have a contender for the signing of the season in Erin Clark, who was released by the Titans last year on compassionate grounds.
Sexton, Fogarty and Hughes are managed by Gold Coast-based agent Tas Bartlett, who confirmed his clients, all local juniors, never wanted to leave the Titans.
Hasler is attempting to turn Jayden Campbell into an NRL-quality No. 7 but he has also caught the eye of rival clubs in recent times as he approaches free agency on November 1.
Could Campbell become the fourth halfback to leave the Gold Coast and haunt the Titans?
PAT ON BACK FOR MAM
Broncos teammate Pat Carrigan has leapt to the defence of Ezra Mam after the controversial pivot’s shock selection in the Queensland Origin squad.
Queensland coach Billy Slater is under fire for naming Mam as the Maroons’ 18th man – just a month after the Broncos five-eighth returned from an NRL suspension for his drug-driving offence last October.
There is a view Mam doesn’t deserve representative selection yet and should be made to wait a longer period after the car-crash scandal that injured three people, including a four-year-old girl.
Mam attended Queensland’s fan day in Gympie on Tuesday but was on a media ban.
He was the only one of Queensland’s 20 players that refused to do interviews and wouldn’t even acknowledge a simple question from a Fox Sports reporter.
As 18th man, Mam can be activated to play in Origin II if there is a concussion-related injury and Carrigan hit back at suggestions the Broncos playmaker doesn’t deserve to be in Camp Maroon.
“Look, he made a well-publicised mistake and he had to own that,” Carrigan said of Mam.
“We know what happened but Ezra has more than well and truly done enough work on himself and he continues to do so to put himself in a position to play.
“It’s a good opportunity for him, you get into these sort of environments and you get to learn from guys like Cameron Munster and Tommy Dearden, how they prepare and how they go about things.
“Those experiences will be good for the Broncos too. Ezra’s done a lot of hard work outside of it and it’s just nice to see him get rewarded.”
SLATER’S NO-WIN SITUATION
Queensland coach Billy Slater was cornered when it came to the future of Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans.
Slater made a big call to dump ‘DCE’ after Queensland’s Origin I failure heading into a must-win game in Perth.
But the reality is Slater was always going to have to axe Cherry-Evans at some point.
Unlike Queensland greats Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Josh Papalii who walked away from Origin, Cherry-Evans was never going to announce his retirement from representative football.
If Slater and the selectors thought he was good enough to be picked then he would play.
That meant he was always going to be dropped at some stage.
It would have arguably been an even bigger call to dump ‘DCE’ before the start to the series and Slater would have been savaged if Queensland lost.
Slater gave Cherry-Evans one more chance after last year’s disappointing series and Cherry-Evans didn’t deliver, albeit behind a beaten pack in an ill-disciplined performance by Queensland.
SHOOSH
Which struggling NRL coach has been telling his assistants to start looking for new jobs next year given he’s no guarantee to keep his?
BLACK JERSEY BONANZA
Brisbane’s historic all black jersey was such a smash hit the Broncos have been bombarded with purchasing requests.
The Broncos sold more than 5000 black jerseys and have requested another order from manufacturers following Brisbane’s 44-14 defeat of the Titans last Saturday night.
The Broncos ‘All Blacks’ wore the jersey in honour of the club’s dedicated mental health round and supporters flocked to buy the jumper.
Despite the mad frenzy for the Broncos’ black jersey, chief executive Dave Donaghy said there are no plans to wear it ever again.
“It will be a one-off thing but it was magnificent,” he said.
“The jersey was a hero piece. It captured the attention of fans, we had fans lining up for 200 metres at Rebel sports stores.
“Old ladies were buying 4XL jerseys when they were an extra small, the fans just wanted to get their hands on it.
“We were blown away by the strong response.
“We weren’t too sure how it would be received. We spoke to our members and fans about what’s important and their feedback has been mental health. It was a conversation we wanted to have.
“It was absolutely a one-off and we couldn’t have done it without the sponsors’ support. They invest a lot into us so for them to come on the journey was incredible, it was a big part of why it was such a huge response.
“There was no push back. It was like yes, how do we get involved?
“It was a really important step for our game and for Australian sport to bring that conversation more to the centre.”
PHIN’S PARTY OF 10
Dolphins enforcer Felise Kaufusi is eyeing a contract extension – and more kids.
Kaufusi, 33, is in negotiations with the Dolphins for a one or two-year extension to finish his NRL career at Redcliffe.
The former Queensland Origin and Kangaroos forward has played a key role in the dawn of the Dolphins since becoming the club’s first big signing when he decided to leave Melbourne.
Settled on the peninsula, and close to family in Bundaberg, Kaufusi is hoping he can secure a new deal with the Dolphins.
“I reckon I’ll be good for another year or two,” he said.
“I’m in negotiations now and my preference is to stay here. I am settled and it’s close to home and all my family in Bundy.
“The Dolphins are keen for me to stay. It’s been back and forth so hopefully we can get something sorted soon.
“I can be a mentor and older head, which is funny to think. I’m trying to help the guys coming through.”
Kaufusi and wife Bek welcomed their fifth child last year – and he hasn’t ruled out more.
“I would love 10-plus,” he said.
“I’m at five at the moment and I’ve always wanted twins but you’ve got to be careful what you ask for.”
BRONCOS MAKE THEIR MARK
Is the $85 million Broncos empire about to undergo a major image change?
Brisbane boss Dave Donaghy confirmed a bold new look for the Broncos could be around the corner for the 2026 season.
The Broncos have lodged a potential new logo with IP Australia in a move that could see Brisbane’s famous moniker changed for the first time since 2000, the year they won a fifth premiership.
The new design features a horse head with a swooshing neckline, while the name ‘Brisbane Broncos’ has been removed.
Donaghy stressed it’s only in the conceptual stage, with the club exploring about five possible logo redesigns, but says if approved, the Broncos will have a new look next season.
“We’re constantly looking at our brand and looking at how we can evolve it,” he said.
“It was a procedural requirement where we had to lodge a brand, but it’s neither approved or endorsed or registered.”
Some feedback from club members suggests the current Broncos logo appears to look more like a crocodile than a horse head. The new designs will address that with a sleeker-looking Bronco.
“There’s a huge opportunity for our club over the next decade as we look at the popularity of the game right now,” he said.
“Obviously, there’s expansion coming with Perth and PNG, so we’ll broaden the appeal.
“We’re located in the best city in the world, especially for liveability.
“We’re going to have a lot of people coming to Brisbane to experience that in the lead-up to the 2032 Olympics. There’s a lot of upside potential for the club.”
BROKEN JAW HERO
Boxing is a brutal sport but it has thrown up one of Australian sport’s most generous acts.
Italy’s Claudio Squeo suffered a shocking broken jaw after being punched heavily by Australia’s world champion Jai Opetaia in his loss on the Gold Coast last Sunday.
Squeo was rushed to Gold Coast hospital for emergency surgery but there was one problem – he had no insurance and no family with him in Australia.
In a remarkable act of generosity, the Opetaia camp stepped up, paying $35,000 for Squeo to have the operation immediately. Opetaia’s sponsors also found accommodation for Squeo and bought him food, including a blender, to help him recover over the next week before he flies home.
Squeo was reduced to tears at the help provided by Opetaia’s camp.
“It was the least we could do,” said Opetaia’s sponsor Jason Doerr of O’Cea water.
“I rang my mate Shannon Webber who is a facial reconstruction surgeon and called in a favour, he didn’t hesitate to help.
“Claudio couldn’t speak English, so we got him an interpreter and found him somewhere to stay while he was having a four-hour operation.
“He hadn’t eaten after the fight for three days and had only drunk a bit of water.
“We made him a banana smoothie and he was really emotional to get the help he did.
“I’ve been communicating with his family back in Italy to say he is OK.
“Claudio is just an amazing guy, such a wonderful human, and he will go home healthy and with great respect for Jai.”
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