NRL 2025: Punters betting on Broncos despite off-field dramas | Sport Confidential

Brisbane have emerged as shock premiership contenders despite off-field dramas, with punters scrambling to jump on the Broncos after the arrival of Michael Maguire. See the full SPORT CONFIDENTIAL.

Punters are scrambling to jump on the Broncos to win next year’s NRL Premiership with new coach Michael Maguire receiving a huge vote of confidence.

The Broncos have been crunched from $17 into $9 for the 2025 NRL title despite finishing 12th this season.

The potential loss of five-eighth Ezra Mam to suspension for the early part of the season following his car crash has done little to scare off punters.

Only four-time premiers Penrith ($4.50) and beaten grand finalists Melbourne ($3.75) are at shorter odds than the Broncos.

TAB’s Rohan Welsh said there had been a flood of money for Brisbane since Maguire took over from Kevin Walters.

The Brisbane Broncos have come from $17 to $9 to win the 2025 premiership after signing new coach Michael Maguire. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“TAB Punters don’t seem to be concerned by the Broncos off-season dramas. In fact, the Michael Maguire appointment has seen a surprising plunge for this time of year and we’ve slashed their Premiership price from $17 into $9,” he said.

“They could potentially be trimmed even further should they manage to squeeze Ben Hunt into the roster, so punters are seemingly keen to grab the value around their title hopes now.

“They’ve gone from the seventh line of betting to third favourites since Grand Final night. That’s after sacking a popular coach, and despite having a star playmaker’s future up in the air.

“For most clubs enduring off-field issues of that size you would see the odds blowing out, but the talk coming out of Maguire’s first few sessions at Red Hill has clearly been encouraging, as has speculation surrounding Hunt’s (potential) arrival.”

Punters seem unfazed by off-field dramas involving star five-eighth Ezra Mam. Picture: NRL Imagery

The Broncos are the third best backed side with TAB and have cruised past a bunch of rivals, forcing the bookies to wind in their odds.

“Remarkably, the Broncos hold around 12 per cent as the third best backed side in TAB’s Premiership market after going up at $17 a month ago,” Welsh said.

“They’ve leapfrogged the Cowboys ($17), Roosters ($15), Manly ($15), Cronulla ($13) and Bulldogs ($13), with only grand finalists Melbourne ($3.75) and Penrith ($4.50) having shorter odds.

“The Storm are title favourites with a whopping 44 per cent of the money invested so far, while the Panthers have around a quarter of all outlays.

“The other big mover with TAB is Wayne Bennett’s Bunnies. Like the Broncos they’re being tipped for a big turnaround and are the fourth best backed side to lift the trophy in 2025, tightening from $21 into $17.

“The signs are not so good for the Titans who could loom as wooden spoon candidates with little love from punters so far.

“We’ve pushed them from $34 out to $51 outsider, which are the second longest odds of any team. The Dragons are the longest at $67 following Hunt’s departure.”

The Broncos’s odds could shorten even further if they manage to land Ben Hunt, while the Dragons have blown out after his departure. Picture: NRL Imagery

LATRELL PACKS A PUNCH

The secret behind Latrell Mitchell’s stunning transformation can be revealed.

Apart from demolishing a private bar at his home to install a personal gym, Mitchell has slashed more than 5kg thanks to regular boxing sessions.

Mitchell has been doing the boxing training outside of his training program at Souths and the extras have paid dividends for the NSW Origin.

Photos at Souths training on Wednesday showed Latrell looking lean and mean, with the work in the ring leaving Mitchell in the best shape of his new career as he eyes a blockbusting 2025 season.

New Souths mentor Wayne Bennett will take charge later this month and the super coach is relishing reuniting with Mitchell, who played a key role in the Rabbitohs’ charge to the 2021 grand final.

Latrell Mitchell was looking lean when he returned to training, cutting more than 5 kgs in the off-season. Picture: Michael Pantaleone/South Sydney Rabbitohs

MAL’S CALL FOR SEASON OVERHAUL

Australian coach Mal Meninga has backed a 20-team competition and believes fresh expansion can be the catalyst for a shortened NRL season.

Meninga’s Kangaroos take on Tonga in Sunday’s Pacific Championships final and the NRL Immortal has called for a reduced club calendar to help international football.

The NRL has had gruelling 27-round competitions over the past two seasons following the inclusion of the Dolphins, but Meninga likes the idea of a 19-round Telstra Premiership.

That would reduce the threat of burnout for the code’s elite stars and give the NRL more scope for State of Origin and international football.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has thrown his support behind a 20-team NRL premiership and called for a shortened season. Picture: Getty Images

“I’m a fan of expansion. I think we can go to 20 teams,” he said.

“By having 20 teams, you could play everybody once, which makes for 19 rounds.

“If you have a shorter season domestically, then we can put some focus into the State of Origin and our international programs at the end of the season.

“I also think fewer rounds means the welfare of the players gets looked after a lot better and clubs will be happier because they have access to their players at the end of the year for pre-seasons.

“It all depends on how the broadcasters feel about it (a reduced NRL season), but it just makes sense to me.

“It creates a shorter season for the players and the clubs and gives the players more rest and the clubs more opportunity to prepare their players for the following year.”

KIWI’S BENNETT BLUNDER

South Sydney-bound super coach Wayne Bennett has been an interested spectator in the demise of New Zealand in this year’s Pacific Championships.

Bennett was overlooked for the Kiwi job to succeed Michael Maguire because the New Zealand Rugby League wanted a local homegrown hero in Stacey Jones.

Maguire steered the Kiwis to Pacific Championships glory last season, but 12 months on, under Warriors legend Jones, New Zealand have bombed out of title contention.

In a shock scenario, the Kiwis have been plunged into a relegation battle against PNG on Sunday and will be dropped to the second-tier Pacific Bowl tournament in 2025 if beaten by the Kumuls.

That appears unlikely, but Bennett has watched New Zealand’s free fall closely.

Wayne Bennett will have watched New Zealand’s free fall closely, after missing out on the coaching position to Stacey Jones. Picture: Getty Images

The Queenslander legend formally applied for the New Zealand post, but lost out to Jones after being told by the NZRL they wanted a coach who understood the cultural values of the Kiwis.

Bennett argued performance would help drive a successful culture, but Kiwi bosses opted for Jones, who has failed to uphold Maguire’s legacy in toppling the might of Australia.

The 74-year-old Bennett has shown time and again his ability to work coaching miracles _ including Queensland’s famous Origin series win over NSW in 2020.

Would he have done the same with the Kiwis? We will never know.

TITAN WEAVES MAGIC

Young Titans playmaker Tom Weaver is set to extend his time on the Gold Coast.

Weaver, 21, is expected to ink a new deal with the Titans ahead of pre-season training kicking off next week.

The local product has only managed six NRL appearances across the past two seasons since making his debut in 2023.

But with Tanah Boyd heading to the Warriors, Weaver could see more opportunities next year if he continues to improve.

He will be jostling with veteran Kieran Foran, Wallabies recruit Carter Gordon and Jayden Campbell for a spot in the halves under Des Hasler.

Titans young gun Tom Weaver is set to extend his time with the club, and could see more opportunities following the departure of Tanah Boyd. Picture: Getty Images

DOLPHINS SIGN YOUNG GUN

The Dolphins have handed an NRL lifeline to a former North Queensland Cowboys protégé.

Hulking prop Peter Hola will join the Dolphins on a train-and-trial contract as he looks to save his NRL career.

Hola, 25, was one of the Cowboys’ highly-rated youngsters a few years ago, but struggled to crack the top grade consistently.

He made 12 NRL appearances for the Cowboys from 2019-21 before joining Canberra and playing three games across the 2023-24 seasons.

Hola has signed with Hostplus Cup premiers Norths Devils for next year and has secured a pre-season with the Dolphins as a result.

There is a changing of the guard in the middle forward ranks at the Dolphins and Hola will get a chance to present his case to new coach Kristian Woolf.

Former Cowboys forward Peter Hola has been offered a career lifeline by the Dolphins, agreeing to join the club on a train-and-trial deal. Picture: Evan Morgan

CHIP OFF THE OLD ‘MOCH’

This week’s All Schools Queensland track and field championships produced some remarkable performances.

Sprint sensation Gout Gout shocked the athletics world by clocking 20.29 seconds in the 200 metres, while another former Ipswich Grammar schoolmate, Isaiah ‘Mocha’ Burgess, also starred.

The 17-year-old smashed the Queensland under-18s record in the shot put, throwing a superb 16.23m to take gold, beating second-placed Ethan Tearle by an impressive 58cm.

Isaiah ‘Mocha’ Burgess with dad Mark.

Underlining his dominance, Burgess smashed the bronze medallist Jackson O’Brien (12.62m) by a staggering 3.61 metres.

Burgess possesses good sporting genes. He is the son of Wayne Bennett’s former conditioning guru Mark ‘Chopper’ Burgess, a three-time heavyweight amateur boxing champion and the current masters world champion.

“I’m really proud of Moch,” Burgess said. “He has gone from 86kg to 95kg this year and is doing three reps at 200kg in the dead lift. He is frightening in the ring, too, he can really box, but above all study comes first and he is a good student at Marist Ashgrove.”

Originally published as NRL 2025: Punters betting on Broncos despite off-field dramas | Sport Confidential