Broncos legend Gorden Tallis says he “doesn’t believe” incoming Brisbane coach Michael Maguire is a better coach than Kevin Walters who sensationally parted ways with the club last Thursday.
Tallis’ spray follows news Maguire will succeed Walters as Brisbane coach on a multi-year deal which is set to be confirmed in the next 24 hours.
Maguire has secured a release from the New South Wales Rugby League as Origin coach after the Blues’ historic 2024 series win, with the Courier Mail reporting the Broncos have landed his services from 2025 with confirmation of a three-year deal until the end of 2027 imminent.
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Tallis, a staunch supporter of Walters with whom he won three NRL Premierships at Red Hill, stood by his mate.
“I don’t think he (Maguire) is better than Kevin,” Tallis said on Fox League’s NRL 360.
The Australian’s Brent Read was quick to defend Maguire’s recent record.
“He won against Australia, he won an Origin series for New South Wales,” Brent Read said.
“Michael Maguire has a better record than Kevvie Walters. History would suggest the last time he coached a club he won a premiership (South Sydney).
“And you would argue this Broncos roster is closer to Souths than the Tigers. They’re in the prime of their lives.”
Dirty on the players that turned on him! | 01:40
Tallis hit back at that logic citing other coaches with superior representative credentials.
“If that’s your theory then Mal Meninga coaches because he won eight (Origin series),” Tallis said.
“…The people who are running the club – Wayne Bennett wasn’t good enough but he was good enough for Souths and to build a new club and Peter V’landys wanted him to build a club.
“Seibold who has done a great job at Manly, he wasn’t good enough. Kevvie wasn’t good enough. They keep on moving on coaches. The club’s not going to move forward.
“Jack Gibson said winning starts in the front office.”
Maguire held preliminary talks with Brisbane heavyweights in recent days after the club undertook a season review.
The findings were reportedly scathing of Walters after the club finished 12th, prompting his departure and opening the door for Maguire’s return as an NRL head coach.
“…This one starts in the front office and the front office and the board. I am dirty on the players who have obviously turned on him,” The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield said.
“Underperforming players have been down injured or out of form for the entire year and as Peter Badel said you can’t sack 12 players.
“But they’ve all gone in behind his back and they’ve obviously complained and I don’t like that particularly after taking them to a grand final.
“Do you think any of these players said to the reviewer ‘my form was very ordinary this year, it’s not all Kev’s fault’. Seriously did any player take ownership?”
NSW Blues release Michael Maguire | 00:21
Tallis said he doubts players took responsibility for their diabolical season.
“No one would have. No one does,” Tallis said.
“Let’s put it in a class situation. The ‘A’ students would go ‘I worked really hard’. The ‘C’ students which there was a lot this year, who are they going to blame? Themselves, or are they going to blame the teacher?”
Read said Maguire should seek input from Broncos old boys from the outset and get them on board, something past Brisbane coaches have struggled to do.
“I tell you the first thing Madge should do and he did it with NSW this year he went and got a hold of all the old boys and sat them down and got them involved,” he said.
“He should reach out to this bloke here (Tallis).”
Tallis said he would not be making himself available for assistance.
“Lose my number brother,” Tallis said of helping Maguire.
“I’m a Titan. That’s actually not against Madge because Kevvie has asked me on about five occasions to go back and help and I knocked him back and he’s my good mate.
“So I’m never going back to the Broncos. That’s it. That’s full stop.”
Tallis said Walters should have been given more time to turn things around.
“There were injuries last year for one – he’s been at the club for 30 years,” Tallis said.
“He was three minutes away from winning a grand final. With his top players on the field for six games I think he learned more this year.
“I just think that if you go to Magic Round (next year) and you said that he wasn’t good enough anymore you just move on.
“So, (incoming Brisbane assistants) Ben Te’o and Trent Barrett said, and I’m not going to name one of those, they said ‘it’s a real easy fix – it’s not much and we’ll turn it around easy’.
“It’s one of the biggest brands in sport. Did they throw it out there to many applicants? Who did they interview for the job?”
Rothfield suggested after sacking yet another coach, Brisbane powerbrokers should perhaps have a look in the mirror.
“When is the board and the management going to say ‘you know what, the problems at this club mightn’t just necessarily be about the coach. We’ve had six of them in a decade’,” Rothfield said.
Maguire won a premiership with the Rabbitohs in 2014 breaking a 43-year title drought.
He joined the Tigers in 2019 but was sacked in June 2022 after winning 29 of 80 games for a 36 per cent winning percentage.
Maguire is now tasked with delivering Brisbane’s first premiership since 2006 – an eternity for the glamour club which claimed six titles in their first 18 years of existence after entering the competition in 1988.
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