2026 Season

Bit disappointing for Reynolds not to get a chance to farewell his fans at Brisbane.

Pretty interesting ordeal…
- trained, apparently felt good to play
- Madge and medical said no deal
- Reynolds disappointed tells everyone what happened
- *something*
- Reynolds says the heat on Madge is unnecessary and it was his decision

Add in the Walsh “liking” drama.

Surely 10 minutes at the end of the game would’ve been possible. Season is done, leave it up to the players - are you guys happy to play a man down to allow this?

Madge is gonna be lucky to be coach come origin 1 next year.

Something I think say Ricky or Bennett would have tried to do.
 
It’s the same rinse and repeat rubbish 360 talk as earlier in the year when Reynolds went to do a media appearance for his mate AJ breaking the try scoring record in round 2, which had no impact on his injury and he already played and was entitled to do it in his own time.

Dude has a reoccurring injury all season and no one knows how training went down but again apparently the doctors at 360 think he’s fine lol.

So glad this media cop is coming into place to monitor such pointless and rubbish talk.
 
I'd put all of the drama at Bronco's at the club's door, especially after how they treated club legend Kevvy. But then Madge had similar drama at the Tigers...but then the Tigers have always been a basket case.

It's hard to know where the real fault lies, probably a mix of both, but I wonder if Madge is a good technical coach but a terrible man manager and therefore should be either an assistant or a rep coach where you only have to be on the same page for a month.
 
I do think there is a bit of sense in a lot of the arguments made across the board, I believe Madge is a tough nosed guy and that doesn’t seem to be great for a everyday persona, on top of I think the Broncos are a bit precious when it comes to digging deep and really working their guts out until they can barely stand and puke.

I remember ages ago I saw a video of Melbournes ruthless training program in pre-season and it made players throw up and a lot could barely stand, sounds harsh but you are damn well going to be fit and I wonder if the Broncos players could do the same or if they would hate it and try to get it removed.

Madge comes across as a guy that likes a military set up, hard work followed by hard work and for a reward it’s followed by hard work. Which is a proven way to teach and reach fitness but by far not the only way and it seems like he doesn’t know any other way

All this is my own opinion obviously but yeah.

TLDR: Madge can be to hard, the players can be to soft
 
I’ll say this: Sometimes you wonder how much difference a coach is making or even can make.

I don’t think there’s a mystery with Madge. I think he’s as good as Ivan Cleary… for 1-3 seasons, depending on how tough your playing group is. I think his ability to really get a team “up” and push them to a level you wouldn’t have thought they could reach… temporarily… is pretty proven.

And then his players get absolutely sick of him after that 😂 . Interestingly the burnout at Souths happened midway through the next season, whereas it seemed to happen during pre-season at Brisbane.
 
Considering the Broncos hadn't won a premiership since 2006, with the advantages they have, rosters they've had, Bennett coaching them etc...add to that the way their season ended in 2024 being blown out by the Dolphins/Storm.....yeah I don't blame Madge for thinking they need a bit of tough love considering how soft they were...
Even so far as 2023 when they made the GF, people were saying they were definitely in a window with the guys they had (not anticipating Mam's stupidity).
But yeah people like 360/Tallis acting like Kevvy would have won them a GF in 2025 was one of the most laughable things ever.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
Interestingly the burnout at Souths happened midway through the next season, whereas it seemed to happen during pre-season at Brisbane.
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The story of the Broncos going on some sort of subpar pre-season bonding trip where the beds weren't big enough for blokes like Haas and no one really enjoyed themselves, only to find out they were getting dropped without notice into a 3-day military boot camp on the way home, was pretty out there. Some genius-level planning.

Edit: The story about Reynolds' post-playing career coaching job at the Broncos being under threat after his comments earlier in the week...just wow.
 
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If for some reason we don't resign Dom, could we look at Wyatt Raymond as a winger? Fair dinkum, he's the tallest guy on the field tonight, he'd be a great target for a cross field kick.
 
Didn’t pay too much attention to the teamlists this week.

Kind of assumed they were gonna give Duffy another go at 7, and felt like he was a better option than a retiring Reynolds.

But Hunt playing and Mozer getting 20 minutes off the bench (before HIA) makes it a bit of a funny thing not to give Reynolds a stint.
 
Celticman98 said:
Broncos had a 2 week camp with the army camp surprise at the end of it.

I've never seen a coach with premiership success in a sport get bagged like Madge.

It's not just Gordie that has it in for him but a lot of journos.
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It does seem like there’s a bit of a vendetta against him in the media.

In general, I think the man managers, are coming to the forefront now. Obviously need the footy knowledge, but gone are the days of flogging a team to help them bond.

You can see in some of the clips the Knights post - looks like a bonded team, pre match they are hanging around (probably forced to a degree) but they are having a good time.

I can still see the logic behind what the Storm do - new players complete a camp. Bellamy goes and watches. See how they respond to pressure and adversity and if any leaders emerge etc. and their working program where they go and do a few weeks working to help them appreciate their position. It’s a one off initiation - these are the standards at this club etc.

And pre season fitness too. Sports science has improved. Injuries are very much concern when you’re just flogging players with little science behind it.

The other side, which I’ve heard a bit about lately, is how hard it is to remain focussed after a premiership - adding great plaudits to Penrith. But as a player, you may well buy into physically tough sessions, high intensity training and coaching. You’ll cop a bit of a spray, because the standards are so high and you’re aiming for greatness. Then you win - it was all worth it, dream achieved, hard work pays off. “Wait, you’re flogging us again? Mate, I’ve won a premisership”

Long winded story about Matty Johns and Luke
Keary…
Anecdotally…Madge has great strength in inspiring a team and getting the best out of them - Rabbits, NSW, Broncos. But his methods are a bit more short term. Suited for origin you could argue.
Madge’s weakness appears to be his man management. Matty Johns interview with Keary (halfway through it) - when Keary was under Madge he just stopped talking to him. Keary didn’t really know what was going on. But Madge had gone cold on him, and wasn’t giving him anything. (Madge had got Matty to help Keary and a few others in pre season) Matty and Keary spoke and it came out they weren’t really speaking. So Matty said he asked Madge what was going on? And Madge alleged to have basically responded “what’s it to you”. Matty responded “well, you brought this kid over to my house and asked me to help him, and now we have a relationship, and he’s doing it tough at the moment so I’m just trying to help him understand what’s going on and I’m here to help if there’s anything I can do”. It then goes on that allegedly, Madge didn’t realise he was shutting Keary out, he was under stress, and basically shut down cause his mind was working overtime. And if it’s caused one player to feel put out, he’s probably not alone and it perhaps an ongoing theme.

Keary also spoke to the idea that you dream of winning a premiership. And said he struggled to motivate himself after winning.
 
Thieves Like Us said:
Loved that Storm play off the scrum. Very innovative. The kind of thing Joey would have done in his pomp.
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It was very close to a try scored by Fletcher Sharpe in Flegg years ago.

The Knights packed a scrum with seconds to go before halftime with about 60 metres to the tryline - the ball went to the left from the scrum to Kurt Donoughoe who put in a kick across the field to the right, where Fletcher Sharpe was already on his way at full speed - just a footrace from there - and Sharpe won easily.
 
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