The Brisbane Broncos owe a ton of their success to head coach Michael Maguire, who took over in 2025 and led the side to their first premiership in close to two decades.
Despite the praise for Maguire, with many hailing him as the ‘Drought Breaker,' it seems Broncos legend Darren Lockyer is still uneasy about his appointment, due to the axing of another club great, Kevin Walters.
Lockyer, who recently took over the London Broncos in the Super League, revealed his former club's premiership has not washed away his frustration with certain people involved in Walters' sacking in 2024.
“Of course it was hard,” he told The Courier Mail.
“I wouldn't say I have burnt friendships, but there's a lot of guys I played with and won premierships with that I have a strained relationship with now because of the decision.”
He admitted that while he understands the club's decision, he still felt uneasy about losing a legend in Walters.
“Not that I made that decision [to sack Walters],” Lockyer said.
“It was the collective board, and I have lost some skin along the way.
“But I always feel, as Wayne (Bennett) has always said, that every decision we make has to be in the best interests of the club.”
Maguire's appointment as head coach proved to be the correct decision by the Broncos, a sentiment Lockyer has reluctantly agreed with.
”Last year fell away pretty dramatically and after the review, it was pretty apparent we had to go in a different direction,” Lockyer said.
“I think hiring Madge was the right call.
“There was always talent there, the Broncos have always got the ability to put together a good roster, it's just having the culture in place.”
Lockyer commended Maguire's unorthodox approach to training, but cited it was what the club needed in order to reach the Promised Land.
“Madge had a different approach to his predecessor and we felt that would complement the group that we had,” Lockyer said.
