Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has refused to be drawn on what triggered Ben Teโoโs shock resignation and dismissed criticism he struggles to take advice from his leading assistants.
Speaking before his sideโs clash with the Dolphins on Friday night, Maguire said the loss of his defensive guru in Teโo would not derail Brisbaneโs hopes of defending their 2025 premiership.
It has been reported Maguire and Teโo โ who won a title together as coach and player at South Sydney in 2014 โ had clashed over team tactics, while the latter was also believed to have been irked by being blocked from working with the Queensland Maroons.ย
Maguire said he would โnot go into too much conversationโ about the rumours of a spat with Teโo, while denying he had issues collaborating.
โIโm going to stick to my line here โ I do apologise if you want more, but Iโve got a playing group and staff with a really important game tomorrow night,โ Maguire said.
โI take advice from many a people, I actually really enjoy taking advice from people.
โI probably do less coaching now than I ever have, to be honest. As a young coach, Iโm fairly full on โ people have probably spoken about that over my journey as a coach โ but through the journey where Iโm at I enjoy bringing staff on and people on.
โBen and I have been through a lot, but weโre focused on tomorrow. The game keeps moving.โ
Maguire said he would not be rushed into finding a replacement for Teโo, entrusting his remaining staff โ which includes Matt Ballin and Trent Barrett โ to fill the void.
When asked if he feared his squad would be fractured by Teโoโs departure, which follows the defection of marquee prop Payne Haas to the Rabbitohs in 2027, Maguire pointed to the Broncosโ triumph of the Melbourne Storm last week โ in which they overturned a 14-0 half-time deficit to prevail 18-14.
Haas will miss the Dolphins game with a shoulder injury.
โThe performance I saw last Friday pretty well determines how I believe you look at a football team. They dug in for each other, supported each other, Payne Haas came out after half-time when I guess he probably didnโt need to and was incredible,โ Maguire said, referring to his 178 running metres and 38 tackles.
โAt half-time โฆ I sort of told him he probably wouldnโt be able to go out and play, and all of a sudden, the big fella is standing next to me and goes โMadge, Iโm going back out thereโ. It says a lot about where theyโre at.
โThings go on in any organisation, but what weโve got to remember is that we go in tomorrow night and play the way we can.
โAs a lot of the players here remind me, welcome to the Broncos.
โItโs the Broncos, and theyโve been able to do what they did last year, so Iโve got no concerns around [distractions] whatsoever.โ
The Broncos will face a Dolphins outfit also off their best performance of the season โ a 38-10 thumping of Cronulla.
Dolphins five-eighth Kodi Nikorima was quick to laugh off suggestions their crosstown rivals would be vulnerable due to the drama out of Red Hill.
Nikorima will be one of six Dolphins who made their NRL debuts as Broncos โ joined by Thomas Flegler, Jamayne Isaako, Selwyn Cobbo, Herbie Farnworth and Francis Molo.
He denied there would be extra incentive to crush their under-siege former club.
The 31-year-old, who confirmed he was in discussions at Redcliffe to extend his stay beyond the end of his 2026 deal but revealed he had fielded interest from rival outfits, also dismissed talk of Teโoโs exit being a factor on Friday night.
โHonestly, heโs not out there with the jersey on, theyโll still have 19 players who want to get up for this game, so for us, itโs about focusing on ourselves and making sure we get our stuff right and what we want to do this weekend,โ Nikorima said.
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