Maguire Expresses Pain Over ‘Frustrating’ Collapse as Pressure Builds on Broncos

The pressure mounts for Michael Maguire following the Broncos’ third consecutive defeat, which unfolded on Sunday afternoon.

Brisbane entered the match as clear favourites to rediscover their winning form at Suncorp Stadium against a Dragons outfit that has been struggling lately.

The home side initially looked promising as Ezra Mam made a significant impact upon his return. However, the game turned dramatically in the second half when St George Illawarra scored four tries—two of which were netted while Jaydn Su’A was serving a sin bin sentence for a professional foul—resulting in a 30-26 victory for the visitors.

A visibly disappointed Maguire stood alongside captain Adam Reynolds during the post-match press conference, reflecting on yet another unsatisfactory performance from a team laden with talent.

“It’s clearly frustrating, and there’s a lot of pain within the group,” Maguire remarked.

“We’re a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde team; we can show some brilliant play but then revert to our poorer form… We just need to establish some consistency. No one is satisfied with how we’re performing.”

“I certainly have my own thoughts, but I will keep those with the team. We need to display that through our actions, and right now, we’re simply not doing it.”

“One thing I know for certain in this competition is that there’s still a long way to go. We’ll take the time to rest now and evaluate where we stand.”

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Reynolds attributed the second-half downturn to a lack of concentration but dismissed any speculation regarding the players being fatigued from Maguire’s well-known training regimes at Red Hill.

The coach was also asked about the ongoing situation with Martin Taupau, whom the club plans to release after he liked an Instagram post that was critical of Maguire.

“This club has a lot of things happening, so managing these situations is important,” Maguire stated.

“We also have a responsibility, and the players are very conscious of that.”

“We showed promising signs during the first half and even at the end of the game.”

Taupau has appeared in only one match this season and is expected to depart the club imminently.

Despite the loss, an upbeat note for the Broncos was the impressive return of Mam, who shone with a try and three assists in a challenging match.

“I thought Ezra came in and performed exceptionally well for us,” Maguire noted.

“He’s a bright spot in what has been a disappointing campaign. He’s put in significant effort to reach this point and provided a couple of crucial assists.”

“That partnership will continue to develop with Reyno.”

The Broncos will enjoy a bye next weekend before facing the Sea Eagles in round 13.