The Mole: Broncos Coach Michael Maguire Unveils How Renewed Journeymen Transformed His Career

Gehamat Shibasaki has emerged as one of the standout stories during the opening month of the premiership, and Broncos coach Michael Maguire has acknowledged that player influence was instrumental in his resurgence.

Throughout the summer, many observers believed that the 27-year-old was simply wasting his time trying out for a spot in the formidable Brisbane Broncos backline.

The assumption was that he had little chance of securing a position in the club’s 30-man squad, let alone the starting lineup.

However, through tireless determination—and a bit of support from his teammates—Shibasaki has now established himself as a consistent member of the Broncos squad.

Maguire confessed that he was largely unfamiliar with the centre, who has Torres Strait Islander, Japanese, and Palauan heritage, when he assumed control of the Broncos during the pre-season.

“I was aware he’d been here previously (in 2018-19) but had drifted and lost his path for a while… even venturing into Japanese rugby,” Maguire shared with Wide World of Sports.

“He had a lot of work ahead of him to catch up with the rest of the squad, but he knuckled down and got it done, which really impressed me.

“Another plus was that he came through the junior ranks alongside Patty Carrigan and a few others, and they all spoke very highly of him—that certainly worked in his favour.”

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Shibasaki commenced the season in the top tier, yet there was a sense he was merely holding the centre position for the injured Kotoni Staggs.

However, when Staggs made his long-awaited return to the field last week, Maguire opted to drop Deine Mariner and retain Shibasaki in the line-up.

The unheralded centre responded with a stunning display, scoring two tries in the Broncos’ 20-12 victory over the Dolphins.

Having previously been a nomad, appearing in just six league games across the last four seasons with the Knights, Cowboys, and Rabbitohs, Shibasaki seems to have finally found his footing—back where it all began.