NSWRL to release Maguire for Broncos job after Walters axing

New South Wales Rugby League has reportedly agreed to release Blues coach Michael Maguire from the final year of his deal fill the vacant job at the Brisbane Broncos.

The reports surfaced after Maguire expressed a desire to move north and take on the Broncos job, which prompted a board meeting at NSWRL headquarters on Monday morning.

Maguire is expected to sign a multi-year deal with Brisbane after Kevin Walters was sensationally sacked last week following a disappointing 2024 NRL season and a club-wide review.

The former Wigan Warriors coach will be tasked with leading the Broncos back to premiership glory, as he did with the South Sydney Rabbitohs a decade ago.

NSWRL appointed him as Brad Fittler’s replacement in November last year, shortly after he coached New Zealand to a 30-0 victory over Australia in the 2023 Pacific Cup Final.

Maguire then led the Blues from 1-0 down in the 2024 State of Origin series to an unlikely 2-1 victory, becoming the first NSW coach since Ricky Stuart in 2005 to win a series decider at Suncorp Stadium.

While a 48.93% winning record from 233 NRL games does not stack up with the top coaches in the league, that includes a difficult four-year stint with an embattled Wests Tigers outfit.

Maguire’s first task at the Broncos will be evaluating the roster and assessing roughly $4 million worth of talent that is off contract in 2025.

The big names include Selwyn Cobbo, Adam Reynolds and Kotoni Staggs, key role-players Xavier Willison, Tyson Smoothy and Corey Jensen, and young talents Blake Mozer and Israel Leota.

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