Coach Michael Maguire says the Brisbane Broncos must 'have a good hard look at ourselves' following a 40-6 defeat to the New Zealand Warriors.
Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire criticized his team's effort after a 40-6 home loss to the New Zealand Warriors marked their 15th defeat of the season, leaving them second-last on the ladder and risking the wooden spoon.
AI-generated summary
The Brisbane Broncos suffered their 15th loss of the season, sitting second-last on the ladder and out of finals contention.
In short:
Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has said his team needs to "have a good hard look at ourselves" after suffering a 15th loss this season.
The reigning premiers are out of finals contention, sit second-last on the ladder, and were beaten at home 40-6 by the New Zealand Warriors on Saturday night.
What's next?
Brisbane is still a chance of finishing last this season, if the St George Illawarra Dragons defeat Wests Tigers on Sunday.
Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has said his side will be well beaten next week if they produce a similar performance to Saturday night's 40-6 defeat to the New Zealand Warriors.
The reigning premiers have had an awful season, with Saturday night's defeat their 15th of the campaign.
Brisbane was blown out of the water early at Lang Park, with the Warriors scoring three quick tries as the Auckland-based side kept the pressure on the Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers in the race for the minor premiership.
Maguire has defended his players throughout the 2026 campaign, but after Saturday's 34-point defeat, where the Broncos never looked in the contest, he let his players know in the post-match press conference that the effort was not up to standard.
“Not good enough, just plain and simple. We won’t want to do that next weekend because we’ll cop the same,” he said.
"It was really disappointing, that one. We’re not playing the style that we know we’ve practised."
Brisbane faces last year's minor premier Canberra next week, with the Raiders also having a poor season and out of finals contention.
But on the same day Brisbane struggled to fire, the Raiders produced an upset win over top-four aspirants Cronulla.
Brisbane's stand-in captain Pat Carrigan was asked by a reporter on Saturday night if it was hard to remain motivated for the remaining matches with finals out of the picture.
But Maguire stepped in and answered.
“I reckon that’s garbage. We’re playing the team next week [Canberra] that’s in the same boat. We’re playing for the Broncos,” Maguire said.
“It’s easy to motivate people when you’re playing for the Broncos. They’re playing for a very good club.
“The boys are playing for the Broncos jersey that they wear. That is not good enough. I normally keep calm at these things. We need to have a good hard look at ourselves.”
Brisbane is still a chance of finishing last this season, if the St George Illawarra Dragons defeat Wests Tigers on Sunday.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Brisbane could finish last this season if St George Illawarra Dragons defeat Wests Tigers.
Possible · Within days
Mitchell Starc took five wickets in 22 balls to dismantle Bangladesh for 64, while Shoriful Islam impressed for the tourists on his Test return. Australia faced a challenging evening session as the match progressed at Harrup Park in Mackay.
Adelaide Crows defeated GWS Giants 157-101 in Taylor Walker's final home game, while Geelong Cats beat Richmond Tigers 133-76. Both winners secured top-six spots. In AFLW, North Melbourne extended their unbeaten streak by defeating Brisbane Lions.
The Warriors moved to the top of the NRL ladder after a 45-26 win over South Sydney, fueled by rookie Luke Hanson's late field goal. Meanwhile, Canterbury boosted their finals chances with a 44-14 win over St George Illawarra, and Newcastle's top-eight hopes faltered.
Mackay's Great Barrier Reef Arena hosts its first international Test cricket match, marking a milestone for the venue that was once a cow paddock and later saved by members who mortgaged their homes to fund its expansion.
Five Sydney Swans players have been suspended for the remainder of the AFL season for breaching club standards following a police investigation into an incident at an East Melbourne hotel. The club prepares for a match against North Melbourne amid the fallout.
Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar enters the Vuelta a España following a dominant Tour de France victory. His record-breaking climbing performances have reignited debates regarding doping, despite experts noting advancements in training, nutrition, and technology.