Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Olympics
Football
Netball
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
FIFA World Cup 2026 poster'Bit of bother': Why 2025 history won't save Broncos
Joel Gould, AAP • June 1st, 2026 9:08 am
The Broncos have spent a lot of time standing behind their tryline in four consecutive losses | Photo: AAP
We've seen this movie before with the Brisbane Broncos but coach Michael Maguire has warned that expecting another fairytale ending is a pipe dream.
The Broncos were diabolical in the 30-26 loss to last-placed St George Illawarra on Sunday at home, incredibly the third successive time they had lost by that scoreline to the Red V at the same venue.
It was Brisbane's fourth loss in a row and they are in 11th position after 13 rounds, with five wins and seven losses
The defending premiers were 11th after 13 rounds last year with the same win-loss record, and also on the back of four straight losses.
Coincidentally, they host the Gold Coast on Saturday - the same team they played at Suncorp Stadium in round 14 last year when a 44-14 win turned their season around and led to a charge to the premiership.
But Maguire said it was foolish to expect history to repeat for the Broncos in 2026.
"If we're relying on past history we might find ourselves in a little bit of bother," he said.
"Everyone can tell a good story of the past, but it's what you're doing right now.
"I can compare stories, but I've never seen two years the same. I've never seen a group of men do it in a way they've done it in the past."
Payne Haas set a standard his teammates failed to match in the loss to St George Illawarra | Photo: AAP
The Broncos were out-enthused by the Dragons from the start. Their line speed in defence was poor and in attack, apart from the magnificent Payne Haas, they were lethargic.
"The way the game panned out, that's definitely how it looked," Maguire said.
"The commitment in areas of our game that we hold pretty high, we didn't hit the mark.
"Obviously there's something there we as a group - myself and everyone - need to find very quickly, because there is a talented team there and we all know that.
"That's my role now with my senior leaders and everyone involved to find it."
Returning from a six-week injury lay-off, Haas had run for more metres at halftime than the rest of the starting pack combined. He finished with an incredible 281m with the ball and made 33 tackles with just one missed.
After the match, Haas summed up the Broncos right now in a telling interview with ABC Radio.
"We are all talk at the moment," Haas said.
"We keep on saying we are going to do all these important things on the field, but to be honest we are just bullshitting each other."
Dragons centre Moses Suli leaves Brisbane winger Josiah Karapani in his wake | Photo: AAP
Haas is delivering on his words but most of his teammates must lift.
Asides from Haas and a strong second stint from Broncos forward Xavier Willison, Brisbane were outmuscled up front by a Dragons outfit that wanted it more.
Brisbane did lose Queensland forward Pat Carrigan to an ankle injury but they only started to play well when in the final 11 minutes when they were 30-8 behind.
The Broncos were the comeback kings of 2025 with their penchant for winning games from double digit points deficits but they appear to be a side resting on that record and believing their own press.
"We've got to continually work hard at training and try to change what's going on at the moment," captain Adam Reynolds said.
"Obviously we're not getting the starts right, we're not matching intensity at times and it's not good enough."
