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Meninga: Shibasaki has let his team down
Charles Goodsir • September 3rd, 2025 1:15 pm
Rugby league immortal Mal Meninga has applauded the Brisbane Broncos’ handling of Gehamat Shibasaki’s axing ahead of their must-win clash against the Melbourne Storm on Thursday.
Shibasaki was dropped after he arrived at Broncos training on Monday suffering from the effects of alcohol from the previous day. Coach Michael Maguire and the Broncos leadership group decided to stand down the Queensland representative for breaching team standards.
This incident comes after Reece Walsh and the Broncos were forced to apologise after footage emerged of the fullback drinking toilet water.
Brisbane have won nine of their past 11 matches to sit inside the top four. A win on Thursday would secure a top four finish.
Meninga praised the actions of Brisbane’s leaders over Walsh and Shibasaki’s indiscretions during an important part of the club’s season.
“He has obviously turned up to training inebriated,” Meninga said on SENQ Breakfast.
“They are playing on Thursday night so standards are really important.
“They always have been. In the modern game, it’s really important that you as a player are focusing on the health of your footy club as opposed to yourself.
“It’s such an important game for the club in the context of their season.
“They could get top four and then they have two chances to play in a Grand Final so you’ve got to put your common sense hat on.
“How can you help the team be the best they can be on Thursday night? That’s what you’ve got to be thinking.
“It was silly what Reece had done but the players will just laugh and giggle about it.
“You just have to make some better judgments.”
Winger Jesse Arthars has been recalled to the starting Broncos side with Deine Mariner being pushed to the centres.
SEN’s Corey Parker has praised his former side for the bold decision to drop Shibasaki just days out from Brisbane’s most important match of the year.
“I’ve been involved in football sides where there have been indiscretions during the week,” Parker said on SENQ Breakfast.
“Those players were still able to play.
“There was still a (strong) culture and (high) standards but it was just dealt with differently by a different coach.
“I was coached under Wayne Bennett and there were two sets of rules. If you could play, you’d play. If not, you weren’t.
“The way that Maguire has done it, he’s dropped him. It won’t be the last time this happens.”
