LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy

How a Wooden Spoon Inspired Broncos Star Carrigan

Brisbane lock Pat Carrigan attributes part of the Broncos' stunning victory over Melbourne in the recent grand final to a wooden spoon kept from the club's training ground incident five years ago.

The 27-year-old experienced a challenging moment in 2020 when the celebrated NRL franchise faced its darkest hour and received its only wooden spoon.

In a display of frustration, fans threw wooden spoons onto the field at Broncos HQ, with so many that they filled a rubbish bin.

However, the situation has transformed dramatically since then.

Carrigan played a vital role in the Broncos' 26-22 win over the Storm, marking the club's first championship in 19 years.

Reflecting on that low point, Carrigan recalled how Matt Middleton, the team gear steward, collected the wooden spoons and how he chose to keep one as motivation. "I have kept one of those. I have kept my receipts," Carrigan said.

He added, "the gear guy, Matty Middleton, means a lot to us. He collected all those spoons off the field, and I was really embarrassed for him because he started with Wayne Bennett and had seen the highs of this place."