Ryan Hoffman has strongly countered the emerging belief that Michael Maguire's intense training approach is responsible for the Brisbane Broncos' drastic downfall, emphasizing that the coach's rigorous standards were instrumental in securing the club's title just a year prior.
On a recent episode of The Boardroom with co-host Chad Townsend, Hoffman, who played under Maguire, pushed back against ongoing claims that the Broncos players feel overworked.
This narrative has been a long-standing criticism of Maguire, surfacing during his tenures with the Wests Tigers and South Sydney Rabbitohs as well.
Townsend directly addressed these concerns, referencing numerous reports of dissatisfaction within the Broncos' squad.
"Well, you've spent time with Madge, Hoffie. What's he like? Because the notion is that Madge trains them too hard for too long, and it's not just the Broncos that have said this," Townsend remarked.
"I mean, I've heard it from the Kiwis camp. I've heard it from multiple things that Madge is just, he's very hard. He runs a strict regime."
The focus on Maguire's training at Brisbane isn't merely speculative.
In his initial pre-season with the club in late 2024, the presence of vomit buckets around training sessions raised concerns about player welfare, prompting the Broncos to assure the public that they were following NRL welfare guidelines.
Last season, Broncos forward Martin Taupau was reported to have 'liked' a social media post that criticized Maguire's training techniques during a tough period for the team.