The pressure on Michael Maguire has intensified after the Broncos suffered a 46-20 defeat to Melbourne at Suncorp Stadium.
Amidst the drama surrounding Adam Reynolds' farewell, the Broncos displayed a lackluster performance, indicative of a team eager for the season's end.
Maguire was already facing significant scrutiny due to a forgettable campaign, which saw Brisbane drop from premiers to near the bottom with only seven wins.
The recent controversy has only worsened his situation, especially following this latest loss, which brought the team's home losing streak to nine.
In the match, Brisbane missed 43 tackles and committed 14 errors while conceding 186 points over the last five games.
While Maguire himself didn't make these mistakes, it's clear the team is experiencing considerable turmoil.
In a post-match interview, he was questioned about his suitability as coach, to which he responded, "I know what this group's capable of, as we've shown at times throughout the year. We need to be smarter and better at times within games." He also noted the need for improved confidence and belief.
Reynolds' absence dominated headlines, but there was also a poignant farewell for Payne Haas, a club icon heading to South Sydney in 2027.
The match featured a trial of a new rule, allowing teams to choose whether to kick off or receive after conceding, with the Broncos opting for the traditional approach following the first try by Stefano Utoikamanu.
Three minutes later, after Kotoni Staggs scored for Brisbane, Melbourne made the same decision.
During the first half, the conceding side consistently chose to kick off, resulting in Melbourne leading 30-10 at halftime.
It wasn't until the 50th minute, with Melbourne's Moses Leo sin-binned, that they opted to receive the ball after Ben Hunt's try.
Later, Brisbane opted to receive following a Sua Faalogo try.
Though the new rule was used multiple times, opinions on its effectiveness were mixed, highlighted by comments from both Pat Carrigan and Cam Munster.
For Melbourne, the win marked their tenth for a season that had been otherwise disappointing, with Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown scoring a hat-trick and Tyran Wishart adding two tries.
Both teams have endured significant struggles in 2026, and while this match held no playoff implications, it's clear Brisbane has sunk much lower than their 2025 grand final rivals.