The club are continuing to rebuild their roster under Michael Maguire.
The Brisbane Broncos will reportedly not extend the contracts of two off-contract forwards as they continue to rebuild their roster under Michael Maguire.
Aiming to reclaim their position as one of the premiership contenders in the competition and return to the NRL Grand Final in the coming seasons, the Broncos are set to make several changes in the next 12 months, with several star players off-contract.
Trying to stay under the salary cap, the Broncos will be forced to let players go at the end of 2025 as they focus on retaining centre duo Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo and veteran halfback Adam Reynolds.
Already confirmed to be letting Tyson Smoothy (Wakefield Trinity) leave for the Super League, other off-contract players include Fletcher Baker, Jack Gosiewski, Kobe Hetherington, Delouise Hoeter, Jaiyden Hunt, Corey Jensen, Israel Leota, Blake Mozer, Cory Paix and Martin Taupau.
While Gosiewski and Mozer have been linked to re-signing with the club, reports have emerged from News Corp that the Broncos won’t extend the contracts of duo Fletcher Baker and Martin Taupau for next season, with the latter potentially being forced into retirement.
Their exits are understood to free up approximately $550,000 in the salary cap.
One of the oldest players in the NRL, Taupau has featured in 34 matches (career first-grade games of 256) for the Broncos since 2023 having made his NRL debut in 2010.
Previously playing for the Canterbury Bulldogs, Wests Tigers and Manly Sea Eagles, Taupau was one of the best impact forwards during his prime and managed 33 international appearances for Samoa and New Zealand.
However, he is slowly coming to the end of his career and is being overlooked in some of the younger up-and-coming forwards at the club.
On the other hand, Baker has only played 12 first-grade games for the club since arriving from the Sydney Roosters and has yet to play a single minute on the NRL field since Maguire’s tenure began.
Broncos playmaker Ezra Mam to return after nine-week NRL ban expires
With Ezra Mam’s nine-week NRL ban now served, the Brisbane Broncos have made a call on his return to the footy field.
The Brisbane Broncos have baulked at bringing Ezra Mam straight back into the NRL side now that his ban is over.
Instead, Mam will return via the Queensland Cup despite his team’s Magic Round loss to Penrith.
Mam’s NRL-imposed nine-match suspension for driving with drugs in his system and without a licence has expired, making him available for selection this weekend.
Despite a push for playmaker Mam to be reinstated immediately for this week’s clash with Souths, Broncos captain Adam Reynolds confirmed his halves partner would have to work his way back to the top level.
“He won’t play (for the Broncos) this week,” Reynolds said on Tuesday.
Ezra Mam is ready and able to return to the field. Photo: Adam Head
“He has been in a good mind space for the last couple of weeks and been supportive of the team, getting out to every game. It’s good to see him working on himself.
“Any player who has spent a long time out of the game, they want to get their timing back and go through the simple things and make sure they do that right.
“It would be wrong of us to just stick him out there and think he can do the job straight away.
“The NRL is pretty tough and it’s demanding.
“He is excited to get back and work on himself and his game. It won’t be long before he is back in the NRL.”
Mam will play Queensland Cup after his suspension. Picture: John Gass
The Broncos now have a 5-4 record on the season after the shock loss to the Panthers at Suncorp Stadium last weekend.
