‘Maturing Process’: Michael Maguire Faces Halfback Quandary While Reece Walsh Awaits Scans

Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has acknowledged that he is still in the process of figuring out his spine following the team’s third defeat of the season.

The revamped combination of Cory Paix, Ben Hunt, Adam Reynolds, and Reece Walsh had initially raised hopes after their impressive performance against the Roosters in the opening round.

However, shortcomings have surfaced since then, leading to Paix being benched for Saturday’s encounter with the Warriors and Hunt delivering a performance below his usual standards.

During the latter stages of the second half, Hunt was transitioned to hooker while Billy Walters moved to five-eighth.

This tactical alteration sparked a resurgence for the Broncos, but in the final moments, Hunt failed to control the ball from dummy-half when attempting to pass to Adam Reynolds, who was ready to set up for a field goal.

This miscue resulted in a turnover and led to extra time, ultimately secured by the Warriors through a penalty goal from Luke Metcalf.

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In his post-match comments, Maguire openly admitted that he is still assessing his spine.

“I am indeed. I’m still getting to know the players better,” he said.

“We experienced some pressure, and things weren’t going our way. I thought making a change with Hunty moving to dummy-half and Billy taking the number six added a different dynamic for us, which is something you have to explore.”

“There was considerable fatigue throughout the game, and I felt that small shift actually put us back in a position to contest the match.”

“It was encouraging to see how the boys adapted, but we needed to be smarter earlier to set ourselves up for a potential win.”

The Broncos’ spine dilemma will intensify with the impending return of Ezra Mam from suspension, while promising young hooker Blake Mozer continues to flourish in the Queensland Cup.

Walsh has also struggled to find his form this season and sustained a knee injury early in the match.

Nonetheless, he demonstrated his skill by assisting a try and scoring one himself to rally the Broncos.

Maguire conceded that there is a concern regarding Walsh.

“He appears to have done something to his knee. It’s a testament to him that he played through the pain. We need to investigate this further; a scan is necessary,” he commented.

“He battled through the entire game despite the issue, so we’ll have to wait and see how he holds up in the coming weeks.”