Once touted as one of the most talented young halves in the game, Jock Madden's career is once again at the crossroads with the revelation he has been given permission to leave the club.
The report, made by News Corp, suggests Madden's departure from Red Hill could be imminent following the signing of Ben Hunt from the St George Illawarra Dragons.
The former captain of the joint-venture was released following a messy end to the 2024 season where his relationship with club coach Shane Flanagan became untenable.
After being pursued by as many as four clubs, including fierce local rivals the Dolphins, the Broncos eventually won his signature and Hunt will finish his career where it started.
While that will also squeeze the Broncos' salary cap, it pushes Madden further down the pecking order when it comes to halves in Michael Maguire's set up.
Despite Ezra Mam likely missing the start of the season, Ben Hunt will slot straight into the five-eighth role, while the emergence of Coby Black will likely see him become the first back up.
Once Mam returns, Hunt will move to hooker, but Madden could still be number four in line at best for a run in the first-grade side, with Josh Rogers also on contract at the Broncos.
It's understood the Broncos have shopped Madden to both other clubs in the NRL, and those in the English Super League as they look to move on the 24-year-old who played ten games last year, and has 15 games in total for the Broncos since joining the club ahead of the 2023 season.
Madden spent most of his games throughout 2024 filling in for Adam Reynolds, who battled injury issues on more than one occasion.
Madden began his career under Maguire in 2021 at the Wests Tigers, playing 17 games in 2021 and 2022 with Maguire sacked in the middle of 2022, and Madden leaving the club for Brisbane at the end of that season.
It's unclear how much the previous relationship between the hard-nosed coach and young half played into the new decision.
Madden is contracted with the Broncos until the end of 2026 and could yet dig his heels in to avoid being moved on having only re-signed with the club this year on the back of his original two-year deal for 2023 and 2024 coming to an end.
The half wouldn't be the first player to take such a course of action at Brisbane, with Cory Paix - a talented half and hooker who previously played for the junior Queensland Maroons team - currently doing the same despite Brisbane's best efforts to move him on before the end of 2025 after he fell down the pecking order under Kevin Walters.
