Broncos boss draws “line in the sand” after off-field incidents

Broncos boss Dave Donaghy has drawn a "line in the sand" at Red Hill as players return from their off-season break, with the Brisbane chief executive looking to hold players to club standards following further off-field indiscretions.

The most recent incident involved returning fullback Reece Walsh and Bronco-turned-Titan David Fifita, with the pair allegedly embroiled in a verbal stoush at a Burleigh Heads bar last week, where Walsh was asked to leave.

Forward TC Robati was stood down from club activities in December after being charged with one count of sexual assault for an alleged incident from last month.

The pair of incidents add to a string of off-field distractions for the Queensland club, with Donaghy now looking for a clean slate with their pre-season return as the club looks to meet the standards set for their club culture.

“Coming back (from the break), there's a line in the sand and an opportunity to build over the next four weeks (prior to pre-season trials),” Donaghy told media this week.

“From a high-level perspective in terms of culture, we have a really strong culture.

“It's a great privilege to play at the Broncos, but it comes with great responsibilities too.

“We've done a lot of work in terms of our values and standards that, to me, underpins the culture.”

The Broncos will be hoping to see further signs of improvement in their on-field performances from last year, where the club returned to the premiership race before a decline in form saw them bow out of the top eight.

With the additions of Walsh and Jock Madden, as well as further development for the likes of Ezra Mam and Selwyn Cobbo, the Broncos firm as a top eight contender again in 2023, potentially reaching the finals frame for the first time since 2019.

They'll begin their 2023 season against reigning premiers Penrith at Penrith Stadium on Friday, March 3.