The Brisbane Broncos held their annual end-of-season awards night on Thursday, where two of the team's star players, Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam, addressed the drama surrounding their recent vacation to Bali.
The pair made a bold return to the awards dinner after being involved in two separate incidents during their trip, which made headlines.
Walsh was hospitalised in Indonesia following a surfing accident, while Mam was involved in a nightclub altercation.
Both incidents were investigated by the NRL Integrity Unit, which chose to wait until the players returned to Australia before addressing the matters.
Ultimately, the NRL found no further action was required, as Mam had resolved the situation by covering the cost of a new phone that was allegedly damaged during the incident.
Their return to Brisbane wasn't the only interest of the night. Former Broncos coach, Kevin Walters' absence, stirred controversy following his recent departure after a challenging 2024 season.
His departure comes after a disappointing 12th-place finish for the team this year, after being 2023 Grand Finalists. The Courier-Mail was the first to report his absence from the event.
The Broncos have already moved swiftly to secure a new coach, with Michael Maguire stepping into the role.
Meanwhile, Patrick Carrigan was the standout of the awards night, taking home the Paul Morgan Medal for Player of the Year—an honour he previously won in 2020.
Carrigan also received the Shane Webcke Award for Best Forward and the Gary Balkin Award for Players' Player.
However, Walters' absence allowed former players to reflect on the highs and lows of the season.
A brutal end-of-season review highlighted declining standards and coaching issues within the team. Reports suggest part of the review involved players anonymously completing online surveys.
Despite being under contract until 2026, Walters was axed last month after the Broncos' form nosedived, finishing with 10 wins and 14 losses.
Broncos legend Darren Lockyer, who was part of the board that discussed the decision, acknowledged how difficult it was to let Walters go.
"It's never easy to move on from a legend of the game," Lockyer told Fox Sports.
"But we believe Michael Maguire has the traits the Broncos need moving forward."
The fallout from Walters' departure could extend further, as Broncos icon Allan Langer is now reportedly reconsidering his future with the club.