‘Been chasing this since 2014’: Maguire earns place among coaching legends

3 hours ago 1

Moments after becoming just the sixth coach in history to win premierships at multiple clubs, Brisbane coach Michael Maguire declared: “I’ve been chasing this since 2014.”

Maguire has joined Jack Gibson, Wayne Bennett, Tim Sheens, Phil Gould and Chris Anderson in being part of a select group to have achieved the feat since 1908. The Brisbane coach won his first NRL title at South Sydney 11 years earlier, and he can now add his latest triumph to his Super League championship at Wigan, as well a series win with NSW and guiding the Kiwis to the top of the international game.

Speaking in a smoke-filled dressing room as his players enjoyed celebratory cigars, Maguire said he hadn’t had a chance to process joining the other coaching greats who have won the ultimate prize at more than one club.

“I probably don’t think like that, but there are some pretty cool names there,” Maguire said. “I just enjoy doing this, winning comps is something I love doing. It’s been a long time and a lot of hard work.

“I’ve been chasing this since 2014.

“I’ve learned a lot over the journey of the last 11 years and I definitely wasn’t going to miss this one because I knew that once I got the team going, I could feel that this was where they could get to.”

Michael Maguire celebrates following the grand final victory.

The Broncos were down 22-10 at half-time but, just as they have throughout the finals series, finished stronger to pull off a memorable 26-22 victory.

“I felt this morning, when I woke up yesterday, at training, it was just something about them that I thought the journey that they’ve had to come [on] in this game, we’ve come from behind, we’ve done it in many different ways,” Maguire said.

“I didn’t have to say too much at halftime. I said to the boys: ‘Your best half is about to come’ because they’ve done it over the last month. I said if you go and do that, then you win the game.

“That’s what belief gives you, [and] your players are going to believe as well.”

Clive Churchill medallist Reece Walsh spoke of the effect Maguire has had on the playing group since arriving at Red Hill.

“I remember Madge’s passion and him sticking up for us during the year when we were getting rinsed through the media about the way we go about things,” Walsh said.

“But the care he has for us, no one knows outside the club. We definitely know inside the club how he looks after us as people, our partners. There’s nothing more we could ask for.

“He demands a lot, but we just won a comp. He should demand a lot. I’m so honoured and grateful to learn from him, be under him.

“He’s a bloody winner and I want to be a winner. That’s what we just did. I’m in awe.”