Jock Madden has reportedly been tapped on the shoulder and told to look elsewhere as Michael Maguire looks to free up salary cap space in order to keep Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs. The young halfback played an important role last year in the absence of club captain Adam Reynolds who struggled with injury.
Madded started 15 games for Brisbane last year and was rewarded with a new contract. However, after the Broncos signed Ben Hunt, there is no longer a spot in the squad for the 24-year-old and he has been told to look elsewhere, despite being contracted until the end of 2026.
A host of NRL clubs have been asked if they would be interested in Madden’s services, while the Super League could also be a potential destination for the halfback, according to The Courier Mail. With Hunt’s signature, the Broncos have no shortage of halves on their books and combined take up a large chunk of the club’s salary cap.
Madden has been a reliable first grader since he made his NRL debut under new Broncos coach Maguire when he was at the Tigers. But with Reynolds, Hunt, Ezra Mam, Josh Rogers and Coby Black all options in the halves, something had to give. Hunt and Reynolds are expected to start in the halves for Brisbane in round one with Mam suspended. Hunt could then shift to hooker when Mam is eventually available.
Michael Maguire faces serious salary cap headache
While Madden appears to be the first player the Broncos are attempting to get off the books, he certainly won’t be the last, with the club needing to free up cap space. The Broncos recently tied down star fullback Reece Walsh to a four-year $4.4 million extension, a deal that will make him the highest-paid player in the club’s history.
It means his salary will almost double in 2026 and he is far from the only player at Red Hill on a bumper deal. Walsh joined Haas, who is on $1.1m-a-season for the next two years, in the million-dollar club. While Pat Carrigan ($800k) and Mam ($750k) also command significant salary cap space and both are on deals that run until 2028.
While Brisbane skipper Reynolds is currently on $550,000 a year, Mam commands $750,000 a season, hooker Billy Walters pockets $300,000 a year and even the likes of backup hooker Cory Paix ($300,000) and Kobe Hetherington ($400,000) take up fair chunks of their salary cap.
Broncos want to keep Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo
Maguire is also desperate to do whatever he can to hang onto Staggs and Cobbo. But the reality is both will command upgraded deals if they are to stay at Red Hill and therefore Brisbane will need to free up some serious cash if they are to keep the strike pair.
Fortunately for Maguire, there are plenty of players he can look to move on. Of Brisbane’s top 30 who are all on full-time deals, half of them are off-contract at the end of 2025.
Many under contract will be likely to demand improved offers to stay at Red Hill and therefore the side will almost certainly look drastically different come 2026. If Reynolds decides to retire at the end of 2024 – something that has been widely speculated – and the club offloads Madden, it could free up enough space to hold onto Staggs and Cobbo beyond next season. Getting Paix and Hetherington off the books are other options Maguire may explore as well to free up funds.
