Michael Maguire’s coaching future at the Broncos has taken another intriguing turn with the club considering a unique change to his contract.
Maguire remains contracted through to the end of next season, but Broncos chairman Karl Morris has floated the bizarre prospect of moving away from a traditional fixed-term deal used for NRL coaches.
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The potential change comes as the reigning premiers have suffered a dramatic fall from grace this year, with their season unravelling after securing their first premiership since 2006 last year.
The prospect of a rolling contract, rather than a traditional fixed-term deal, has sparked plenty of discussion about the security it would provide the former NSW Blues and New Zealand Kiwis head coach.
“He’s talking about a regulation contract where you don’t sign for a fixed term. It’s like a regulation contract like most employees are on,” CODE Sports reporter Brent Read said on NRL 360
“It’s not a three-year deal. It’s a rolling contract and that means you’re vulnerable of your services being terminated a bit more at a whim rather than having a six-month clause, which most coaches have.”
Read suggested most coaches would prefer the certainty of a long-term agreement.
“I’d imagine most coaches wouldn’t want to sign that. Most coaches like the certainty of a long-term deal,” Read continued
Meanwhile, fellow CODE Sports reporter Dean Ritchie described the arrangement as a “standard corporate employment contract” and questioned if Maguire or any coach would willingly accept it.
Ritchie said, “It’s called a standard corporate employment contract. If they offered it to a coach, I think the coach could have the right to say go jam it.
“Either back me or sack me, but don’t offer me an ongoing contract where you can get missiled every week
The potential contract changes come as the Broncos are on the hunt for a new assistant coach, with the club still needing to fill the vacancy left by Ben Te’o earlier in the year
“They never replaced Ben Te’o, so they’ve got to fill that spot,” Read said.
Former premiership-winner Corey Parker has emerged as a potential candidate for the role after recently throwing his hat in the ring.
