Taupau and Broncos part ways after Instagram drama
Brisbane and prop Martin Taupau will part ways with the veteran having played his last game for the club.
The 35-year-old and the Broncos are in the midst of finalising their separation in amicable fashion from what was a one-year contract for 2025.
The Samoan and New Zealand international is understood to be keen to continue his NRL career in Sydney.
The Broncos have depth in the middle forwards with Fletcher Baker and Ben Te Kura both in the top squad, and it reports suggest Taupau was not part of coach Michael Maguire's plans going forward.
The development comes after Taupau liked a video post on Instagram by former Kiwi international and Wests Tigers player Elijah Taylor, who was critical of Maguire's coaching methods.
Taupau then retracted his 'like' and apologised for his actions in a statement.
He said he had no issues with Maguire who had given him a contract extension in November last year after taking up the Broncos position.
Taupau released a statement on Friday, explaining his actions.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Australian
an hour ago
- The Australian
Sports News & Results
Lording it up: Smith climbing to Punter's record and 14,000 Test runs Steve Smith's appetite for runs remains insatiable, becoming the leading overseas scorer in Tests at Lord's with his half-century in the WTC final. Which teams in the AFL, A-League, NBL, and NRL wear purple? Plus which three McLaren drivers have finished on the podium in ten consecutive grands prix and ex-Wallaby Quade Cooper is attempting to qualify for the LA Olympics in which sport? Gout Gout's breakthrough: 'I realised how much these companies think I'm worth' The teen dubbed 'the next Usain Bolt' on dodging a job at Macca's, his high school formal and his most indulgent purchase since signing with Adidas. No need for Marn and Co to start bailing yet Marnus Labuschagne was the Daly Cherry-Evans of Australian cricket this week. He could have been picked and flicked but Test selectors are more willing to respect, protect and select a loyal servant. Toohey, Coleman: Meet Australian swimming's new kids on the block The nation's next crop of swimming superstars has emerged at the Australian Trials, and could be household names by the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympics. Find out who they are here. Club rugby one week, Aussie U20s the next for special young guns One week they are battling it out in club rugby. Now these young guns are causing a stir as the new faces of the Australian under 20s World Rugby Championships squad Who was the most drug-tested swimmer in 2024? Doping officials undertook an unprecedented drug testing regime in the lead up to the Paris Olympics with some athletes tested dozens of times. Where do the Aussies rank? See the list. Nice! Waratahs kick goal with U20 World Rugby champs domination They bowed out of Super Rugby earlier than hoped but the future of the NSW Waratahs still looks bright with almost half the U20 World Rugby Championship squad from their junior ranks Simone Biles walks back trans comments The gymnastics superstar is apologising amid a fierce backlash over her clash with swimmer over trans competitors. The one thing that still eats away at man who became media star Garry Lyon's prolific media career means everyone knows about that infamous broken leg clip. But, while injuries played a part in his career, there's no denying his importance to Melbourne's history. SA football royalty earn Hall of Fame, legend status There are few bigger names in South Australian football history than Ken Farmer and Peter Darley. Now, one is an official legend and the other a Hall of Famer. Fierce player, rising coach — but Daisy's legacy lives off the field At 13, archaic rules stopped Daisy Pearce from following her footy dream, but only for a time. Now, Pearce is a a dominant force in the game as player, media commentator, coach, and hall of famer. 'World's just stopped': Phillips a star who changed footy forever Erin Phillips was 13 when her world came to a grinding halt and football was taken away from her. Decades later, she's helped lead a football revolution which will ensure no girl ever feels that same pain again. Brumbies walk double grand final tightrope with trophy in sight The Brumbies are staring down the barrel of unwanted Super Rugby history, and must play 'two grand finals' to clinch a long-awaited title. Shock Jamarra Bulldogs return could be 'just weeks away' In the most positive development for months, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will sit down with the Western Bulldogs as a potential return looms. Imola out: F1 confirms end of an era with 2026 calendar reveal Australia's Oscar Piastri will start his 2026 campaign on home soil chasing a maiden Australian Grand Prix win, while Formula 1 has confirmed Madrid will replace Imola on the calendar. Kozzie on brink of signing fresh nine-year mega deal Melbourne's latest play to keep Kysaiah Pickett looks to have worked with the star Demon set to re-sign with the club on an extraordinary pay packet. Mills' NBA future in spotlight after big career move Patty Mills' future in the NBA – and a potential homecoming to the NBL – is in the spotlight after the Boomers champion's big career move. Find out more here. That's a wrap! Hot shots galore – and snow – at NSW junior rugby They could be the toughest kids in Australia – the young guns playing on and in snow at the NSW Junior Rugby championships. Stars, standouts, every winner in our 2025 result wrap. NWM's team responds to 'false' report that he won't join Crows The management team of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera has shot down a report the Saint had put a line through joining Adelaide next season due to racist comments made by Taylor Walker. Junior rugby's NSW Country, Sydney Cup top dogs, top clubs, A Sydney club and another from country dominated the battles for the NSW Country and Sydney Cups at the state junior rugby championships. Stars, standouts, every winner and result wrap. Cornes keen to avoid Roos rooms, 'grumpy' Lethal, Gawn v May Even if the Kangaroos open their doors back up to Kane Cornes, he might not walk in. Plus Leigh Matthews fires up, reaction to the Gawn-May clash and more of what you missed on TV. This Crow almost became a Hawk, now he's flying A hardworking Crow approaches another milestone after almost joining the Hawks six years ago, a Port first for 2025 and an odd fixture call – here's round 13's likes and dislikes. Gawn explains clash with May after final-minute blunder Max Gawn's last-gasp error cost the Demons a chance at victory — and Steven May was involved in a fiery chat after the loss. Hear from the Melbourne captain and Simon Goodwin here. AFL Commission stand by Tassie, GF timeslot set to be locked in Despite some club presidents happy for the Tasmania Devils to fall over, the AFL Commission are still backing the side to enter the competition in 2028. Plus, see the expected time of the grand final. This Daicos tag was different — but who will follow the blueprint? Melbourne fell to Collingwood in a close loss on King's Birthday. But Scott Gullan writes, Ed Langdon's tag on Nick Daicos won the respect of the competition. Grounded Corey flying high ahead of dream Group 1 bid Father-and-son trainers Chris and Corey Munce are enjoying a dream winter carnival which they're hoping will culminate in a Group 1 victory this Saturday at Eagle Farm. 'We messed up': Aussie SailGP pay price for mistakes in New York Skipper Tom Slingsby is adamant his team has the speed to regain the lead in the SailGP series but need to stop making dumb mistakes. New York SailGP results, latest news, wrap Teen try scoring guns rip it up on NSW junior rugby states day 2 There were try scoring sensations galore and hot boots aplenty with a Penrith young gun scoring four tries and kicking six conversions on day two of the NSW Junior rugby state titles.
The Australian
an hour ago
- The Australian
AFL: Oscar McInerney to return for Brisbane in the reserves
Lions coach Chris Fagan wants Oscar McInerney to play a game in the reserves before deciding if Brisbane's first-choice ruckman's recovering body is up to the rigours of AFL football McInerney, who has been nursing back and other niggling injuries, is set to miss a fifth straight top-flight match on Saturday after again being named among the emergencies for Brisbane's clash with the GWS Giants at the Gabba. However, the 30-year-old big man will play for the Lions' VFL team on Sunday against the GWS reserves at Springfield. But Fagan has taken a different approach with two other fit-again players in defender Brandon Starcevich and forward Sam Day, who have both been brought straight back into the Lions' AFL team after longer periods on the sidelines than McInerney with respective concussion and hamstring problems. Brisbane ruckman Oscar McInerney must prove his body is up to the rigours of the AFL. Picture:'Oscar is an emergency for the AFL team, so if we needed him (on Saturday), he could play, but if we don't need him, he'll have a run in the reserves on Sunday just to see how he pulls up from all his various things,' Fagan said on Friday. 'If he gets through that, then he's back in line for proper consideration for the (AFL) team. 'We just want to see how his body pulls up after a game. The last time he played (against North Melbourne on May 11), his body couldn't get through the game for various reasons, so he and we want to make sure that's the case. 'He'd be frustrated, but he's grateful for the time off, and I know his body feels as good as it's felt in a long time … but you don't really know until you get into a game. 'We're just hopeful that once he gets into a game, that he can pull up well, and then we can keep moving forward.' While not yet certain about McInerney, Fagan was confident that both Starcevich and Day were ready for an AFL return. Starcevich's only match this season was Brisbane's four-point win over Sydney on March 15 when he suffered a third concussion in the space of eight months. 'He's been pretty close to being right for a few weeks,' Fagan said. 'He's done a great training block and I've never seen him look so fit. 'He's had plenty of time for his brain to get better. He's gone through all the protocols and tests that he could. 'I basically let him do what he needed to do for him to put his own hand up when he was ready. 'It's been a little bit elongated because he had about a month where he couldn't train, and he needed to recondition again so that he could be ready to play AFL footy. 'That's been what the slow part of the process has been.' Brandon Starcevich will return on Saturday for the Brisbane Lions. Picture:Day hasn't played since injuring his hamstring in Brisbane's 17-point QClash win over his former club Gold Coast on May 4. 'It's good to have him back. I felt like our forward line was functioning really well when he was part of the team,' Fagan said of the ex-Sun who came to Brisbane in the off-season following the retirement of premiership-winning forward Joe Daniher. 'He doesn't kick many goals, but he does a lot of work that helps others kick goals, so we think his experience will help us in this game.' The Lions are aiming to bounce back from their five-point loss to Adelaide last Friday, while the Giants are searching for consistency, having been up and down this season with a record of seven wins and six losses. The Giants are also chasing revenge after the Lions fought back from 44 points down in the third quarter to end GWS' finals campaign last season with a five-point win at Engie Stadium. 'They're a very, very good team, and we're more than aware of that,' Fagan said. 'We had some tough battles with them last year. We were lucky to win that final. It was a miraculous comeback. We wouldn't want to be doing that (on Saturday). 'They've got an exceptionally talented team, and they can beat any team in the competition on their day, but so can we, so it'll make for a good clash.' Fagan said the Lions were preparing for Giants star Toby Greene to play, with GWS expected to make a decision on his availability just hours before the game after he suffered a corked left hip/glute injury in his team's 16-point loss to Port Adelaide last Saturday. 'We'll just have to wait and see what happens when the team sheets come out, but we're planning for Toby to be in,' the Lions coach said. 'He's a very good player, so that's the best thing to do, and we'll just adjust if need be.' Marco Monteverde Sports reporter Marco Monteverde is a Brisbane-based sports reporter for NCA Newswire. He worked in a similar role for The Courier-Mail from 2007 to 2020. During a journalism career of more than 25 years, he has also worked for The Queensland Times, The Sunshine Coast Daily, The Fraser Coast Chronicle and The North West Star. He has covered three FIFA World Cups and the 2000 Sydney Olympics, as well as a host of other major sporting events in Australia and around the world. @marcothejourno Marco Monteverde
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Picture gallery: NSW Blues day off as stars hit the golf course
Jarome Luai has wasted no time getting back in the swing of Origin. Little more than 12 hours since being rushed into Blues camp following the withdrawal of injured five-eighth Mitchell Moses, Luai joined some of his NSW teammates on the golf course. Blues players enjoyed their day off in the Blue Mountains on Friday before they were due to relocate back to Sydney, where coach Laurie Daley's men will finalise preparations for State of Origin II on Wednesday night. Luai will take part in his first training session on Saturday at Olympic Park as he rekindles his halves partnership with Nathan Cleary. The Blues will fly out on Saturday afternoon to Perth, where they will look to complete a 2-0 series win over Queensland. On Friday however, a fair way from Optus Stadium, Luai took to the Leura Golf Course for a bonding session alongside fellow ex-Panthers Spencer Leniu and Stephen Crichton, Melbourne prop Stefano Utoikamanu and best friend Brian To'o. Armed with golf clubs and GoPros, the group filmed their antics as they took shots at each other, and occasionally hit a golf ball, as their laughs echoed across the par-70 mountain course. Luai has only six days to get up to speed with Daley's Perth plans. However, judging by how seamlessly the 28-year-old fitted slipped into his familiar routine on Friday, it's easy to see why the NSW coach opted for him. And why the Maroons should be on alert come Wednesday night. Teeing off just before them, Blues 18th man Matt Burton teamed up with Cleary after being overlooked as the man to play alongside him in the NSW halves following Moses' calf injury. Burton and Cleary shared a cart and took on Panthers players Isaah Yeo, Dylan Edwards and Lindsay Smith in an Ambrose-style clash. Canterbury five-eighth Burton will fly with the Blues to Perth, where he will be NSW 18th man for the fifth time. BEARS' BID TO LURE CLEARY WEST Cleary will head west to Perth for Origin, but there is a looming push to keep him there long-term. Penrith's biggest threat to keeping their halfback could be a family tie to the NRL's newest franchise, the Perth Bears. Just days after Mal Meninga was named coach of the new Perth outfit, former North Sydney Bears star and Nathan Cleary's uncle, Josh Stuart, revealed the club is very interested in luring his nephew west. MOSES' DEVASTATING INJURY BLOW Moses was a shock late withdrawal from the Blues' side after suffering a calf injury at training on Thursday. He is facing up to six weeks on the sideline, ruling him out for the remainder of the State of Origin series for NSW. Scans of the star halfback's calf injury has revealed the bitter blow to both the Eels and Blues fortunes. Revered for his diligent focus towards rehabilitating injuries, Moses is privately hoping to be back between three to five weeks. There are 25 days until Origin III and given Blues coach Laurie Daley will need his playmaker's training in the 10-day build-up to the final match of the series, Moses' hopes of playing are forlorn. Some have ties to some of the biggest names in rugby league, others are playmaking whiz kids at the centre of code tug-of-wars. PAMELA WHALEY profiles some of the best athletes in Australian and New Zealand sport. Reed Mahoney's has been given permission to negotiate with rival clubs, with revelations he won't be offered a new deal when his current contract expires. However, his agent has denied suggestions the Bulldogs hooker is on the nose at Belmore, insisting it 'couldn't be further from the truth' that the club is showing him the door after signing Lachlan Galvin. The Maroons have had their courage questioned in a way no other Queensland side have before ahead of State of Origin II, writes MATTY JOHNS. Queensland have explained away why they didn't kick to Spencer Leniu in game one at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium and made valid points. But, as Johns explains, sometimes the smart play isn't the right play. Kurt Mann will become the oldest Maroons debutant since Arthur Beetson on Wednesday night. The 32-year-old's tough-as-teak resilience can be traced to a childhood in the Queensland bush which almost killed him – twice.
