Gorden Tallis in tetchy on-air moment with Broncos CEO after legend's sacking
Brisbane Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy copped a grilling on Triple M radio on Sunday, and declared it was the right decision for the club to sack former coach Kevin Walters. But Walters' great mate and club legend Gorden Tallis wasn't about to let Donaghy get away with a small oversight he made when speaking about Walters.
Donaghy was part of the decision-making process that led to Walters getting the axe last year after four years in charge of the Broncos. It was a particularly delicate call considering Walters is a club legend and won multiple premierships as a player.
On Sunday, journalist James Hooper asked Donaghy whether he still thinks it was the right call to sack Walters given the side's patchy form under new coach Michael Maguire in 2025. Before their great escape against Cronulla to win 34-28, the Broncos had fallen outside the top-eight and were travelling worse than this time last year under Walters.
"We made an incredibly difficult decision, and that's the reality of it," Donaghy said. "Kevvie is a great of our club and he put his heart and soul into the place for four years."
But sitting in the back of the box, Tallis was quick to interject. "30 years," Tallis said, correcting Donaghy that Walters had put his heart and soul in for four years. Tallis was referencing the fact that Walters made his debut for the Broncos back in 1990, and his roots with the club run much deeper than his four-year stint as coach.
Donaghy responded: "Sorry Gordie, 30 years. He did four years as the coach and did a wonderful job and was there for a long, long time. We want to ensure we're acknowledging that and recognising that. But we did feel it was time for a change and we do feel like it was the right decision."
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Tallis has been one of Walters' most staunch defenders, and the most outspoken Broncos legend to criticise the club for sacking him. He launched into Adam Reynolds last year and suggested he might lose his captaincy, criticising him for appearing on a radio show that Walters' son Billy boycotted due to comments made about his father. Tallis said at the time that Reynolds should have shown solidarity and refused to go on.
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On Sunday, Donaghy also addressed Selwyn Cobbo's future at the Broncos, which appears to be hanging by a thread. The former State of Origin player has been sent down to reserve grade, and the Broncos can reportedly only offer a new contract in the vicinity of $350,000 per year.
Cobbo is said to have met with the Roosters, Dragons, Dolphins and Cowboys, and will likely earn a much larger contract if he leaves the Broncos. "From where we sit right now we are hopeful that he continues with us, but we understand the [financial] sacrifices that come along with it," Donaghy said.
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