Under-pressure Brisbane Broncos take extraordinary measure after recent controversies and rumours of player unrest engulf the club
A recent number of controversial incidents have forced the Brisbane Broncos to take a huge measure to maintain the club's reputation.
Following the fallout relating to Ezra Mam's car crash, Reece Walsh's punch video and the sacking of Marty Taupau, the Broncos have hired a crisis management expert, according to reports.
Buzz Rothfield of The Courier Mail writes that Grant Williams, a renowned reputation management expert, has joined the club.
The NRL journalist added that Williams was 'rushed in to protect the club and its brand'.
The footy club have been dragged into several off-field controversies this year, and the club have opted to draft in a crisis management expert to provide advice on multiple operational matters.
Rothfield adds that Williams, who has previously worked with the NRL's media and communications set-up and worked as an advisor to NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller, will work with players and managers at the club.
That work is due to pertains mostly to their responsibilities in line with the NRL's rules on conduct and social media use.
Mam pleaded guilty to one count of driving with a relevant drug in his system and another count of driving without a licence for an incident that took place in Bardon, Brisbane, last October. He was fined $120,000 by the NRL and the Broncos and handed a nine-match ban after he had crashed into an Uber taxi, injuring a four-year-old girl.
Meanwhile, the Broncos were left furious at Walsh after he uploaded a bizarre and worrying video of himself appearing to punch a friend with a boxing glove on.
Another player, Taupau parted company from the football club on amicable terms after he had appeared to like a social media post openly criticising Michael Maguire.
The Broncos boss himself has also had a turbulent induction to life at the Clive Berghofer Centre.
Williams' website states that he is a 'public affairs, strategic communications and media management advisory, providing crisis, issues and reputation management to companies organisations, family offices, boards, chairs chief executive officers, professionals and individuals.'
His website adds that Williams will: 'personally prepare you for any crisis or issue' as well as 'identifying risks before they happen and provide a 24/7 urgent and bespoke response when they do'.
Williams told Rothfield: 'The Broncos are a tremendous club and I'm looking forward to supporting their team with strategic counsel where required.'
On the pitch, the Broncos have had a mixed season, despite being pipped to be a premiership contender prior to 2025.
However, they have struggled to consistently perform, with Brisbane having won only one of their last five matches.
Earlier this week, boss Dave Donaghy has also criticised claims that there is a fractured changing room at the club, throwing his support behind Maguire.
There have been suggestions that the Broncos boss is facing a player revolt, but Donaghy said: 'The talk of unrest is simply not true.
'I'm not there every day, but I have asked the football department to give me some feedback if there is some discontent and I've had nothing come back of that nature.
'I have asked questions. We had a board meeting last week, we had 'Madge' in to talk about things and one of the directors was at training and they called me and said the players have been nothing but positive of Madge.
'Myself and the directors walk around the club and we get a feel if there's some major issues. We see none of that. The issue we see is Madge has come into reset a team and it could take longer than we thought.'
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