Latest news with #Paix
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Broncos player admits to likely exit after teammate scores contract extension
Cory Paix admits his future could lie away from Brisbane, despite insisting he wants to stay at the Broncos long-term. Paix is the only Broncos hooker in the top-30 squad without an NRL deal for 2026, following news promising young rake Blake Mozer is set to sign a contract extension with the club until the end of the 2027 season. Fellow hooker Billy Walters is contracted until the end of next year and another one of Brisbane's rakes Tyson Smoothy will join English Super League side Wakefield Trinity next season. Injured veteran Ben Hunt - who is tipped to slot into the hooker role when he returns from a hamstring injury - is also on a deal with the Broncos that runs until the end of next season. Brisbane have yet to officially confirm Mozer's extension, but it's understood the 21-year-old's management met with Broncos officials over the last week and were told that the club plans on keeping him. No offer for Mozer has yet been tabled but his future at the Broncos seems all but assured, raising fresh questions around Paix. The 25-year-old is set to return to Brisbane's starting side for the first time in five matches, when the Broncos travel to play Manly on Saturday night. The move will see Walters revert back to his bench role. Paix began the year as coach Michael Maguire's first-choice hooker, starting in the opening six games of the season, of which the Broncos won four. But he's had to resort to a bench spot behind Walters for the previous five games, which has coincided with a massive dip in form for Brisbane. Paix will get another chance to press his claims for a permanent starting spot against the Sea Eagles on Saturday night, but admits that the contract situation could be out of his hands. "I would love to be a Bronco for life but sometimes in life you don't always get what you want," the 25-year-old said. "I need to go out and play some good footy first before I get a contract. That's at the forefront this weekend." RELATED: NRL fans lament Ray Warren detail after Origin commentary backlash Craig Bellamy's Origin move that could come back to haunt Storm coach Trainer at centre of Origin incident unmasked as NRL great's brother Paix was reportedly close to agreeing an extension at the club earlier this year and Maguire indicated that he wanted the hooker to stay. However, those negotiations appear to have been put on the backburners even though the 25-year-old Broncos junior has made it clear that he doesn't want to leave the club that "means the world" to him. "I came here straight out of school and even during school I was part of the junior academy," he said. "I have got my family close by and obviously the Broncos have spent a lot of time on me developing me into the person and player I am. Brissie is home to me." The Broncos have won four games when Paix has started this season and only one when he hasn't. And Brisbane will be hoping the return of the hooker to the starting side against Manly will help get their stuttering season back on track. "I spoke with Madge (coach Michael Maguire) and worked on a few things in key areas he thought I could get better at," Paix said. "I thought I went away and done that. Now it is time for me to step up. We haven't been getting the results lately. "If we can fix up little minor things that we have identified then I think we will give ourselves enough energy at the back end of games to really compete and go after it." Brisbane have lost five of their past six matches and second half collapses have let the team down badly. They've only won twice at Manly's home ground in the last 33 years, although the teams haven't played at Brookvale Oval since 2014 due to a financial agreement that saw the Sea Eagles play "home games" against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium. But Maguire's men will fancy their chances against an equally inconsistent Manly side that have lost three of their six home games already this season and will be without injured superstar Tom Trbojevic. with AAP
The Advertiser
29-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Broncos hooker still holds hope for 2026 contract offer
Off-contract starting Brisbane hooker Cory Paix is yet to receive an offer for next year but he's philosophical about uncertainty over his future. "I would love to be a Bronco for life but sometimes in life you don't always get what you want," the 25-year-old is the only Broncos hooker in the top-30 squad without a deal for 2026. Veteran Billy Walters is contracted until the end of next year, young gun Blake Mozer secured an extension through until the end of 2027, although the club is yet to announce it, and Tyson Smoothy will join Wakefield Trinity on a three-year deal from 2026. Mozer's management has met with Brisbane in the past week and the club has made it clear they want to keep him, but so far no offer has been tabled. Paix returns to the starting side away against Manly on Saturday night. He started in the opening six rounds of the competition and has played the last five off the interchange bench. "I need to go out and play some good footy first before I get a contract. That's at the forefront this weekend," he said. Paix wants to stay at a club that "means the world" to him. "I came here straight out of school and even during school I was part of the junior academy," he said. "I have got my family close by and obviously the Broncos have spent a lot of time on me developing me into the person and player I am. Brissie is home to me." The Broncos have won four games when Paix started this season and only one when he hasn't. He said he was "super excited" to be back in the No.9 jersey. "My job doesn't change too much," he said. "I spoke with Madge (coach Michael Maguire) and worked on a few things in key areas he thought I could get better at. I thought I went away and done that. Now it is time for me to step up. We haven't been getting the results lately." The Broncos have lost five of their past six matches and it is second half collapses that have let them down. "If we can fix up little minor things that we have identified then I think we will give ourselves enough energy at the back end of games to really compete and go after it," Paix said. Brisbane have won just twice at Brookvale Oval in the last 33 years. The Broncos have not played away against Manly since 2014 due to an agreement from the Sea Eagles to host their "home" game at Suncorp Stadium during Magic Round. Brisbane's last victory at Manly was in 2010, a 22-6 win when Darren Lockyer was captain of the club. In 16 games at the venue since 1988 the Sea Eagles hold a 10-5 advantage with one drawn. Off-contract starting Brisbane hooker Cory Paix is yet to receive an offer for next year but he's philosophical about uncertainty over his future. "I would love to be a Bronco for life but sometimes in life you don't always get what you want," the 25-year-old is the only Broncos hooker in the top-30 squad without a deal for 2026. Veteran Billy Walters is contracted until the end of next year, young gun Blake Mozer secured an extension through until the end of 2027, although the club is yet to announce it, and Tyson Smoothy will join Wakefield Trinity on a three-year deal from 2026. Mozer's management has met with Brisbane in the past week and the club has made it clear they want to keep him, but so far no offer has been tabled. Paix returns to the starting side away against Manly on Saturday night. He started in the opening six rounds of the competition and has played the last five off the interchange bench. "I need to go out and play some good footy first before I get a contract. That's at the forefront this weekend," he said. Paix wants to stay at a club that "means the world" to him. "I came here straight out of school and even during school I was part of the junior academy," he said. "I have got my family close by and obviously the Broncos have spent a lot of time on me developing me into the person and player I am. Brissie is home to me." The Broncos have won four games when Paix started this season and only one when he hasn't. He said he was "super excited" to be back in the No.9 jersey. "My job doesn't change too much," he said. "I spoke with Madge (coach Michael Maguire) and worked on a few things in key areas he thought I could get better at. I thought I went away and done that. Now it is time for me to step up. We haven't been getting the results lately." The Broncos have lost five of their past six matches and it is second half collapses that have let them down. "If we can fix up little minor things that we have identified then I think we will give ourselves enough energy at the back end of games to really compete and go after it," Paix said. Brisbane have won just twice at Brookvale Oval in the last 33 years. The Broncos have not played away against Manly since 2014 due to an agreement from the Sea Eagles to host their "home" game at Suncorp Stadium during Magic Round. Brisbane's last victory at Manly was in 2010, a 22-6 win when Darren Lockyer was captain of the club. In 16 games at the venue since 1988 the Sea Eagles hold a 10-5 advantage with one drawn. Off-contract starting Brisbane hooker Cory Paix is yet to receive an offer for next year but he's philosophical about uncertainty over his future. "I would love to be a Bronco for life but sometimes in life you don't always get what you want," the 25-year-old is the only Broncos hooker in the top-30 squad without a deal for 2026. Veteran Billy Walters is contracted until the end of next year, young gun Blake Mozer secured an extension through until the end of 2027, although the club is yet to announce it, and Tyson Smoothy will join Wakefield Trinity on a three-year deal from 2026. Mozer's management has met with Brisbane in the past week and the club has made it clear they want to keep him, but so far no offer has been tabled. Paix returns to the starting side away against Manly on Saturday night. He started in the opening six rounds of the competition and has played the last five off the interchange bench. "I need to go out and play some good footy first before I get a contract. That's at the forefront this weekend," he said. Paix wants to stay at a club that "means the world" to him. "I came here straight out of school and even during school I was part of the junior academy," he said. "I have got my family close by and obviously the Broncos have spent a lot of time on me developing me into the person and player I am. Brissie is home to me." The Broncos have won four games when Paix started this season and only one when he hasn't. He said he was "super excited" to be back in the No.9 jersey. "My job doesn't change too much," he said. "I spoke with Madge (coach Michael Maguire) and worked on a few things in key areas he thought I could get better at. I thought I went away and done that. Now it is time for me to step up. We haven't been getting the results lately." The Broncos have lost five of their past six matches and it is second half collapses that have let them down. "If we can fix up little minor things that we have identified then I think we will give ourselves enough energy at the back end of games to really compete and go after it," Paix said. Brisbane have won just twice at Brookvale Oval in the last 33 years. The Broncos have not played away against Manly since 2014 due to an agreement from the Sea Eagles to host their "home" game at Suncorp Stadium during Magic Round. Brisbane's last victory at Manly was in 2010, a 22-6 win when Darren Lockyer was captain of the club. In 16 games at the venue since 1988 the Sea Eagles hold a 10-5 advantage with one drawn.
Perth Now
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Broncos hooker still holds hope for 2026 contract offer
Off-contract starting Brisbane hooker Cory Paix is yet to receive an offer for next year but he's philosophical about uncertainty over his future. "I would love to be a Bronco for life but sometimes in life you don't always get what you want," the 25-year-old is the only Broncos hooker in the top-30 squad without a deal for 2026. Veteran Billy Walters is contracted until the end of next year, young gun Blake Mozer secured an extension through until the end of 2027, although the club is yet to announce it, and Tyson Smoothy will join Wakefield Trinity on a three-year deal from 2026. Mozer's management has met with Brisbane in the past week and the club has made it clear they want to keep him, but so far no offer has been tabled. Paix returns to the starting side away against Manly on Saturday night. He started in the opening six rounds of the competition and has played the last five off the interchange bench. "I need to go out and play some good footy first before I get a contract. That's at the forefront this weekend," he said. Paix wants to stay at a club that "means the world" to him. "I came here straight out of school and even during school I was part of the junior academy," he said. "I have got my family close by and obviously the Broncos have spent a lot of time on me developing me into the person and player I am. Brissie is home to me." The Broncos have won four games when Paix started this season and only one when he hasn't. He said he was "super excited" to be back in the No.9 jersey. "My job doesn't change too much," he said. "I spoke with Madge (coach Michael Maguire) and worked on a few things in key areas he thought I could get better at. I thought I went away and done that. Now it is time for me to step up. We haven't been getting the results lately." The Broncos have lost five of their past six matches and it is second half collapses that have let them down. "If we can fix up little minor things that we have identified then I think we will give ourselves enough energy at the back end of games to really compete and go after it," Paix said. Brisbane have won just twice at Brookvale Oval in the last 33 years. The Broncos have not played away against Manly since 2014 due to an agreement from the Sea Eagles to host their "home" game at Suncorp Stadium during Magic Round. Brisbane's last victory at Manly was in 2010, a 22-6 win when Darren Lockyer was captain of the club. In 16 games at the venue since 1988 the Sea Eagles hold a 10-5 advantage with one drawn.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Broncos pair caught up in ugly rumour after Madge's call on starting hooker
Cory Paix's agent says there is 'no animosity' between the Brisbane No.9 and his teammate Billy Walters, despite the fierce hooking battle between the two players. Broncos coach Michael Maguire made the decision to name Paix as his starting hooker this season, despite the 25-year-old being frozen out of first grade last year by former coach Kevin Walters - who is also Billy's dad. Maguire's arrival has seen the younger Walters have to settle for an interchange role after being first-choice under the former coach and playing a key role in their march to the 2023 grand final. Walters and the Broncos underwhelmed in 2024 and missed out on making the finals, prompting the club to install Maguire. And the new coach has made his preference at dummy half abundantly clear. The situation has led to suggestions in some circles that there could be a rift between the rival rakes but Paix's agent Paul Hogan has been quick to shut down any such suggestions, and insists the pair are good friends and that there's no bad blood. 'There's no animosity there,' Hogan told . ''Paixy' and Billy are great mates. They were at each other's weddings, so there's great respect between the guys. There's no doubt the change of coach has helped Cory. Everyone has gone back to the starting line under 'Madge' (Maguire) and guys are being picked on their merits." Paix's agent said former Broncos coach and current Manly mentor Anthony Seibold initially moved the young gun into hooker because he saw similarities with former representative hooker Damien Cook. And Maguire has clearly been impressed with what he's seen from Paix since arriving at the club, with the hooker's speed around the ruck and impressive pre-season work seeing him win the four-way hooking battle in Brisbane. The No.9 role now looks like being Paix's to lose, with Maguire preferring him ahead of Walters and Tyson Smoothy - whose fall down the pecking order led to his recent signing with English Super League club Wakefield from next season. The other hooking candidate was Blake Mozer but a shoulder injury for the young dummy half sidelined him for the start of the season. Walters admitted to News Corp last month that it was 'pretty tough' seeing his dad axed as coach but said he never took his starting spot for granted and knew it would be a battle to claim the No.9 jersey this year. 'The pressure is on for sure,' Walters said. 'Even if Kev was still the coach, that No. 9 jumper isn't mine to walk into. 'It was pretty tough to begin with what happened with Kev, but everyone has moved on now and I still love the club. I feel the competition for sure. There's a number of good hookers here who should bring out my best footy and if it doesn't, I will fall down the pecking order.' Walters' demotion this season comes amid reports Paix is close to agreeing an extension at the club that could leave a cloud around his teammate's future. Paix's agent said last week his client was keen to tie down his future to the Brisbane club, after revealing there has been interest in the No.9 from rival clubs. And Maguire has indicated he'd also like for Paix to extend his stay with the club. ''Paixy' has been great,' Maguire said. 'I like his attitude and the way he goes about things. 'I like his style of play and all the hookers are pushing each other, which has brought the best out in Paixy.' The Brisbane hooker also reckons Maguire's coaching style is a perfect fit for his game and is bring out the best in him. 'Madge is demanding hard work and that suits my style," Paix said. 'The easy option would have been for me to leave, but being stubborn, I've dug my heels in and given it a red-hot crack.'
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Broncos gun in telling new development after brutal act from Kevin Walters
Brisbane hooker Cory Paix is reportedly close to agreeing an extension at the club, in what would represent a stunning change of fortunes for a player told by former coach Kevin Walters that he was free to leave. Paix has clearly made an impression on new Broncos coach Michael Maguire after winning the battle to be named Brisbane's first-choice No.9 to begin the 2025 season. Paix scored a try during a solid display in Brisbane's opening round thumping of the Roosters but was powerless to prevent the Broncos from going down to Canberra during a sloppy performance in round two. Reece Walsh had one of his worst games for the club and they'll be eager to bounce back against the winless Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night. Brisbane's No.9 will get the chance to start in his first home derby against North Queensland after featuring off the bench in his previous two clashes with the Cowboys. And speaking ahead of Friday night's game, Paix's manager Paul Hogan says his client is keen to tie down his future to the Broncos, despite admitting there is interest in the rake from rival clubs. 'Cory's preference is to stay at the Broncos,' Hogan told . 'He's had interest from a number of clubs, including teams in Super League, but he would ideally love to stay on at the Broncos. There's been several inquiries about Cory for the past 12 months and even this pre-season he could have signed elsewhere, no doubt about that. But Cory is happily settled on and off the field in Brisbane and he never lost faith in his ability. He knew if he kept working hard, the wheel would turn and it has." RELATED: NRL world divided over Shane Flanagan's shock ban for Dragons star Brandon Smith's move to Souths sparks 'brutal' reality for $650k star Panthers in telling backflip on Blaize Talagi after Parramatta switch An extension for Paix at the Broncos would mark a massive turnaround for the 25-year-old who was frozen out of first grade last year under Walters. Paix played the entire 2024 season in reserve grade as Walters preferred his son Billy and Tyson Smoothy working in tandem in the hooking role. The forrmer Broncos coach also told Paix he was free to leave at the end of 2024 but Maguire has come in and granted him a fresh lease of life, much like the situation with teammate Kobe Hetherington. The No.9 role at Brisbane looks to be Paix's to lose after he came out on top in the four-way battle against Walters and Smoothy - whose fall down the pecking order led to his recent signing with English Super League club Wakefield from next season. The other hooking candidate was Blake Mozer but a shoulder injury for the young dummy half sidelined him for the start of the season. Maguire is also expected to use veteran Ben Hunt at dummy half when Ezra Mam returns from his nine-game suspension in round 10 and says the depth at hooker and competition for places will help them all improve. Paix's current two-year deal with Brisbane is reportedly worth around $600,000 and the Broncos coach has suggested that he's happy to reward the No.9 with a new contract. ''Paixy' has been great,' Maguire said. 'I like his attitude and the way he goes about things. 'I like his style of play and all the hookers are pushing each other, which has brought the best out in Paixy.' The 25-year-old also reckons Maguire's coaching style is a perfect fit for him. 'Madge is demanding hard work and that suits my style," Paix said. 'The easy option would have been for me to leave, but being stubborn, I've dug my heels in and given it a red-hot crack.'
