The new hire is already running the danger of offending the new Brisbane coach.
According to reports, Ben Hunt and his wife Bridget have been considering homes in Burleigh Heads and the Gold Coast. This move may not sit well with Michael Maguire, the new coach of the Brisbane Broncos. After a seven-year run with the Dragons, Hunt has signed a two-year contract to return to his old team for 2025 and 2026.
Originally from Queensland, Ben and Bridget Hunt are glad to be returning to be nearer to their relatives. Although Hunt and his spouse have not yet decided where they will reside next year, they are reportedly considering homes in Burleigh Heads and the Gold Coast that cost about $2 million.
Hunt would have to drive an hour to go to home games and training in Brisbane. Hunt and his family are now renting on the Gold Coast and wish to enrol their two children in local schools, according to realestate.com.au.
Former NRL player and buyers’ agent Matt Srama stated, “Ben reached out to try and establish some roots for his family on the Gold Coast.” “They are glad to travel to Brisbane in order to experience the way of life here. When choosing a place to call home, professional athletes and others in the entertainment sector are increasingly prioritising lifestyle, which is an extremely exciting choice for Ben and his family.
Would the Broncos be upset about Ben Hunt’s living situation?
It’s unclear, though, if Maguire and Broncos officials will approve of his living situation. Last month it came to light that Maguire had identified it as a problem because players were living so far away and battling traffic to get to and from training.
Both Patrick Carrigan and Reece Walsh reside on the Gold Coast, and Payne Haas just returned to Brisbane from the Glitter Strip after becoming weary of the drive. As a result, Gold Coast-based athletes must drive 160 km to and from training, which can take up to 90 minutes each trip.
The Courier Mail claims that because of concerns that the players’ journey is becoming too taxing, Broncos executives recently discussed whether players should be required to reside closer to Brisbane. Twelve months after reaching the 2023 grand final, the Broncos finished 12th in 2024, marking their worst collapse in club history.
Travel arrangements have become an issue, and Maguire is making a valiant effort to improve the club’s culture and the players’ “rock star” mentality. According to reports, some players have previously requested to leave practice early in an effort to avoid heavy traffic on their way back to the Gold Coast.
A Broncos employee was previously quoted by the Courier Mail as saying, “It was a nightmare.” In order to avoid the heavy traffic on the Gold Coast during peak hours, athletes would prefer to wrap up their weight training sessions early. The thought of Broncos players residing on the Gold Coast has never appealed to me.
Players that live closer to Brisbane are preferred by Michael Maguire.
Although the coach would prefer that players not live as far away as the Gold Coast, Maguire is allegedly not going to impose a requirement that they reside closer to Brisbane. Broncos employees reportedly had to change training plans in the past to accommodate players’ travel to and from the Gold Coast, but under the stern Maguire, that won’t be the case.
Corey Parker, a Broncos legend who spent much of his career on the Gold Coast, has previously stated that he does not see the issue. “In my opinion, it doesn’t matter where you live,” he stated. “Why would it be important? You may need to take a look at it if it’s affecting the team’s performance.
“I don’t object if some people choose to live on the Gold Coast. Alex Glenn, the former captain, was a fantastic professional who spent a lot of time on the Goldy. You have to make sure you are performing and doing your work as a professional. I fail to see why the Broncos should have to deal with it.
“In my opinion, the happier you are off the field, the better you perform on the field,” stated Srama, a Gold Coast Titans player who played 65 games and assisted Walsh in buying a home. Furthermore, the 45- to 1-hour journey isn’t that long when you contrast the Gold Coast to Brisbane commute with locations like Sydney, where many of my old colleagues and acquaintances used to travel 90 minutes to get to training. And after training, who can blame them when they get home to the beach and surf?
