When Michael Maguire walked into the press conference room at Accor Stadium after last year’s grand final, he was greeted by 30 journalists who all wanted to know how he helped end Brisbane’s premiership drought.

On Thursday night, following their 34-20 victory over the Bulldogs, there was only one reporter at the same venue to ask where that form had been in an otherwise disastrous campaign.

“We’ve obviously been through plenty throughout the year, but to watch the group have a smile on their faces after what they’ve been through is nice to see,” he said.

“We’ve obviously learnt plenty. We’ve pushed hard to try and find ways to get what we did tonight. One thing I do know is that the group moving into the next phase with us is well experienced and understands.

“A number of those guys have obviously been to the highs we had 12 months ago and have been through this period.

“Now I’m with them, so I understand that we’ll come back, regroup, reset, and get ourselves ready to go when the time is right. They’ll go away and have a break now and look forward to getting back together and having another crack.”

A lot has changed over the past 11 months, with superstar prop Payne Haas informing the Broncos earlier this year that he’ll leave Red Hill for an opportunity with the Rabbitohs.

Assistant coach Ben Te’o only lasted a few weeks before he quit, while departing skipper Adam Reynolds’ farewell didn’t go to plan.

Injuries didn’t help them this year, but plenty of clubs went through something similar, with Maguire hoping Thursday’s razzle-dazzle display and the pain of missing the finals can be the making of this team in 2027.

“I think it can,” he said.

“They’re human; we’re all human. You go through the highs, and then you have to go back to it again to achieve. You go through a lot during those times in your career.

“I’m seeing senior players talk about what we’re trying to achieve, and each week they’ve tried to go out and do that. I can’t fault them in that department.

“Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way, and we’ve got to find ways now to get that performance and keep doing it over and over. I know it’s inside them, and that’s why I always talk about the belief I have in the team.”

Fans would have felt a sense of frustration seeing them attack so well in the final round of the season with nothing to play for, with representative lock forward Pat Carrigan confident things will turn again next year.

“It’s a long off-season, but we know we fell short of where we wanted to be this year,” he said.

“In this game, you earn what you get.

“It’s exciting; the off-season allows the boys to leave, refresh, get back to working hard, and set some goals coming into the new year.

“We’re very confident in the team we have and our capabilities, but it’s about earning that each and every day and delivering on the weekend.

“We’re getting a few new faces coming to the club, and we’re losing some great figures as well, so it’s definitely going to be a new look, but it’s an exciting time.”

Internal and external reviews are crucial after a season like this where the Broncos won just eight games and finished in the bottom four.

“We’ll get together as a team, playing group and staff and go through the things we want to plan for what’s ahead,” Maguire said.

“Then I’m really keen for them to have a break, to be honest. I want them to go away and enjoy a bit of downtime. The boys are all professionals in the way they look after themselves.

“So to be able to go away, put what we’ve been through aside, and enjoy a break (will help them). They’re all excited to come back and get ourselves on the path we want to be on. When the time is right, that’s what we’ll do.”

Read related topics:Brisbane