Broncos grand final team: Ben Talty omitted from Brisbane’s 17, Ezra Mam plan revealed

Maguire made one of the toughest calls of his 20-year coaching career by dropping Talty and retaining Tyson Smoothy in his 17-man squad for the NRL decider against Melbourne at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

Likened in style to Broncos front-row legend Andrew Gee, Talty has been a revelation for the Broncos since his arrival at the club in June from the North Sydney Bears on a $1200-a-week train-and-trial deal.

The late-blooming 26-year-old played his 10th NRL game in last Sunday’s epic 16-14 preliminary final defeat of Penrith and was hoping to be retained for his dream grand-final debut.

But Talty is the crushing hard-luck story, with Maguire squeezing him out in favour of Smoothy, who will play his final game for Brisbane on Sunday before heading to UK club Wakefield next year.

Smoothy played in the 2023 grand final and filled in at lock for suspended star Pat Carrigan in the grand-final qualifying defeat of the Panthers.

The return of Carrigan in the No.13 jumper forced a reshuffle, with Smoothy joining Kobe Hetherington and Xavier Willison as bench forwards, while Maguire resisted the temptation to start Mam at five-eighth.

Speaking for the first time about his decision, Maguire explained why he opted for Smoothy ahead of the luckless Talty, who was relegated to the extended squad.

“I think Tyson brings versatility in the way he has been playing,” he said.

“It was a big decision because both players (Smoothy and Talty) have been a big part of what we have been doing in the past few months driving us to where we have got to.

“Tyson just gives us a point of difference off the bench. I like his utility value. He covers lock, hooker and back row if required, so with the way the game is played at the moment and the circumstances, he does bring that versatility to us.

“Tyson did a great job filling in for Patty last week.”

Talty has become a favourite among Broncos players with his team-first attitude and shaped as the fairytale story of grand-final week after his mid-season arrival from NSW Cup oblivion at the Bears.

The no-nonsense Talty has scored three tries in 10 games and Maguire said he took no joy delivering the news to the Muswellbrook Rams junior.

“It was tough news to deliver but as a coach you have to make these tough calls,” Maguire said.

“That’s why you have a squad of players.

“In the past, I’ve had players miss out who are some of the most special people in my life because you can only fit 17 in.

“Even someone like Billy Walters, it’s really hard to see him miss out, but they are a part of our squad and what we’re going through and they will be a part of our build-up for the weekend.

“I won’t detail our exact conversation but Ben’s character has been exceptional.

“It’s really hard because he is such a great human and he has brought so much to the group.

“The players have really taken to Benny. From the moment he walked in, he has been grateful for being in this space and it’s all about succeeding for the club and his teammates, that sums up Ben Talty.”

There was a push for Mam to reclaim the No.6 jumper he wore when he scored a hat-trick in the 2023 grand final, but Maguire was happy with the pivot’s 49-minute hitout against the Panthers.

Returning from a hamstring injury, Mam came on in the 31st minute and he could terrorise Melbourne off the bench in the decider.

“It was a bit different,” he said.

“I have never been on the bench in my career before, so I was trying to get into the routine of staying warm on the bench.

“The other boys had their routine, so I was a lost soul on the bench.

“It was good to get back on the field and make it through.

“Whatever ‘Madge’ wants from me, whether I’m starting or off the bench, I’m happy to do my job.

“It’s pretty good coming on fresh when everyone was pretty tired, so we will see what the plan is and go from there.”

NRL GRAND FINAL TEAMS

STORM VS BRONCOS

Sunday 7:30pm, Accor Stadium, Sydney

Storm

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Will Warbick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero

Interchange: 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Ativalu Lisati 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Alec MacDonald

Reserves: 18. Grant Anderson 19. Bronson Garlick 20. Joe Chan 21. Jonah Pezet 22. Sualauvi Faalogo

Broncos

1. Reece Walsh 2. Josiah Karapani 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Deine Mariner 6. Ben Hunt 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan

Interchange: 14. Ezra Mam 15. Kobe Hetherington 16. Xavier Willison 17. Tyson Smoothy

Reserves: 18. Jesse Arthars 19. Jack Gosiewski 20. Ben Talty 21. Selwyn Cobbo 22. Jock Madden

Originally published as Broncos grand final team: Ben Talty omitted from Brisbane’s 17, Ezra Mam plan revealed