3 minute read

Two-time Paul Morgan medallist Pat Carrigan has put it on his Brisbane teammates to trigger the side's NRL improvement following coach Kevin Walters' demise.

Pat Carrigan has rubbished suggestions he should replace Adam Reynolds as Brisbane captain, stressing his teammates need to be accountable for the spiral that cost coach Kevin Walters his job.

The representative forward won his second Paul Morgan medal as the Broncos' NRL player of the year on Thursday, but first as an outright victor after sharing the prize with Payne Haas in 2020.

Last year's grand finalists missed the top eight this season, Kevin Walters axed as coach last month after an independent review followed their third finals miss in his four campaigns at the helm.

He was replaced less than a week later by former NRL premiership-winning mentor Michael Maguire, who gave up his post as NSW Origin coach to take the role.

Walters declined an invitation to Thursday night's end-of-season dinner, where Carrigan said his teammates had to take some responsibility for the club's situation.

"It's a hard one to be honest; I don't think too much about my own performance," he said. 

"I play a team sport for a reason and as a club we weren't where we wanted to be.

"We had a lot of learning curves this year and there's things to build on for next year, and as a playing group accountability is where it starts.

"I've had a brief chat to Madge (Maguire); a really nice fella and he's had a lot of success previously.

"I'm excited to work with him and he wants to work hard."

Brisbane's limp finish to the 2024 campaign prompted calls for change at the top, with former club great Gorden Tallis suggesting Carrigan replace halfback Reynolds as captain.

"No chance, 100 per cent behind Reyno," the 26-year-old said.

"People that know him as a leader and the influence he has on the club, it's second to none he should be skipper of our team."

The consistent Carrigan (86 votes) was a clear winner from Selwyn Cobbo (50), Kotoni Staggs (48), Haas (32), Reece Walsh (26), Corey Jensen (23) and Kobe Hetherington (22).

Julia Robinson won the club's NRLW player of the year while Blake Mozer won rookie of the year.