New Brisbane Broncos coach Ivan Henjak has made fixing the club’s damaged reputation his first priority after replacing Wayne Bennett.
Meeting with his new staff in preparation for the 2009 season, Henjak was planning to discuss the way the club would run under his leadership.
Instead, discussion focussed on how to fix the club’s binge drinking culture.
Brisbane stars Karmichael Hunt, Sam Thaiday and Darius Boyd are being investigated over a sexual assault allegation after a alcohol-fuelled night out celebrating a semi-final win, while captain Darren Lockyer was embarrassed by CCTV footage of him tackling a nightclub manager.
“The one major thing that came out of all the discussions and presentations was that all the staff are committed to getting the Broncos’ name and reputation in the wider community back to where it should be,” Henjak told The Australian.
“What happened at the back end of the year was disappointing for everyone involved and there is no doubt the brand of the club took a hit. There was a drop-off in the standards and values this club has always held dear and we all agreed that we want to address it immediately.
“We are inheriting a club that has been built on a wonderful foundation. We want to continue to build on that, and to do that we need to acknowledge mistakes have been made and work on improving.”
Broncos legends Shane Webcke and Allan Langer have joined the club as Henjak’s assistants, and the new coach wants both men – and Lockyer – to set an example to the club’s younger players.
“We have had enormous player turnover here in the past couple of years,” Henjak said. “And not only have we lost a lot of players, we have lost a lot of very experienced guys and there is just no quick way to replace what those guys brought.
“The fact is Locky can’t do it on his own. We need more people at the club setting a good example, showing the young guys what is expected of them when they are representing this club.
“Webbie and Alfie are legends. They are a big part of the proud history of this club I spoke about and they want these guys to understand that history and to protect it.
“To a man, the coaches spoke about how much they care about the club. There are a lot of people around who care about the Broncos who were hurt by some of the things that happened.”
