Marty Taupau has broken a months-long silence on his tumultuous mid-season exit from the Brisbane Broncos, which ultimately cost him the chance to win a premiership ring. Taupau left the club back in May after he ‘liked’ a social media post criticising the training methods of coach Michael Maguire.
The post was a video from former NRL player Elijah Taylor, who went into depth about feeling burnt out when Maguire was his coach at the Wests Tigers. At the time, Maguire’s hard-nosed and authoritarian approach were in the spotlight, with Broncos players reportedly asking him to relent a little.
Maguire’s methods proved to be exactly what the Broncos needed as they won their first premiership in 19 years. But one man who missed out on being a part of it was Taupau.
The 35-year-old former Kiwi international played 34 games for the Broncos from 2023 to 2025. He only featured in one game at NRL level in 2025 before the club asked him to leave – and it was all because of a social media ‘like’.
Marty Taupau (third from left) missed out on being a part of the Broncos’ premiership. Image: AAP
Former Broncos player finally breaks silence
Speaking on ‘The Chad Townsend Show’ on Monday, Taupau finally broke his silence on the situation after five months. He told Townsend he thought the ‘like’ was pretty ‘innocent’ and was stunned when he was asked to front the club CEO to explain himself.
Taupau said his exit was a “mutual agreement”, but the club effectively sacked him because they asked him to leave. “I’ve come across a post (from) Footy Hacks, Elijah Taylor…sharing his thoughts and feelings on how tough the pre-season training is under Maguire,” Taupau said. “At the end of it, it was ‘if he changes certain things they’ll be really successful’.
“For me, to my unknowing, I just liked it and just kept going. Totally forgot about it, dropped my coffee, jumped on the scooter and went down to work. Then the boys go, ‘Uce you just liked this post’…and they’re all covering their mouths, so I just ‘unliked’ it.”
Marty Taupau (L) only played one game at NRL level in 2025, but the door opened for more opportunities later in the season. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
He continued: “It turned. I got told you’ve got to have a meeting and it’s tonight to explain your actions. It didn’t really click. I had the meeting (to) explain what had happened and I was really remorseful. I was aware but not fully aware of the repercussions, so it just happened and I just liked an Instagram post and that was it.
“I always feel dumbfounded when I think about it. I had a meeting with the CEO and the footy manager just to explain my actions, and I was really remorseful and apologetic for what had happened. There was no intention to cause any harm to anyone. It was an innocent like as it was, so a later meeting was called with the CEO, and I thought, let’s go for a walk. Let’s have a walking meeting.
“We talked it through and he said ‘it’s probably best that we mutually part ways’, and thinking back to it now, I didn’t give it much thought, but when you know in your heart and your body’s telling you it’s time to go. It’s like okay, I’m happy with it.”
Marty Taupau holds no ill-will about Broncos departure
Taupau and the Broncos knew he wouldn’t be offered a new contract for 2026, so they parted ways immediately. The 256-gamer knew in his heart of hearts that he couldn’t keep up with the training that Maguire demanded in Brisbane.
But if he’d stuck things out and not liked Taylor’s post, there’s every chance he could have a premiership ring. The Broncos’ forward pack was so decimated at one stage that Maguire had to sign Ben Talty from the North Sydney Bears in NSW Cup.
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Had Taupau still been at the club, he might have filled the role that Talty did over the last few months. The Broncos made the brilliant move of giving premiership rings to everyone who contributed throughout the year – not just those who played in the grand final. It means Taupau would have a ring if he’d played a few more games in 2026.
“I wasn’t angry with it at the time. I understand it,” he admitted. “It was hard, it was a kick in the guts, it was every emotion under the sun. But looking back it now I feel like it was god just stepping in and saying, ‘Okay Marty, it’s time for you to put your boots down’.”
The 35-year-old said he had offers to join teams in the English Super League, and also thought about playing for Souths Logan Magpies in the Queensland Cup. But ultimately he realised it was time to retire.