Retired dual-international Martin Taupau has opened up on his departure from the Brisbane Broncos in the middle of the 2025 NRL season for the first time.
A veteran of the NRL who played over 250 matches for four different teams, Taupau was released by the club on May 17, 2025 after he had liked a social media post criticising the techniques utilised by head coach Michael Maguire.
Catching the attention of Broncos officials as soon as he liked the post, Taupau has broken silence on his release, admitting that he was remorseful and wasn’t fully aware of the repercussions at the time of the incident.
“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 [Michael] Maguire and at the end of it, it was if he changes certain things they’ll be really successful,” Taupau said on The Chad Townsend Show.
“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.
“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.
“I wasn’t angry with at the time. I understand it. 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'”
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – OCTOBER 13: Martin Taupau of the Kiwis celebrates after winning the international Rugby League Test Match between the New Zealand Kiwis and the Australia Kangaroos at Mt Smart Stadium on October 13, 2018 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Following his departure from the Broncos, Taupau revealed that he wanted to continue playing for at least a couple more seasons in the NRL, but failed to receive any offers from rival clubs.
While he had thoughts on continuing to play with the Souths Logan Magpies in the QLD Cup and was tabled offers from multiple teams in the Super League, the 24-time New Zealand and nine-time Samoan international decided it was time to hang up the boots on his playing career.
“I said to my wife even before all of this happened, that I’ve got another two years in me because we have invested so much time and money into keeping my body in one piece and especially my brain,” Taupau added.
“We put out a few feelers and the feeder club that I was playing for at the time, Souths Logan Magpies with Karmichael Hunt. I reached out to him and said, ‘I’m keen, I’m still in Brisbane and I’m keen to play but we’ll suss out the paperwork with the contractual stuff and then we’ll go from there’.
“Sadly, but fortunately for me nothing came about. There were a few clubs that came in from England that tabled a few offers but I had a conversation with my wife about what’s the best thing for our family.”