Time heals all wounds, but Brisbane CEO Dave Donaghy will no doubt take a little extra satisfaction in getting one over his former employers should the Broncos prevail in Sunday’s NRL grand final.
Born and bred in Queensland, Donaghy was part of the Storm head office for almost a decade and served his final five years as chief executive—aged just 32 at the time of his initial appointment in 2015, he became the youngest CEO in NRL and Storm history—before a tumultuous exit at the end of the 2020 NRL season.
During his time in charge at Melbourne, the Storm won two NRL premierships in 2017 and 2020—something that made his next move all the more surprising.
With the Storm having just defeated Penrith to claim the 2020 premiership, Donaghy literally went from the NRL penthouse to the basement as he joined a Broncos outfit reeling from its first and only wooden spoon in the same 2020 season.
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It was far from a simple move north, mind you.
Donaghy’s decision to depart the reigning premiers was not well received and caused considerable animosity in Melbourne, with the parties ending up in the Victorian Supreme Court as the Storm decided to enforce a six month non-compete contract clause that effectively delayed his ability to link with the Broncos.
A compromise was eventually reached and Donaghy took the reins in Brisbane during the early stages of the 2021 season.
In the four seasons since then he has overseen a period of significant change in Brisbane, including the controversial departure of former coach and club legend Kevin Walters and the hiring of Michael Maguire.
Win or lose, with the Broncos making their second grand final appearance in just three years, Donaghy and his leadership team can rightly feel vindicated in their actions.
Of course, being able to display the 2025 NRL premiership trophy at Red Hill would make things even sweeter—especially as doing so would mean his former employers won’t get the same opportunity.