Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has sent shockwaves through the NRL, dropping in-form centre Gehamat Shibasaki from Thursday night’s blockbuster clash with the Melbourne Storm over an alcohol-related breach of team standards.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Shibasaki went out drinking on Sunday night and turned up to Monday’s training still under the influence, prompting coach Michael Maguire to escalate the matter to CEO Dave Donaghy before deciding to axe him.
Reports suggest that the 27-year-old’s Brisbane teammates were fully aware of the situation, with even the club’s senior leadership group backing the decision to demote the centre for their final regular-season game.
The move comes just 24 hours after the Reece Walsh “toilet saga,” marking yet another high-profile disciplinary action in a season already defined by Maguire’s firm approach.
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Deine Mariner has been named to step into the centres, replacing the recently debuted Queensland Origin representative, for the blockbuster Round 27 clash at Suncorp Stadium.
Shibasaki has been named on the extended bench wearing the No. 22 jersey.
While the Broncos did not disclose the full details behind the demotion, they confirmed the stand-down when announcing their Round 27 squad.
“Gehamat Shibasaki has lost his spot in the starting line-up for Thursday night’s game against the Melbourne Storm at Suncorp Stadium,” the Broncos’ statement read.
“This follows a breach of Broncos team standards, which has been dealt with internally.”
This incident represents a significant blow for the Broncos, who are chasing a top-four finish against the reigning title favourites, with Shibasaki’s absence all the more impactful given his status as one of the team’s hottest performers.
Just 12 months ago, the centre was playing in the Queensland Cup with Townsville. Since stepping up to the Broncos, he has been in sensational form, scoring 15 tries from 22 games, recording 94 tackle busts, 20 line breaks, and racking up 3,308 running metres—his best season yet.