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‘There was a disagreement’: Maguire under microscope after Broncos’ Black call backfires The stunning NRL debut of Coby Black over the weekend has raised fresh questions about whether the Brisbane Broncos made the right call in letting their talented rookie walk away. First discovered at the age of 12, Black spent his entire teenage career in the Brisbane system, where he emerged as one of the most highly-rated young playmakers in the game. Watch every game of every round of the NRL Premiership LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo?Join now and get your first month for just $1. This led to him being viewed as a key piece of the club’s long-term future and a potential successor to Adam Reynolds in the No.7 jersey. But despite years of investment in his development, he opted to leave the Broncos at the end of last season after his path to first grade became increasingly unclear following the coaching change that saw Michael Maguire replace Kevin Walters. “When Kev was there, I was getting really good feedback and it was really good,” Black told CODE Sorts earlier in the year. “Then ‘Madge’ came along and obviously different coaches, different plans. “I was getting mixed messages and juggling what feedback to actually listen to.” With Black revealing Maguire’s arrival as one reason he decided to depart, it coincided with the club going in a different direction by signing both Thomas Duffy and Jonah Pezet. Now, unable to secure a clear pathway into the NRL, he agreed to join the Canberra Raiders until the end of 2028 to further his development under Ricky Stuart. According to NRL reporter Adam Pengily, opinions within the Broncos differed on how highly Black had been rated. “It sounds like maybe there was a bit of disagreement about how good he was or could be, but Kevin Walters, by all accounts, was a huge fan,” Pengily said on The Big Sports Breakfast. “They went after Pezet. They probably rated Pezet more highly than Coby Black. So that’s what they did. They decided that Pezet was their man and not Black. “Now Pezet hasn’t had the season that he would like to have, but 12 months ago, I think we were sitting here marvelling at Pezet down there in Melbourne and how well he played in that semi-final. “He’s just been unlucky with injuries. Only time will tell.” While Pezet’s development has been stalled by multiple injuries over the past couple of seasons, Black has been able to make his mark in emphatic fashion. After a standout NSW Cup campaign, the young halfback was handed his debut for the final match of the regular season and produced a record-breaking performance which included two tries, nine conversions and two try assists. “It’s easy in hindsight to say these things, but he was a player that’s been in the Broncos system for a long time, since he was about 14 or 15 years old,” former Broncos head coach Kevin Walters said on the radio show. “But sometimes you have to move from your club just to break free of all the noise and all the pressure. “I feel like the move to the Raiders was a good one for Coby and he’s shown that on Saturday. “He really came alive and it was a masterstroke from Ricky Stuart to blood him in that particular game because it was Josh Papali’i’s last game for the Raiders and there was plenty of emotion there for the Raiders as well. “He’s certainly a player of the future. What is he? 20 or 21 years of age. “As a young halfback, you’re still learning the game in that position, all positions for that matter in the NRL. It’s such tough competition. Walters wasn’t the only one stunned by what he saw from Black against the eighth-placed North Queensland Cowboys. Speaking on the same radio show, Pengily admitted he was left shocked by the youngster’s performance, which saw him break the record for most points by a player on debut. He compared his debut to the first match of Josh Schuster and Luke Brooks in the modern-NRL era. “I watched a fair bit of that game actually, and to be honest, I couldn’t believe what we were seeing,” Pengily added. “I was trying to think about players in the NRL who’ve had a similar sort of debut in the modern era, and particularly halves and to be honest, Josh Schuster came to mind. “I remember Josh Schuster had a phenomenal game on debut for Manly against the Tigers going back several years now. “Then I even went as far back as Luke Brooks… but what Coby Black did on Saturday night was just incredible. “I know it was a dead rubber for the Raiders, and he could probably play with a bit of freedom that he wouldn’t usually do when there was more pressure and higher stakes on the line. “But to break the record for point scoring, and he just looked so at home.” While the Broncos are regretting letting Black go, his emergence has also created a welcome selection headache for the Raiders heading into the 2027 season. With Ethan Strange locking down the five-eighth spot, Black and Ethan Sanders are in a two-way battle to become the club’s long-term halfback. “It’s going to be a question for Ricky now over the offseason. It’s a good problem to have,” Pengily continued. “What does he do with Coby Black and Ethan Sanders and Ethan Strange next year and trying to get them all into the same team for round one?”