A stunning revelation has emerged about the way Wayne Bennett monitored his Brisbane Broncos players long before social media existed. It has been claimed the legendary coach went to extraordinary lengths to keep tabs on his players, determined to know exactly what they were doing away from the football field at all times.
Explosive Claims on Radio Show
The explosive comments emerged on Brisbane’s Triple M Breakfast Show, where co-host Greg Martin lifted the lid on the alleged tactics. Martin, better known as ‘Marto’ and a former Wallabies star, shared details he said were passed on to him by ex-Broncos player John Plath.
'Johnny Plath said Wayne Bennett, because he was a former top cop, before he was a coach, got his old cop mates to keep an eye on the Broncos [players],' he said. 'He had like an uncover squad watching the Broncos when they went out.'
Modern-Day Monitoring Controversy
The claim has surfaced as a current NRL coach has been busted micro-monitoring his team's players through an Instagram burner account. Reports have suggested the man at the helm of the club, who remains publicly unnamed, has been revealed to members of the team after they received a tip-off.
Certain players have since done some digging, and realised the coach's account has been monitoring several players within the team, according to Code Sports. It's left at least one player surprised, with one reportedly reacting by jokingly signaling they'd block the account. Players at the club are understood to have only uncovered the news in recent weeks.
Previous Player Scandals
The reports don't come as a surprise, with the actions of certain players under the microscope. Last year, a firestorm erupted around former Brisbane Broncos forward Martin Taupau. The veteran was released by the club after endorsing a scathing social media post targeting head coach Michael Maguire. Taupau found himself in hot water after liking an Instagram video from ex-Wests Tigers teammate Elijah Taylor. The clip accused Maguire of imposing training regimes so harsh they left players physically exhausted and emotionally depleted. Taupau was sacked after just one game in the 2025 season after the social media debacle.
Valentine Holmes sparked controversy after posting and quickly deleting an Instagram image that appeared to show a small white bag in his mouth. Brisbane Broncos star Reece Walsh went viral after a deleted TikTok showed him appearing to punch a friend in a prank video, which drew criticism. Walsh was also involved in another incident after Snapchat footage surfaced showing him drinking from a toilet during a night out, which was widely condemned. Taylan May faced scrutiny after posting a video of himself allegedly speeding in a residential area, which circulated widely even after being deleted.
