Broncos Legend Gorden Tallis Slams Club After Name Removal from Headquarters
Broncos legend Gorden Tallis has launched a scathing attack on the club after his name was erased from team headquarters, defiantly stating that 'they can't take away what I did'. The controversial move has exposed the deep fractures between the former star and the Brisbane Broncos organisation.
Name Erased and Replaced with NRLW Great
Tallis's name has been completely removed from a meeting room at the Broncos' Red Hill base, with NRLW champion Ali Brigginshaw now honoured in his place. This decision underscores just how toxic the relationship has become between the club and one of its most celebrated former players.
Once immortalised among Brisbane's greatest legends, Tallis has now been stripped from the club's inner sanctum despite a glittering career that delivered:
- Three premierships with the Broncos
- Captaincy of both Queensland and Australia
- 160 games for the club from 1997 to 2004
Club Confirms Change as Recognition of Brigginshaw
Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy confirmed the controversial change on Saturday, positioning it as recognition of Brigginshaw's significant impact on the club.
'Brisbane Broncos recognise the positive contributions and ongoing support of a number of club legends by way of naming various meeting rooms within the Clive Berghofer Centre,' Donaghy told News Corp. 'The naming of the Ali Brigginshaw meeting room recognises her outstanding contribution to the Broncos club since the inception of the NRLW program, including leading the Club to four NRLW Premierships.'
Tallis Fires Back in Radio Interview
The name removal occurred after Tallis had a fiery on-air clash with journalist Peter Badel, during which he once again criticised the club and halfback Adam Reynolds. Tallis has developed a reputation for slamming Broncos coach Michael Maguire, who replaced his good friend Kevin Walters in the top job.
Nicknamed the 'Raging Bull', the former enforcer has spent years taking repeated shots at the club – and he wasn't backing down an inch during a radio interview on Sunday.
'I'm good, nothing has changed in my life,' Tallis said on Triple M when asked about the very public slight. 'They can't take away my memories, they can't take away what I did. No one can.'
'I view myself as a fan of the game and I'm paid for my opinion. It's not that I don't like them, it's the fact that I just can't have an opinion, so what I'm going to do is stop talking about them and they can work it out themselves.'
Relationships Remain Unchanged
Tallis emphasised that the decision would not affect his relationships with former teammates or current players.
'It will not change my relationship with the blokes I played with one bit. For the current players, it doesn't change my relationship or the way I view them.'
The former star vowed to continue refusing to be 'vanilla' with his media comments and stated he would not 'worry about other opinions that come back at me'.
Other Legends Criticise Broncos' Decision
The Broncos' decision to delete Tallis – who remains one of the club's most famous and beloved stars – has not been well received by other rugby league legends.
Former Knights, NSW and Kangaroos half Andrew Johns told Channel Nine that the remarks about Reynolds that appear to have triggered the shocking move had 'real merit'.
'I think it's really petty,' Johns said. 'Gorden is loyal to a fault and some of the things he's said, we all know he's backed his great mate Kevin Walters, but that's Gorden.'
Tallis was one of the cornerstones of the Broncos team during their dominant period, contributing significantly to premiership victories in 1997, 1998 and 2000. His removal from the club's headquarters represents a significant escalation in the ongoing tension between the outspoken legend and the Broncos administration.
