Gorden Tallis and the Ongoing Feud with the Broncos
Gorden Tallis has continued to fuel the ongoing tension with the Brisbane Broncos, standing firm in his decision not to shake hands with the club’s media manager. The former captain and premiership winner has had a long-standing rivalry with the Broncos, with several high-profile figures like Adam Reynolds and Michael Maguire also coming under fire.
Last month, Tallis’ name was removed from a meeting room at the club’s Red Hill base, sparking a heated debate within the NRL community. This incident has only added fuel to the fire, highlighting the deep-seated issues between Tallis and the Broncos.
The latest development in this ongoing saga occurred after reports surfaced that Tallis refused to shake hands with Grant Williams, the Broncos’ crisis manager and media boss, during a match against the Titans. It is worth noting that Tallis has an ownership stake in the Titans, which may have played a role in the situation.
Tallis confirmed the incident on Triple M’s Sunday Sin Bin, offering a lighthearted take on the events and defending his position. “Oh, what? I didn’t shake his hand, that was it,” he said. “But I shook Dave Donaghy’s hand. My wife gave him a kiss. My wife went into the Broncos box. I shook board members’ hands. What they don’t see, right, is that.”
He continued, “Now I’m in trouble for what I didn’t do. That’s OK I didn’t shake someone’s hand. Let’s just say this right, a crisis manager [Williams] only has job when the club is in … there you go. Maybe he’s making it up. Do you think it worries me? No, not one bit.”
Tallis also revealed that Williams had spoken to Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley about his continued criticism of the club in the media. In response, Williams told News Corp that he was disappointed by both Tallis and the radio network for airing the issue on Sunday. “I was very disappointed that Triple M allowed Gorden to discuss this matter on the radio today in the manner he did,” he said. “It should not have been allowed and Triple M know why.”
Williams previously worked in crisis management and held a role with the NRL’s media department before joining the Broncos last year. The issue was raised again on Monday night’s edition of NRL 360, where the former Broncos skipper doubled down on his version of events. “He went to shake my hand and I said no,” Tallis said. “A bit like a schoolyard. If I was in a schoolyard and someone dobbed me into the schoolteacher, I wouldn’t shake their hand. I wouldn’t play with them the next day and that’s about it and I told him I’m not shaking his hand and that was it.”
He added, “I tried to squash it because what they didn’t talk about was I shook Dave Donaghy’s hand. Dave Donaghy’s been to my place. I’ve opened my house to him and his family. I walked past a guy who I don’t have much respect for because of what he’s done, it seems to be a problem. I can’t do anything right in the Broncos eyes at the moment.”
Tallis played 160 games for the Broncos and won the 1998 Clive Churchill Medal, cementing his legacy as one of the club’s most iconic players. However, his current feud with the Broncos continues to dominate headlines, showcasing the complex dynamics between players and club management.
