The Mole: Broncos coach Michael Maguire reveals how reborn journeymen turned his career around
Updated . First published at
Gehamat Shibasaki has been one of the fairytale stories of the first month of the premiership - and Broncos coach Michael Maguire has revealed that player power played a huge role in his revival.
Over the summer, most critics thought the 27-year-old was wasting his time trialling for the mighty Brisbane Broncos backline.
That he was no chance to make the club's 30-man squad, let alone the starting 13.
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But through sheer persistence - and a little help from his team-mates - Shibasaki is now a regular member of the Broncos team.
Gehamat Shibasaki has had an unlikely rise this season. Getty
Maguire admits he knew little about the centre of Torres Strait Islander, Japanese and Palau descent when he took over the reins of the Broncos in pre-season.
"I did know that he'd been here before (in 2018-19), then moved around and lost his way a little… even went to Japanese rugby," Maguire told Wide World of Sports.
"He had plenty of work to do to catch up with the rest of the guys but he knuckled down and did it and that impressed me.
"The other thing - he came through the juniors with Patty Carrigan and few of the other boys and they all spoke highly about him - that worked in his favour for sure."
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Shibasaki started the season in the top grade but even then, seemed to just be warming the centre spot for the injured Kotoni Staggs.
But last week when Staggs finally return to the club, Maguire dropped Deine Mariner and kept Shibasaki in his team.
The under-rated centre responded with a two-try performance in the 20-12 defeat of the Dolphins.
After being a wanderer who played six games of league in the past four seasons at the Knights, Cowboys and Rabbitohs, Shibasaki appears to have finally found a home - back where it all began.
