NRL team makes the pettiest complaint in footy history over a PARKING SPOT - and the league's feared integrity unit had to get involved

Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has played down his role in the 'Bus-Gate' saga that resulted in what should go down as the pettiest complaint in rugby league history.

All the way back in round two, Brisbane travelled to Canberra and complained about their treatment from the home club because they were forced to park their team bus 75 metres away from GIO Stadium.

The home side had a roped-off pathway for the Broncos players and officials to walk through to the ground, but Maguire and others apparently weren't satisfied with the arrangement.

Brisbane CEO Dave Donaghy even fired in a complaint to NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo, claiming the Raiders tried to interrupt the Broncos' preparations by forcing them to move their team bus from the usual parking spot.

Donaghy was worried about potential security issues for his players, particularly the polarising figures like Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam, who had to walk past rival supporters.

Raiders officials didn't understand what the problem was given other grounds like Shark Park, Belmore Sports Ground, Campbelltown Stadium and Leichhardt Oval all have similar set-ups for visiting teams.

Following Donaghy's complaint, the NRL sent an Integrity Unit officer down to Canberra to meet with the stadium manager and a stadium risk assessment was ordered.

The Raiders thought it was way over the top and described the Broncos as having 'paranoia'.

Maguire said this week, however, he didn't abuse stadium staff and management over Brisbane's treatment earlier in the season.

'I don't give a rat's,' he said.

'Maybe I should jump in the driver's seat and drive our bus to the game this week. I don't know what they are whingeing about, to be honest.

'I didn't think anything of it at the time. I loved it. The fans are what the game is about and we love walking past the fans and engaging with them, it wasn't even a 100m walk to the ground. I find it comical to be honest.

'I've been going to Canberra games for years on a team bus and I've never cared once where they put us.'

The reason why Brisbane had to park further away than usual was due to a change in Canberra's pre-game preparation.

In previous years, Raiders players would drive themselves to home games, but in 2025 the club decided players would meet at their centre of excellence for lunch, have a team meeting and a stretch, before arriving at GIO Stadium by bus.

Penrith does the same for its home matches.

There's only room for one bus in the VIP parking area at GIO Stadium and Canberra took it for the 2025 season, forcing away clubs to park 75m away.

Before the round-two clash, the Raiders delivered Brisbane team staff, via email, an outline and map of the new drop-off point.

The two teams clash again at GIO Stadium on Sunday in a blockbuster qualifying final and the Broncos have been told by the NRL that this time their team bus will drop off their players inside the stadium grounds.

The winner of Sunday's game will go straight through to a home preliminary final in a fortnight, while the loser will play the winner of the Sharks vs Roosters match on Saturday.

Raiders veteran prop Josh Papalii is racing the clock to be fit after he suffered an ankle injury at training while Broncos fullback Walsh has concerns around a calf muscle which forced him to leave training early on Tuesday.

Walsh has found his 2023 form in the back half of the season after overcoming niggling injuries and is expected to run out for the Broncos on Sunday.

'He's okay. Reece is playing,' Maguire said.

'Reece had a bit of calf tightness so we took a cautious approach. Unless the physio can find something more serious between now and then, he's playing.'