NRL 2021: Brisbane Broncos on course for the worst start in the club’s history

The Broncos have gone more than 250 days without a win, and another defeat against the battling Bulldogs will edge them closer to an unwanted club record.

Anthony Milford. Picture: Getty Images

The Broncos are in danger of the worst start to a season in their 33-year history with Brisbane facing a nightmare 0-7 record if Kevin Walters’ troops fail to beat Canterbury on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium.

The NRL’s richest club is mired in a soul-destroying losing streak, having dropped 13 consecutive games dating back to last July, the latest capitulation being Friday night’s 28-16 derby defeat against the Titans at Robina.

The Broncos have now gone 252 days without a victory. Ironically, Brisbane’s most recent win was a 26-8 victory last year in round nine against the same Canterbury club they meet at the same Suncorp venue this week.

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The Broncos were crushed by the Titans on Friday night. Picture: Getty Images

Walters will be hoping that is a positive portent of victory because another defeat against the Bulldogs in round three would put the Broncos on course for their worst opening to a season since 1999.

Walters was Brisbane’s five-eighth in that season, with Wayne Bennett’s class of 1999 losing the first five games and winning once in the opening 10 rounds, triggering the bombshell retirement of halfback champion Allan Langer.

Incredibly, the Broncos recovered to sneak into the finals in eighth, but two decades later there is no Walters-Langer scrumbase alliance to help Brisbane as they brace for a torrid month-long stretch.

After facing the Bulldogs, the Broncos embark on two road trips against big guns Melbourne and Souths before hosting last year’s grand finalists Penrith in round six at Suncorp.

Then comes another daunting away assignment to take on Parramatta, who humiliated Brisbane 58-0 in the 2019 finals series, at Darwin’s TIO Stadium.

It’s why victory over the Bulldogs at Suncorp to break Walters’ duck is critical. An 0-7 start would leave Brisbane hurtling toward a second consecutive wooden spoon and be a gut-wrenching beginning for Walters, who admits there is no quick fix at Red Hill.

“Coaching in the NRL is tough no matter what side you are with,” Walters said in the wake of the Titans loss. “I didn’t expect to wave the magic wand and it would all be fixed, because that is not the real world.

“Whilst we are not winning, I’m really determined and everyone in the club is that we can turn it around. Everyone saw some improvements in round one (in their 24-16 loss to the Eels), but we’re 0-2.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters has had a tough start to his NRL coaching career. Picture: Getty Images

“It will take some time but we are on the right path to get the Broncos winning again.”

Brisbane hooker Jake Turpin insists Broncos players are not carrying psychological scar tissue from last season’s wooden-spoon finish.

“I don’t think last year is affecting us,” he said.

“We have put last year behind us, we get paid to put in efforts that everyone is proud of and that (Titans) game wasn’t one of those.

“Defence is an attitude thing. We didn’t do the dirty work, I don’t know why, but we need to talk about it internally, you can’t make so many silly errors in the NRL.

“We need to turn it around against the Dogs next week.”

BRONCOS’ NEXT FIVE GAMES

Round 3: Canterbury at Suncorp Stadium

Round 4: Melbourne at AAMI Park

Round 5: Souths at Stadium Australia

Round 6: Penrith at Suncorp Stadium

Round 7: Parramatta at TIO Stadium, Darwin

Originally published as NRL 2021: Brisbane Broncos on course for the worst start in the club’s history