NRL 2022: Tom Flegler admits career on line after four meltdowns against Warriors

In an exclusive interview on his four moments of madness, Brisbane Broncos prop Tom Flegler reveals why his NRL career is in jeopardy.

Reece Walsh of the Warriors (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Shattered Broncos prop Tom Flegler admits he must change his ways or risk being rubbed out of the NRL in the wake of his latest disciplinary meltdown against the Warriors.

Flegler’s return from a three-match suspension ended in tears when he was placed on report four times — and sin-binned — for a slew of indiscretions in Brisbane’s dismal 20-6 loss to the Warriors on Saturday.

The Queensland Origin bookend was suspended twice last season for a total of six games and he faces at least another two matches on the sidelines after being charged by the NRL’s Match Review Committee on Sunday.

Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free In Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

In a crushing blow for Brisbane’s front-row stocks, Flegler is set to miss the Broncos’ next two games against the Roosters (home) this Friday night and Penrith (away) on Friday week.

Tom Flegler is facing a long ban. Picture: NRL Images

Three of the four bookings were upheld by the MRC, with the most serious a grade-three dangerous-contact charge levelled against Flegler for his 71st-minute hip-drop tackle on Warriors rival Ben Murdoch-Masila.

That offence carries a three-match ban, which can be reduced to two games if Flegler takes an early plea. He will cop an additional $2000 in fines for separate dangerous-contact incidents on Warriors duo Wayde Egan and Addin Fonua-Blake in Flegler’s wild afternoon at Moreton Daily Stadium.

While there is a view Flegler was treated harshly by match officials — one of the four reports were dismissed by the MRC — the reality is the Broncos enforcer has built a worrying rap sheet.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters insists Flegler is not a dirty player, but the 22-year-old concedes his NRL career is on the line if he continues to have a running battle with referees.

“I need to be better with my discipline, it’s as simple as that,” said Flegler in his only interview on the saga.

“The rules of the game are changing and if I want to stay in the game, I need to understand that.

“I will go back to the drawing board and assess some of the tackles I’m making and how I can be better.

“I’m a bit shocked and disappointed in myself. I’m not blaming the ref, we lost the game (against the Warriors) with our poor discipline.

“No club will want a player who is giving away three or four penalties a game and always at risk of getting suspended.

“I’m really disappointed. I’m having a bad run at the moment with on-field incidents and I have to fix things quickly.”

In an opening 20 minutes of madness at Redcliffe, Flegler was booked three times for dangerous contact, leading to his sin-binning as the Broncos slumped to a 16-6 half-time deficit.

The Maroons front-rower then joined Roosters hitman Victor Radley in the record books by being placed on report for a fourth time with his hip-drop tackle on Murdoch-Masila.

Flegler is now walking a suspension tightrope.

Another dangerous-contact charge this season, depending on grading, could see Flegler banned for a whopping five matches.

On the eve of his return against the Warriors, Flegler revealed he spent the off-season working overtime on his tackle technique and vowed to avoid any further defensive brain “snaps”.

As the dust settled on his infamous comeback, Flegler admits he was left bemused by his series of bookings for incidents he believed were rather innocuous and far from malicious.

Thomas Flegler faces a big ban. Picture: Tara Croser

“To be honest, I don’t feel any of the four tackles were necessary to go on report,” he said.

“I was just making what I thought was a normal tackle and I couldn’t get an answer out of the ref on what I did wrong.

“I don’t think I was over the top with my enthusiasm, I was just making my tackles and we’ll see what comes out of it.

“I have worked really hard on my tackling in pre-season. Everything I have been penalised for previously, I didn’t get any of those penalties in this game.

“These penalties were pretty new to me, so I’m a bit shellshocked right now.

“It’s not ideal what I’ve done, but I have to face the consequences.

“If I get suspended or not, I’ve got to put this behind me and see when my next game will be.”

Walters rallied in support of Flegler, insisting the Broncos prop is not a cheap-shot merchant.

“Tom lives on the edge,” he said. “It was his first game back and he was looking for so much more.

“He is not the type of player to deliberately go out and hurt people ... he is bitterly disappointed with what’s unfolded.”

Thomas Flegler lost the plot as the Broncos were again outmuscled and outhustled by the Warriors pack.

The cannonball tackle on Josh Curran that ended with Flegler copping 10 minutes in the bin was not cited by the Match Review Committee.

Jazz Tevaga is facing a stint on the sideline after a cannonball-like tackle on Broncos’ Pat Carrigan. Tevaga was charged with a grade three dangerous contact on Carrigan. Like Flegler, the charge carries two weeks on the sideline for an early plea.

Carrigan suffered a knee injury as a result of the tackle and is set to miss around four weeks.

The likely loss of Flegler and now Carrigan will only put more pressure on Brisbane’s forward pack.

Coach Kevin Walters will be sweating on the fitness of Kurt Capewell (calf) and Jordan Riki (ribs) to bolster the Broncos engine room in the lead-up to round five’s clash against the Sydney Roosters.

North Queensland’s Griffin Neame and Chad Townsend have been fined $1000 each for dangerous contact on Sydney Roosters playmaker Sam Walker and forward Lindsay Collins, respectively.

Match report: Controversial sin bin caps off Bronco’s nightmare return

Broncos coach Kevin Walters has lashed his side’s ill-discipline after fiery prop Tom Flegler was sensationally reported four times and sin-binned in Brisbane’s dismal 20-6 capitulation against the Warriors.

On a day of drama at Redcliffe, the Broncos were left licking their wounds, with the Flegler fallout compounded by a double injury blow that will see key duo Pat Carrigan and Albert Kelly face extended time on the sidelines.

Lock Carrigan will have scans on medial ligament damage and could be wiped out for three to five weeks, while pivot Kelly faces up to five months on the sidelines with a suspected Lisfranc foot injury.

Flegler was not happy with himself after being sent to the sinbin

Just six days after Walters lamented his side being “punched in the face” following a 38-12 derby loss to the Cowboys, the Warriors delivered more black eyes in a midfield mugging at Moreton Daily Stadium.

If the Broncos were flat against the Cowboys, they were mind-numbingly inept against a slick Warriors outfit that consigned Brisbane to a second consecutive defeat after an unbeaten opening fortnight.

While Flegler lost the plot, the Broncos lost all control of midfield.

Once again, they were outmuscled, outhustled and outenthused, this time by a Warriors pack powered by Addin Fonua-Blake and former Bronco Matt Lodge, who amassed a combined 320 metres.

Flying after two rounds, the Broncos are suddenly 2-2 and must quickly regroup for daunting clashes against the Roosters (home) and premiers Penrith (away) over the next fortnight.

“I am still getting my head around what unfolded,” a stunned Walters said.

“We aren’t where we want to be. It’s round four of 25 and I’m confident we will get it right, but we’re just struggling a bit.”

The 'cannonball' tackle which saw Flegler sent to the sin bin appeared to actually be on the hip, not knee.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

Trailing 12-0 early, Brisbane’s woes continued when Kelly hobbled off in the 22nd minute, while Carrigan collapsed when a Warriors defender took out his right knee five minutes later.

The pair left the ground in heavy braces, plunging Walters into a search for a new five-eighth and lock.

“Patty could be gone for a good month or so, so it’s not great,” he said.

“Albert has a foot injury, he will be a long-termer, it’s not something that will be fixed in a couple of weeks.”

On loan from the Broncos to the Warriors, Jesse Arthars has run riot against his former team, scoring two tries in the opening half. Picture: Getty Images.

MAJOR PROBLEM TOM

Walters should give Flegler a rocket forceful enough to send him to the Moon.

Making his 2022 debut after missing the first three rounds due to suspension, Flegler was placed on report three times in the opening 20 minutes, leading to his sin-binning. His horror show ended with a fourth booking in the dying stages.

While some of the calls against Flegler may have been harsh, the Queensland Origin prop has to play smarter. He risks becoming a midfield liability unless he fixes his ill-discipline.

“Tom lives on the edge,” Walters said.

“I haven’t seen all the vision, but he’s in a fair bit of strife with four charges.

“He is bitterly disappointed. He is not the type of player to deliberately go out and hurt people.”

Reece Walsh also returned to haunt his old club, almost a year to the day since being released from the Broncos. Picture: Getty Images.

REECE LIGHTNING

Warriors whiz-kid Reece Walsh returned to haunt his former Broncos club with a sizzling backfield display.

In the process, Walsh showed the Broncos everything they are missing in Tesi Niu, who has yet to inspire confidence he has a long-term future in the Brisbane No.1 jumper.

While Niu struggled for penetration, Walsh was sublime, terrorising Brisbane with his pace, energy and zip. Walsh is precisely the type of fullback the Broncos crave - a supremely fit custodian who wants to be on the ball.

STRUGGLING STAGGS

Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs needs to get fitter if he wants to achieve his goal of playing State of Origin.

After a derby shocker last week, Staggs tried to get into the game, but the NSW Origin hopeful looks underdone. After one strong run in the second half, Staggs rose to his feet and sucked in the big ones. To fulfil his potential, Staggs needs to develop the ability to produce effort-on-effort plays under fatigue.

Staggs sums up the Broncos right now. There is undoubted promise, but still way too many flaws that better rivals will exploit.

BRONCOS SLAM ‘GARBAGE’ SLURS OVER WALSH RELEASE

Kevin Walters has hit out at criticism of the Broncos as “garbage” as the Brisbane coach declared he has no regrets over his decision to release teenage sensation Reece Walsh to the Warriors.

Whiz-kid Walsh will attempt to inflict more misery on the Broncos in Saturday’s round 4 clash at Redcliffe - almost a year to the day that Walters granted the young gun an early release from Brisbane to play NRL at the Warriors.

Walters believed Walsh wasn’t ready for regular NRL action and wanted to safeguard his entry to the top grade, instead opting for Tesi Niu and Jamayne Isaako as his fullback options last season.

Now Walsh is primed to fire in a backfield duel against Niu, who is under pressure to hit back at Moreton Daily Stadium following an afternoon to forget in Brisbane’s 38-12 hammering against the Cowboys last Sunday.

Reece Walsh could be back to haunt the Broncos when they face the Warriors in Round 4. Picture: Getty Images.

Queensland Origin rookie Walsh lit up the NRL last season following his move to the Warriors, but Walters insists Niu has the tools to succeed at fullback as the Broncos chase their third win from four starts.

Asked if he regretted letting Walsh go, Walters said: “Not at all.

“We have any number of options at fullback and at the moment Tesi is our fullback.

“His work on the weekend (against the Cowboys) wasn’t at the level where we know he can play and Tesi is hurting as much as anyone.

“The opportunity is in front of Tesi to go out and play the football he is capable of.”

Quietly-spoken and 17cm shorter than Manly fullback rival Tom Trbojevic, there are fears the 177cm Niu lacks the vocal communication and height in aerial situations to be a long-term option in the Brisbane No.1 jumper.

Kevin Walters says the club has no regrets over their decision to release the star fullback. Picture: Getty Images.

Rookie Cowboys back-rower Jeremiah Nanai outjumped Niu for two tries last week, but Walters believes the well-built 20-year-old has the skill set to succeed at fullback.

“Tesi has proven he can catch the high ball, it’s just a matter of going out there and doing it,” he said.

“The great Darren Lockyer (Broncos legend) spilt footballs, Darius Boyd has had knock-ons, all the great fullbacks drop balls.

“Tesi is working hard. He is continually out there catching high balls at training and he needs to continue to do that.

“He is certainly capable of playing fullback.”

Walters has defended the Broncos mixed start to the season, after an embarrassing Round 3 loss to the Cowboys. Picture: NRL Images.

Walters has been forced into another change, with Jordan Riki (rib-cartilage) joining Kurt Capewell (calf) in the casualty ward, meaning TC Robati and Keenan Palasia will be Brisbane’s starting back-rowers for the Warriors clash.

Robati’s elevation into the starting side has opened the door for off-season Storm recruit Brenko Lee to make his Broncos debut off the bench.

Walters rubbished suggestions Brisbane’s heavy loss last week was a continuation of their poor defensive displays over the past two seasons.

“I heard some comments during the week that this is the Broncos of last year, I don’t go along with the garbage,” he said.

“We have to give the Cowboys some credit, they played really well and scoreboard pressure was the thing that hurt us.

“This is a new team here with new ideas and a new mindset on how they are playing.

“The blokes are hurting from last week and I’ve seen a good attitude from them this week. There will be some bumps in the road, but if we work hard, the results will come.”

Originally published as NRL 2022: Tom Flegler admits career on line after four meltdowns against Warriors