Player Ratings: Every Bronco analysed after the club’s loss to Penrith

When the Panthers turned up the heat, the Broncos were as scattered as sugar-laden six-year-olds on an Easter egg hunt. Read Peter Badel’s full player ratings.

It was a tough night at the office for the Broncos. Picture: Getty Images

There was once a time when away teams salivated at travelling to the foot of the Blue Mountains.

Remember the poor old Penny Panthers, better known as the Chocolate Soldiers for their lack of fight during the dark days of the 1970s and ‘80s at Penrith Park.

Fast forward to 2022 and Penrith are the best home team of the past 52 years, having chalked up 20 consecutive wins at BlueBet for the first time since Manly in 1970.

How the Broncos must wish they can wind the clock back to 1992. Brisbane deserved better than a 40-12 scoreline, but when the premiers turned up the heat, the Broncos were as scattered as sugar-laden six-year-olds on an Easter egg hunt.

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Tesi Niu celebrates with teammates after scoring a try. Picture: Getty Images

1. TESI NIU – 6

Embattled Tesi looked to have turned over a Niu leaf with a sizzling opening half-hour. Showed good awareness to back-up Kotoni Staggs for Brisbane’s opening try and he would have celebrated a try assist if Staggs didn’t fumble his clever grubber kick in the 26th minute. But just as Niu was clicking into gear, his hammy went pop sprinting to win the race for a Staggs kick. Faces an extended time on the sidelines.

2. COREY OATES – 6

A solid performance from Brisbane’s veteran winger. There was an early blemish when Oates had visions of playing rugby union and channelled Wallabies legend David Campese, only to be penalised for passing off the ground. But he defused some dangerous kicks and 134 metres was enough to keep him safe for next week’s clash against the Bulldogs.

3. KOTONI STAGGS – 8

Roosters coach Trent Robinson said Staggs looked like Mr Olympia last week. We’d prefer not to see a tanned Kotoni in a hot-pink spandex thong flexing up, but the sight of him in a sky-blue jumper would look rather fine. Staggs was sensational for the second consecutive week, leaving Panthers rookie Izack Tago reaching for a GPS tracker as the Broncos centre turned him inside-out on several occasions. Set-up a try for Niu and could have easily had a double himself if he held onto a Niu grubber in the first half. He only needs to stay fit to make his Origin debut as Latrell Mitchell’s replacement.

19. DELOUISE HOETER – 6

The latest graduate to rugby league’s list of unique names. Sounds like a German chess player and Delouise pulled all the right moves in his Broncos debut, seven years after he last appeared in the NRL for the Wests Tigers. The 28-year-old has a body to make him a Friday night delight for female viewers and coach Kevvie would have enjoyed the sight of Hoeter putting his rippling physique on the line. A late inclusion for Herbie Farnworth and earned a pass mark with 113 metres and two tackle busts.

Selwyn Cobbo loves the tough stuff. Picture: Getty Images

5. SELWYN COBBO – 7

You get the feeling young Cobbo would go OK in a bar-room brawl. Relishes the tough stuff and isn’t afraid to resemble a crash test dummy as he throws self-preservation out of the window tearing into the opposition defence. Penrith peppered him with more bombs than a Taliban tearaway but Cobbo held his nerve every time. Answered an SOS at fullback when Niu was injured and is certain to stay there for next week’s clash against the Bulldogs. Made one silly error when he was dragged into touch in the second half, but his one line break, five tackle busts and crunching trysaver on Taylan May underline his potential.

6. BILLY WALTERS – 5

Another week, another Rubik’s Cube performance from Billy. This was a head scratcher. Walters made some excellent plays in defence, including a vital trysaving tackle on a flying Liam Martin, but the son of Kevvie is struggling to impose himself in attack. After six rounds, this is officially the lowest-scoring Brisbane outfit in the club’s 34-year history. Walters was chosen for his defence but the Broncos need their No. 6 to fire in attack as well to get the side humming.

7. ADAM REYNOLDS – 7

Easily Reynolds’ best performance since farewelling Uncle Wayne and the red-and-green. Penrith magician Nathan Cleary may have stolen the newsprint but Reynolds’ kicking game was consistently dangerous. So dangerous he even hit the referee and almost knocked him out with a Falcon in the first half that would have had Mario Fenech cheering.

8. KEENAN PALASIA – 8

A wholehearted effort from Palasia, who earns an extra point for stepping up as Brisbane’s chief enforcer in the absence of Payne Haas. Brisbane’s most dominant forward with 138 metres from 18 runs and while he was sin-binned for his open-palmed “strike” on Dylan Edwards which had about as much force as Haas’ love-tap on Albert Kelly, coach Walters would have been pleased with Palasia muscling up to the premiers. Becoming a genuine NRL front-rower.

Keenan Palasia after he was sin-binned. Picture: Getty Images

9. JAKE TURPIN – 4

Turpin is playing like a man in need of a wake-up call. His courage in defence can never be questioned, but his 33 tackles against Penrith alone is not enough if he isn’t offering attacking options out of dummy half. Finished the match with zero runs. Can you imagine Souths dynamo Damien Cook registering a golden duck? Cory Paix has waited longer than a 10-year-old itching for a ride on the Tower of Terror at Dreamworld. The axe is hovering for Turps.

10. COREY JENSEN – 7

A very good performance from Jensen, the former Cowboys grand-final prop who produced one of the games of his career at BlueBet Stadium. Filling in for the suspended Haas and Tom Flegler, ‘CJ’ tore through the rucks early and nearly knocked himself out putting a big hit on a Panthers ball-runner. That typified his passion all night. Finished with 127 metres and 26 tackles without a miss in a towering display against Penrith hitman James Fisher-Harris.

11. KURT CAPEWELL – 6

The Broncos need more from their key off-season recruit, who never really threatened against his former Panthers teammates. Capewell was brought to the Broncos to address the one percenters but it’s important he also provides some offensive punch on the fringes. Managed just nine runs for 47 metres and was well contained by his premiership-winning Panthers buddies. His cause wasn’t helped by being shunted to the wing when Niu went off injured.

12. JORDAN RIKI – 5

Coach Walters has a problem with Riki. The 22-year-old has a 106kg physique that belongs in Men’s Health magazine but Riki needs to start muscling up in defence. He misses too many important tackles on the edges, as evidenced by the 34th-minute gaffe that saw Scott Sorensen step through for a gut-wrenching try on the stroke of half-time. Riki was also cut in half by Viliame Kikau. His 34 tackles were offset by four misses and two handling errors. NRL rivals won’t be fearing Brisbane’s back-rowers at the moment.

13. KOBE HETHERINGTON – 5

Not one of Hetherington’s finest performances. Only seven runs for 66 metres and if he is going to play in the No. 13 jumper for a long time, he needs to develop the before-the-line passing and variety that makes Penrith rival Isaah Yeo such a classy lock.

Kurt Capewell needs to give the Broncos more. Picture: Getty Images

INTERCHANGE

14. RYAN JAMES – 4

James has been a magnificent servant but age – and three knee reconstructions – are beginning to weary the former Titans skipper. An honest performance but Penrith’s pace got the better of him in midfield.

15. RHYS KENNEDY – 3

Kennedy is not an NRL quality forward. Penrith hooker Api Koroisau must have thought the Easter Bunny had arrived when Kennedy turned around and offloaded the (chocolate) Steeden straight into his lap in the first half. Lumbers through the midfield like the heavy roller at the Gabba.

16. TC ROBATI – 4

The Broncos rookie still has a long way to go to live up to his potential. Was caught napping on his tryline in the second half when the Panthers piled on the points and lacked the hard-running impact that is a feature of his game.

17. CORY PAIX – 4

The Broncos have been grooming Paix as a hooker for the past three years, so let’s see what he has got in the starting side. Enjoyed more minutes this time and his one run was a half-bust that yielded 17 metres. Paix is not the next Cameron Smith but he deserves a chance to stake a claim for the No. 9 jumper.

Originally published as Player Ratings: Every Bronco analysed after the club’s loss to Penrith