NRL 2020: Ill-discipline costing Brisbane Broncos, Darren Lockyer

It’s easy for critics to blame Anthony Milford and Brodie Croft for Brisbane’s woes, but it’s the lack of discipline that is costing them games, writes Darren Lockyer.

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It is easy for critics to turn the blowtorch on Brisbane’s halves, Anthony Milford and Brodie Croft, for failing to finish Manly off on Thursday night, but there are other areas of more concern.

Until the Broncos fix their discipline, they will find themselves in the predicament that saw them squander an 18-0 lead against the Sea Eagles.

Coming into the Manly game, the Broncos had received the fewest penalties in the league, earning just 13 from the first four rounds.

Conversely, they have gifted teams a staggering 28 penalties. Only Gold Coast (30) and Cronulla (31) had committed more disciplinary transgressions.

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The Broncos conceded 12 penalties in their loss to the Manly Sea Eagles. Picture: AAP.

That is the core of Brisbane’s real issue – the failure to win enough possession across 80 minutes. The Broncos are one of the worst penalised teams in the competition and that is crippling them when it comes to energy and field position.

Playmakers like Milford and Croft own the result in a tight game, I get that, but the Broncos are doing their shot-callers no favours with a temperament that is putting pressure on their defensive line and triggering fatigue without the ball.

On Thursday night, the Broncos lost the penalty count 12-2. They gave away 11 consecutive penalties in a 61-minute period. That’s a penalty every five-and-a-half minutes. There were a variety of offences.

Call it poetic justice, but it was a penalty goal, from another Broncos ruck infringement, that ultimately cost them victory.

Their discipline, or lack of it, destroyed them.

By not getting their halves good ball in strong field position, Croft and Milford are not getting the latitude they need to take control of a game.

The Broncos ill-discipline is putting Anthony Milford and Brodie Croft under too much pressure. Picture: AAP.

In the second half, Manly rolled through the midfield off the back of eight penalties and as a playmaker that puts you in survival mode.

Croft and Milford are suddenly thinking we have to find a kick to get us out of trouble. They have no platform to apply pressure with an attacking kick, forced instead into a clearing kick to claw back metres and somehow put Manly on the back foot.

If you have intensity in defensive line speed, you will win field position. If you concede an avalanche of penalties, you are constantly under siege.

If the Broncos sort out their ill-discipline, it will put energy into their defence, which will in turn become a springboard to winning quality field position, which helps develop confidence and cohesion in attack.

In saying that, there is no doubt the Broncos need to be smarter in clutch moments.

If you said last Friday, after Brisbane’s 59-0 loss, that they would hold Manly to 20-18, you would probably accept that.

But for the Broncos to blow an 18-0 lead, they must be careful the frustration of losing in that way doesn’t affect their mindset this week against Newcastle.

Brodie Croft was forced to kick to try and apply pressure to Manly to regain control of the game. Picture: Getty Images.

Croft’s role is to organise and get the team around the park. That’s his core strength and his purchase from Melbourne was designed to take the pressure off Milford, allowing him to run the football when he sees an opportunity.

When the Manly game got to 18-all and 20-18, that is the time for the money men to take control. That’s the moment of the game where a Milford or an X-factor player – like Cameron Munster at the Storm – needs the ball in their hands.

On reflection, Milford might say to himself, with five minutes to go, I should have called for the ball a bit more and tried to make it happen. We learn more in defeat.

Xavier Coates was a standout for the Broncos and was unstoppable in the air. Picture: Getty Images.

Still, there was a lot to like from the loss.

Matt Lodge and Joe Ofahengaue look better in the starting pack. Corey Oates’ experiment in the back row was promising and his move to the forwards enabled Xavier Coates to display his enormous talent.

Coates, 19, looks more physically mature this year. He handled the occasion well.

The Broncos will be boosted by the return this week of Alex Glenn and Tevita Pangai Jr from injury and suspension, but ultimately Brisbane should heed lessons from their opposition this week.

The Knights, under new coach Adam O’Brien, are building a formidable culture on the back of their defence.

It should be an absorbing contest that will test the resilience of this Broncos group.