Pressure builds on a club with high expectations for NRL season

PRESSURE is building at the Broncos. For a club familiar with premiership success, Brisbane are facing a worrying statistic.

Brisbane’s departing Ben Hunt. Photo: Peter Wallis

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PRESSURE is building at Red Hill. For a club synonymous with premiership success, the Broncos are confronting a worrying statistic.

Queensland’s flagship club, which surged to six premierships in a golden 15-year stretch between 1992-2006, has not won a title for 11 years.

It is the longest premiership drought in the club’s 29-year history.

Glamour clubs crave constant glory and coach Wayne Bennett is not a man to tolerate failure.

Bookmakers have installed Brisbane as equal favourites to win the title but question marks hover over Bennett’s class of 2017.

How will they handle skipper Corey Parker’s retirement?

Who will fill the left-centre void left by Jack Reed?

Why on earth would they sign Benji Marshall?

Is Ben Hunt capable of keeping focus as he prepares to join the Dragons on a monster

$6 million deal next year?

Brisbane's Ben Hunt. Photo: Peter Cronin

Brisbane exited in the second week of the finals last season, but it was a two-step regression on their grand final appearance in 2015.

If alarm bells are ringing at Red Hill, newly-crowned skipper Darius Boyd isn’t reaching for the panic button.

“We are definitely premiership contenders,” Boyd said.

“We will miss Corey Parker, Jack Reed and (Titans recruit) Jarrod Wallace, he was very good for us off the bench.

“But we still have a great side and I’m really confident that the younger guys coming through can step up.

“Guys like Jai Arrow, Tevita (Pangai Jr), Herman (Ese’ese) and (Newcastle import) Korbin Sims have big futures and they will be pushing the older guys for spots.

“There’s always expectation at a club like the Broncos. This year will be no different.”

The loss of Wallace and 347-game stalwart Parker leaves a massive void in Brisbane’s forward pack.

Maroons prop Josh McGuire will shift to lock to replace Parker, creating a front-row headache that will be solved by Sims’ recent arrival from lowly Newcastle.

Broncos recruit Korbin Sims. Photo: Mark Calleja

Sims is hungry and aggressive and Adam Blair, the Broncos’ No. 1 prop, believes the Maroons hopeful will bring a dynamic edge to Brisbane’s pack.

“Korbin is a great signing for us,” Blair said.

“He’s a big body that we needed.

“We have some young kids in our squad that got a taste of NRL last year so that helps, but Korbin is a good pick up. He wanted to be at the club and he’s settling in well.”

Fullback Boyd and halves Anthony Milford and Ben Hunt shape as the key. If the trio stay fit and hit peak form, the Broncos will be top-four material.

Brisbane fans will be eager to see how Bennett uses shock off-season recruit Marshall, who is tipped to clinch the No. 14 jumper as an interchange utility.

“I honestly don’t know where I’m going to play,” Marshall said. “I’ve been training everywhere, centre, halves, so you have to ask Wayne. I’m really not fazed.

“I am just enjoying myself and whatever happens happens.”