‘Abysmal, unacceptable’: Legends unload on Broncos after belting

Brisbane and Queensland legends have ripped into Broncos players, labelling them “soft” and challenging besieged coach Anthony Seibold to find some answers to his side’s insipid start to the season.

Brisbane greats have blasted the performance against the Roosters. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

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Brisbane and Queensland legends have ripped into Broncos players, labelling them “soft” and challenging besieged coach Anthony Seibold to find some answers to his side’s insipid start to the season.

The Broncos’ 36-4 drubbing against the Roosters on Thursday night was among their worst defeats of the past decade — evoking images of Canberra’s 56-0 hammering of Brisbane under Ivan Henjak in 2009.

Maroons icon Paul Vautin, usually praiseworthy in his Channel 9 commentary role, unloaded on the Broncos, describing their defence as “disgraceful” and calling for Seibold to make urgent changes to his playmaking spine.

Brisbane greats have blasted the performance against the Roosters. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

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Vautin found allies in former Brisbane Test stars Steve Renouf and Greg Dowling, who took aim at the Broncos’ misfiring forward pack and implored them to muscle-up against the Wests Tigers this Thursday night.

The Broncos enter the Round 5 clash at Suncorp Stadium with a 1-3 record. The last Brisbane team to register a 1-3 start was the class of 2013, who ultimately missed the finals and crashed to 12th — leading to the sacking of coach Anthony Griffin.

Dowling, a foundation Broncos prop, is one of Queensland and Australia’s toughest front-rowers, giving him the pedigree to question a Brisbane pack that was monstered in midfield by the Roosters.

“Some individuals didn’t have a dig,” Dowling said.

The side could be shaken up if performances continue on the same path. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

“It will take the team a while to gel under Seibold’s structures but that shouldn’t stop blokes having a go.

“To be ripped apart like that, I was stunned.

“I thought, ‘Jesus Christ’, that’s unacceptable. It was soft.

“Defence is what premierships are built on and it gives confidence to your attack.

“As a prop I have been there and done it. I know what it takes to set the platform.

“The current Broncos forwards have to look at each other and say, ‘We aren’t having a dig, we’re really not’.”

Centre icon Renouf, Brisbane’s greatest tryscorer with 142 tries from 183 games, fears the Broncos lack the midfield firepower to challenge the NRL big guns.

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“We just lacked fire. Simple as that,” he said.

“They just got rolled by the Roosters. They weren’t in the same league as the Roosters and that is the blind truth.

“We have a young forward pack and I understand they will be up and down with their performances because of their lack of maturity, but there’s no excuse for a lack of effort.

“It was a real hiding. Seibold would be disappointed. He would have wanted a better start coming up here, especially with the circumstances around his arrival at the Broncos after leaving Souths.”

Dowling added: “There is pressure on Seibold like he wouldn’t believe.

“With every loss, it’s going to get worse for him. Especially with what went on ... the Broncos were desperate to get him there and sack Wayne, well now he has to deliver.”

Speaking on Channel 9, Vautin blasted skipper Darius Boyd and suggested he move from fullback to five-eighth.

“Darius looks off to me,” Vautin said. “His defence to me is abysmal.

“Especially close to the line, he is coming up with cold misses.

“The coach needs to mix things up a bit. Four rounds and only the one win, they need a change in the halves.

“I love Kodi Nikorima (halfback) as a player but maybe put him on the bench for some dummy-half (spark) with (Anthony) Milford to half and Darius to five-eighth.”