Brisbane Broncos development scouts asleep at the wheel, says Peter Badel

THERE is a reason Brisbane are mired in the longest NRL premiership drought in club history, writes Peter Badel. Much of it can be blamed on their shambolic development methods and inability to identify Queensland’s best talent.

Cameron Munster, who hails from Rockhampton, is now a Queensland Origin star and Melbourne Storm premiership winner. Picture: Colleen Petch.

BRISBANE coach Wayne Bennett was once spruiking the acumen of the late Cyril Connell, the greatest talent scout in Broncos history, and what separated him from the rest of the pack.

“Some scouts ... they just can’t pick ‘em,” said Bennett in his classic, taciturn style.

Those words are as compelling as they are prophetic, because the dearth of playmakers in the Broncos system today is an indictment on their recent development methods.

Connell, who passed away in 2009, is sadly gone.

The Broncos miss him in more ways than one. Critically, aside from Connell’s human spirit, the Broncos miss his eye for talent and his knack for unearthing the rough diamonds no-one else wanted.

Players like Wendell Sailor, and Darius Boyd.

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There is a reason Brisbane are mired in the longest premiership drought in their history. Much of it can be blamed on their shambolic development and inability to shrewdly mine the vast resources of talent scattered throughout Queensland.

Despite being a $42 million empire armed with development weapons no other NRL club can match, the Broncos have failed to produce a superstar player since Darren Lockyer emerged 22 years ago.

Four of the NRL’s current superstars — Cameron Smith, Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston — are the heartbeat of the Queensland Origin team. They were all in Brisbane’s backyard.

They have never worn Broncos colours.

Brisbane’s No. 1 halfback Kodi Nikorima, who will oppose Thurston this Friday night, has played most of his NRL career as an interchange player. His halves partner, Anthony Milford, was poached from Canberra ... after the Raiders found him first on Queensland soil at Inala.

Brisbane’s back-up halfback this season, Troy Dargan, is a 20-year-old signed six months ago from ... Parramatta in New South Wales.

Legendary Broncos scout Cyril Connell. Picture: Jeff Camden

Why are the Broncos’ development scouts asleep at the wheel? Where’s the next Allan Langer? Or Kevin Walters? Which individuals at the club are prepared to be honest and take ownership for the incessant scouting bungles that are costing the Broncos premierships?

Brisbane football-operations chief Peter Nolan, a salary-cap whiz and one of the best list managers in the NRL, is now tasked with cleaning up the mess.

The list of head-spinning gaffes goes on.

In 2013, an 18-year-old from Rockhampton was invited to a Broncos development day. After one look at him, Broncos scouts shook their heads and walked away. A month later, the rookie signed with Melbourne.

The Storm rated the kid so highly he was wined and dined by coach Craig Bellamy and Maroons skipper Smith.

His name was Cameron Munster. Five years on, he is a Queensland Origin player and NRL premiership winner.

Cameron Munster, who hails from Rockhampton, is now a Queensland Origin star and Melbourne Storm premiership winner. Picture: Colleen Petch

In the same year, a young gun from Beenleigh was being groomed by the Broncos to be the next Lockyer. His name was Corey Norman. Within months, he quit Red Hill to join Parramatta, who outbid the Broncos for his signature.

What Bennett would give to have Munster or Norman on his books today.

Of course, scouting is an inexact science and even the best talent-identification types, like Cyril Connell, will have moments where risk outweighs reward and they are left to lament the one that got away.

Corey Norman in action for the Broncos. Picture: Darren England

Sometimes the ugly ducklings come good, just as the golden wonderboy loses shine before his time.

But too many good Queensland kids are slipping the Broncos net.

Losing an Ashley Taylor or Ben Hunt, or failing to sign a Thurston or Munster, are recruitment mistakes that can set clubs back a generation.

It’s time pampered Broncos scouts lifted their game and started picking ‘em. Queensland’s flagship club deserves another superstar.

The future of their champion coach, Wayne Bennett, may well depend on it.