Broncos legend Alfie Langer says Brisbane will struggle to keep their gun young halves for long
Broncos legend Alfie Langer says the Broncos may struggle to keep their young gun halves at Red Hill due to the strength of their depth. Read that and more in today’s Blindside.
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Broncos legend Allan Langer fears Brisbane will not be able to hang on to its mouth-watering group of young playmakers.
The Broncos are stacked with playmaking talent sitting behind first-choice halves Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Milford.
Roosters recruit Sean O’Sullivan is next in line, while teenager Tom Dearden has bolted into fourth spot on coach Anthony Seibold’s “depth chart”.
Sitting behind the 17-year-old Dearden is former schoolboys guns Tanah Boyd and Cory Paix.
Langer, Brisbane’s greatest ever halfback, said the Broncos could lose some of them to rival clubs.
“I’ll be around them as long as they stay at the Broncos, that’s the only problem,” said Langer, an assistant coach.
“They’ve got big futures, so hopefully the Broncos can keep them.
“They have been great juniors. Once they get a couple of pre-seasons under their belts they will be knocking on the door for a first grade spot.”
Dearden has bolted out of the blue and could make his NRL debut this season despite only finishing school last year and turning 18 next week.
Ego is the enemy
BRONCOS chief executive Paul White has moved to wipe out any threat of arrogance or complacency at Red Hill as Brisbane fight to break the longest premiership drought in their history.
Blindside can reveal Brisbane’s entire NRL squad have been given a copy of the best-selling book Ego Is The Enemy.
The self-help tome has been a smash-hit worldwide. Written by American author and entrepreneur Ryan Holiday, the book explores the notion of success and how an individual’s ego can cloud ambition and hinder one’s personal and professional growth.
White initially read the book himself and derived some major lessons which he believed could be passed on to the Broncos’ playing squad.
We’re not sure how many players will digest all 226 pages but the message from the top at Red Hill is clear – big heads won’t win premierships for the Broncos.
Dirty Benny
SUPER coach Wayne Bennett has already hit it off with Souths players.
The axed Broncos coach has stunned the group by choosing to lunch and train with the playing group in the gym in a bid to get to know them better.
Souths stars are relishing taking the mickey out of Bennett, asking the 69-year-old how many movies he has starred in and calling him “Clint” – a reference to his Hollywood doppelganger Clint Eastwood.
Queenslanders won’t support a relocation
THE push is on for a second Brisbane team, but NRL boss Todd Greenberg and ARLC chairman Peter Beattie must be wary of the prospect of relocating a Sydney side to Queensland.
Blindside has obtained data which makes it patently clear – Queensland rugby league fans will NOT support a relocated Sydney brand.
In 2013, prospective NRL team the Brisbane Bombers conducted their own market research to establish support for a fourth Queensland team.
Of more than 12,000 people surveyed, a whopping 72 per cent said they would not support a relocated Sydney team such as the Sharks or Sea Eagles.
Greenberg and Beattie are reluctant to kill off a Sydney team to create a second team in Brisbane.
But if Queensland folk don’t get a shiny new brand, a Sydney relocation to Brisbane would do more damage to the code.
No scandal at the Titans
THE Gold Coast Titans believe they have given themselves the best chance of staying clear of player behaviour scandals.
While the NRL has been rocked by a tsunami of off-field dramas, the Titans have stayed relatively clean this off-season.
Aside from the controversial anti-vaccination views of Bryce Cartwright’s wife Shanelle becoming public, the Titans have had a solid run without incidents.
“We’re really fortunate,” said new CEO Steve Mitchell.
“We’ve got a player roster without any issues with individuals or collective groups. They are very straight and work hard.
“They do a lot of community work. That gives them a sense of perspective.
“There is an expectation internally across all areas of the business around responsibilities and being accountable to the club.
“There is senior player group that coaches that with new recruits that come to the group.
“They talk about their obligations to the community and what they’re there for. That has an influence on behaviour.
“Touch wood, we haven’t had any incidents. We can’t afford to be naïve, but from what I’ve seen our playing roster has really good intent and is well behaved.
“We’re fortunate in that instance.”
The Titans know a thing or two about scandals, having been embroiled in a huge cocaine drama in 2015 which nearly killed the club.
League relies on clean cut Cam
NRL authorities are keen to use Storm skipper Cameron Smith as a poster boy to help clean up the code following a spate of off-field dramas.
The NRL has previously had a nightmare experience promoting clean skins who ultimately run into off-field trouble (hello Brett Stewart), but they surely can’t go wrong turning to Smith.
The former Queensland Origin and Test skipper is one of the code’s great statesmen and is sick of the unsavoury headlines giving the NRL constant black eyes.
The ARL Commission believes Smith can play an active role in meeting with young stars of the future and warning them of the dangers of off-field misadventure.
Gold Coast boys help out the women
WHO says the NRL is full of boofheads?
Titans Origin stars Jai Arrow and Jarrod Wallace have turned sensitive new-age guys to support today’s Gold Coast Women of the Year lunch.
Guests at the gala lunch have a chance to win a Titans Day Spa experience at the club’s Parkwood headquarters. The luxury prize will include hot yoga, meditation and pilates sessions.
We just hope Arrow can remove the cucumbers from his eyes to ensure he sees the ball in round one against the Raiders next week.
Moore sets personal best in Tokyo
MAROONS legend Billy Moore is a true Queenslander.
Forget the fact he was born in NSW, Moore showed pure grit to set a new personal best in last Sunday’s Tokyo Marathon.
Moore finished the 42km race in three hours 50 minutes, an outstanding time considering he weighs 95kg and battled a knee injury in the lead-up which affected his training.
“My wife Kerri pushed me the whole way,” he said. “It was seven degrees and raining, so it was bloody freezing, but we got in the zone and finished together.”
Originally published as Broncos legend Alfie Langer says Brisbane will struggle to keep their gun young halves for long
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