NRL 2020: Whinging Broncos highlights culture crisis at Brisbane
What’s the first step towards rejuvenating the down and out Broncos? Get out the phone and call Andrew McCullough, writes Crash Craddock. Plus, find out the latest on everything else happening behind the scenes.
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SLOPPY WORK
Stories continue to flow in about the indiscipline of Broncos players in this season from hell.
Like the one about the player who whinged the house down when he was not instantly selected after a recent injury break, ignoring the fact that data taken at training showed he was not fit enough to pick.
Sure enough, when he did get his way and was promoted he had a shocker.
It’s been that sort of season.
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WALTERS WISE WORDS
Darius Boyd has supported Kevin Walters as the next Broncos coach but his most significant words were uttered before the position became available.
In interviews with Michael Crutcher for his revealing autobiography Battling The Blues Boyd said one of Walters finest qualities as a coach was the ability to produce a rousing address that would hit the mark and engage the team.
Boyd named Walters in a small group of coaches who had this ability but his words did not make the book’s final cut. The listless Broncos have been craving this type of connection all season.
MILLION DOLLAR CURSE
Gold Coast playmaker Ash Taylor is sick of being called the million dollar man – and is happy to take a pay cut to shed the ball and chain.
Taylor’s million-dollar-a-season deal ends at the end of next season but he is keen to do a contract extension at a fee which would see his deal reduced from seven to six figures next year because it would be averaged out at a lower rate over two or three seasons.
His commanding performance against the Broncos on Saturday was that of a player recapturing for but the club may want to see more before committing to another big dollar deal.
A THORNY ISSUE
What about Brad Thorn as coach of the Broncos for the year 2025?
Thorn, who played 200 games for the Broncos as well as winning a World Cup playing rugby for the All Blacks, has proven a notable success coaching the Queensland Reds where he sacked a string of big name players like James Slipper and Karmichael Hunt because of cultural issues.
A worldly figure and a winner, Thorn remains great mates with the likes of Allan Langer and Petero Civoniceva and his high disciplinary standards would be welcomed by any club.
TITANIC SIGNING
There are not many pre-season rugby league predictions that hit the bullseye but Gold Coast culture chief Mal Meninga got one right with Jamal Fogarty.
Fogarty, who played for the Burleigh Bears last season and concentrated on his job as a youth worker, was given a second chance by the Titans on the hunch that he would be a late bloomer.
Meninga likened Fogarty to Souths Cody Walker and tipped the 26-year-old to show vast improvement this season. So it has proven. He is now captaining the side with great poise.
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BRING BACK MAC
The first step towards rejuvenating the Broncos next season should be a call to Andrew McCullough summoning him home from Newcastle.
McCullough has been on loan to the Knights for a season and recently underwent surgery for a serious leg-muscles injury. He is contracted to the Broncos for next season and while no decision has been announced on his future his relentless tackling skills have been sorely missed this winter.
McCullough is only 30 and it makes sense to call him home to shore up the flaky middle.
Originally published as NRL 2020: Whinging Broncos highlights culture crisis at Brisbane