NRL 2021: Broncos hooker Jake Turpin blasts claims Brisbane will win back-to-back wooden spoons

Bookmakers have installed the Broncos as equal favourites to finish last in 2021, but after the embarrassment of last year, they are having nothing of it.

Jake Turpin has slammed suggestions Brisbane will crash to back-to-back wooden spoons, declaring Broncos players are motivated to silence critics by defying the odds to make this year‘s finals.

Bookmakers have written off the embattled Broncos, installing Kevin Walters‘ troops alongside the Dragons as favourites to finish last this season ahead of their round one opener against Parramatta on Friday night.

Even their own club legends are sceptical, with former Broncos premiership playmaker Ben Ikin tipping Brisbane to claim the wooden spoon again after winning just three games last season under former coach Anthony Seibold.

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Jake Turpin is adamant the Broncos won’t finish last.

But Turpin has come out swinging, with Brisbane‘s first-choice hooker bristling at suggestions the Broncos lack the quality of personnel to be a legitimate finals contender in Walters’ maiden season in charge at Red Hill.

“I‘m sick of bloody wooden-spoon chat,” Turpin fired.

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“That was last year — that is long gone.

“We won‘t win the wooden spoon, I will tell you that right now.

“We have a lot of confidence in ourselves at the moment, we are excited to get out there on Friday night and show we will be a team that can easily make the top eight.

“I don‘t want to hear that (wooden-spoon talk) again.

“We are looking forward to this year and we have a lot of belief in the squad and a lot of belief that we can go deep into the top eight this year.”

Brodie Croft got the nod to face the Eels.

The Broncos‘ hopes of an emphatic revival have not been helped by the off-season loss of Darius Boyd, Joe Ofahengaue, Jack Bird and back-row sensation David Fifita.

But Walters has worked hard to improve morale at Red Hill after last season‘s capitulation under Seibold and Turpin says there is a palpable sense of happiness among the 2021 Broncos squad.

“I‘ve been telling everyone, we are a top eight side, I really do think that,” he said.

“With the belief we have in this team, there‘s no reason we can’t make the finals.

“‘Kevvie’ has a lot of belief in this team. He has spent six months with us now and he sees that, there is no better person than Kevvie to have belief in a team.

“He has been there, done that as a player ... he has won six premierships, so for him to have belief in this team gives us a lot of confidence going out there on Friday.”

Walters has finally settled on the composition of his scrumbase, opting for Brodie Croft over Tom Dearden at halfback to join forces with Anthony Milford in the season opener at Suncorp Stadium.

Turpin says the Broncos are enjoying life udner Kevin Walters.

Croft is under pressure to prove he can take charge of an NRL team and Turpin backed his former Storm teammate to succeed.

“We are lucky in that we have a lot of depth in the halves so Kevvie will put the guy there that he thinks is best for the side,” he said.

“I played a lot of footy with ‘Crofty’ in Melbourne, so I’m excited to be playing another game with him.

“Brodie is a really good organiser, he has had a lot of experience organising teams and he has been in some big games throughout his career. He hasn‘t had a long career but he’s played semi-finals and been there, done that.

“Brodie is the last one on the paddock every day, he is one of the hardest workers I‘ve seen. He will be here an hour after training every day working on his craft. He leaves no stone unturned. He works his butt off and will bring experience to our side.”

Revealed: Winner in battle for Broncos No.7 jersey

- Peter Badel and Chris Honnery

Brodie Croft is poised to win the race to wear the coveted Broncos No.7 jersey over Tom Dearden for Friday night’s season opener against Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium.

Brisbane launch their 2021 campaign this week and new head coach Kevin Walters is set to bestow the halfback duties on the more experienced Croft.

Croft and Dearden have battled it out over the pre-season to partner Anthony Milford in the halves as Walters mulled over his first major selection decision of his Broncos coaching career.

Both players were rotated through the No.7 role on multiple occasions during Monday’s training session as Walters kept his team selection cards close to his chest.

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Brodie Croft during a Broncos training session at Red Hill. Photo: Liam Kidston

But The Courier-Mail understands Walters is leaning towards backing Croft, who started as Brisbane‘s halfback in round one last year before being axed midway through the season in favour of Dearden by former coach Anthony Seibold.

Dearden was solid in his last-ditch audition for Souths Logan last Saturday night, scoring a try in his side‘s 30-28 loss to Redcliffe, but it appears it is not enough to earn him a starting spot for the Broncos’ season opener.

The pressure will now be on Croft to steer the team around and unshackle Milford at five-eighth.

Tom Dearden during a Broncos training session. Photo: Liam Kidston

The 23-year-old played 14 games in last season’s season from hell for the Broncos and he suffered some emotional torment, shedding tears on the field after a round eight loss to the Warriors.

But a new regime has sparked a new attitude from Croft, who impressed Walters with his running game and willingness to straighten the attack in Brisbane‘s 34-18 trial loss to the Cowboys a fortnight ago.

Broncos winger Xavier Coates said Croft would relish the task of running Brisbane‘s offence in the premiership-opener against Eels rival Mitchell Moses.

“Brodie is really quick onto the ball and he can play eyes-up footy,” Coates said.

“He has a good kicking game and he has a strong voice. When you are playing with him, he communicates really well, especially in defence.

“I’ve enjoyed playing outside of Brodie, he is good with his talk and he has a lot of assets for team.

“The boys aren’t quite sure yet which way ’Kevvie’ is going but if Brodie gets picked, he will definitely do the job.”

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Brodie Croft, Darius Boyd, Anthony Milford, and Tom Dearden at Brisbane Broncos training. Photo: Liam Kidston

A fortnight ago, Croft said he would not give up the fight to reclaim the No.7 jumper after losing it to Dearden last season and is adamant he can succeed as Brisbane’s pre-eminent halfback.

“I want to get back to playing my best brand of footy. I know what I am capable of, I know my talents and strengths and weaknesses I have to work on,” he said.

“I want to get back to being the best football player I know I can be and then I will leave it to the coaching staff to see if I can get into the team.

“I just thought I questioned myself too much last year.

“Kevvie has just told me to keep it simple and run the football, take the line on and be aggressive with my defence. I just have to go from there.”

The likely snubbing of Dearden will raise doubts over his future at the club. The 19-year-old is off-contract at season’s end and held talks with the Cowboys in Townsville last month.

Broncos winger David Mead said Walters faced a selection headache at the scrumbase.

“Brodie has been training there and Tommy changed over with him a few times so we’re still not sure who Kevvie is going with,” Mead said.

“I’m sure whoever gets the spot there will do a good job for us.

“It’s a good thing (that spots remain undecided) because it creates competition.

“If there was certainty about a position in January, you probably wouldn’t get as much competition out of the players.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Broncos hooker Jake Turpin blasts claims Brisbane will win back-to-back wooden spoons