Queensland in disarray after Broncos, Cowboys and Titans awful start to NRL season

Five years ago, Queensland had the best State of Origin team ever, the best stadium, the richest club and the biggest junior football nursery in the country. Look at them now, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD.

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In 2014 old NRL chief executive Dave Smith stupidly declared: “Queensland is the heartland of rugby league” in a slap in the face to Sydney’s nine clubs and fans in the traditional home of the game.

Queensland had the best State of Origin team we’ve ever seen, the best stadium, the richest club and the biggest junior football nursery in the country from Cairns to the Gold Coast.

Fast forward five years and check out the 2019 premiership table. Heartland is history.

And, as a New South Welshman, don’t you love it.

Brisbane 13th, North Queensland 15th and the Gold Coast 16th.

Just two wins this season between all three of them.

Queensland. Beautiful one day, pathetic the next.

No one expected the Broncos to start so badly. Image: AAP Image/Dean Lewins

Even their two usually hopeless AFL teams have won twice as many games as the three NRL clubs.

The Brisbane Lions are unbeaten in three starts and the Gold Coast have pulled off two victories.

The Sherrin is the talk of this embattled state.

This is officially the biggest crisis since the cane toads had three teams in the NRL.

Never before have they been as low as 13th, 15th and 16th.

And now they’re turning on each other.

Most people expected the Titans to start this badly. Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Gordie Tallis, Justin Hodges, Steve Renouf and Trevor Gillmeister absolutely unloading on their old club after just four rounds.

Wow, imagine if it was the Maroons who’d lost eight Origin series in a row. As painful as it was, at least we held it together.

They’re calling for heads at the Broncos after three losses.

The old guard all wanted Kevvy Walters appointed coach when Wayne Bennett was shoved out at the end of last season.

Instead they got Anthony Seibold, the Dally M coach of the year. Apparently, after three losses, he’s now a dud coach.

No Broncos job, no future Immortals to select... How will Kevvie cope? Image: Alix Sweeney

Says Gordie: “Kevin Walters should be coaching the club, bar nobody else second. It’s not the club that I played for. They all walk around the town like they own the place.”

And we haven’t even got to Origin.

No Cameron Smith, No Johnathan Thurston, no Billy Slater, no Cooper Cronk and probably no Greg Inglis.

The tide has turned. Heartland is in a horrible state.

The Broncos were flogged 36-14 by the Roosters last week.

On Thursday night they run onto Suncorp Stadium in a massive must-win game against the Wests Tigers. The pride of QLD rugby league in on the line.

Heartland? Ha, ha, ha.