Robert Craddock: Brisbane Broncos make Wests-Tigers look like Penrith in Suncorp horror show

Everything was in the Broncos’ favour on Sunday but they again failed to capitalise – and it all comes down to trust, writes Robert Craddock.

Tommy Talau of the Tigers scores a try during the round 18 NRL match between the Brisbane Broncos and the Wests Tigers at Suncorp Stadium, on July 18, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

The kindest possible thing you could say about the Broncos is that their defensive line set a golden standard for social distancing.

Making the Wests Tigers look like the Penrith Panthers is no mean feat but the Broncos have somehow managed it.

Is it confidence? Is it a lack of skills? Don’t they trust each other? Are they simply overrated? Are their skills frozen by anxiety?

Is it a bit of all of the above?

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Payne Haas reacts to his team's dismal defeat to the out-of-form Wests-Tigers. Picture: Getty Images

If you have firm ideas on this please leave your comments at the bottom of the story because I don’t know the answer — and this much is certain — the Broncos don’t either.

Maybe they have chased too many superstar youngsters over the years when they should have got more Tyson Gamble’s — desperate young men with much to be desperate about.

The Broncos talk a lot about building team spirit yet when they are on their line defending they look as if they had never met each other.

Collectively, they look like a group who don’t really (a) trust the man outside them and (b) know what that man is doing.

Tommy Talau scores for the Tigers as he makes easy work of a listless Broncos defence. Picture: Getty Images

On face value it looked like just another routine mid-season loss but this one will sting them.

Honestly, how much do you want in your favour before you fire up?

The Broncos love playing Suncorp on a Sunday afternoon and the weather was so balmy the crowd must have felt like bringing out picnic blankets.

The entire competition has moved to Queensland so the Broncos may not have to go interstate for the rest of the year. Big bonus. But one which already has been wasted.

There is a chance that because the top six teams have cleared out that the wins required for a spot in the top eight could be at a surprise low mark of 11 from 24 games.

And still the Broncos are basically out of contention with seven matches to go.

Brisbane Broncos captain Alex Glenn tries to lift his players after they blew an eight-point halftime lead to be belted in the second half. Picture: Getty Images

THE GRANDEST FINAL

Would it be a gift or would it come with a seven-figure price tag?

The prospect of the big cash transaction behind what could be the first and only Suncorp Stadium NRL grand final this season is an intriguing as the match itself.

The NSWRL will be desperate to squeeze as much cash as they can out of the game to help them tidy up an horrendously red bottom line for the season.

But they also owe Queensland a huge favour for saving their season so shouldn’t the match be gifted wrapped?

Watch this space.

STORMIN NORMAN

Former Test fullback Norm Pope had a career like no other.

He played for Valleys, Queensland and Australia and when the big stuff was over he went back and captained coached the Brisbane City Council team to a premiership in the Queensland Public Service League in 1971.

The 50th anniversary of that triumph will be celebrated at the Pineapple Hotel on Friday, August 20. Tickets from Glen Strathearn on 0414 314 076.

ISOLATION BLUES
NRL players are reportedly angry at the delay in having their families join them in Brisbane — but others have done it tougher.

You can understand the frustration of the NRL community but they have had more luck that a group of eight Olympic athletes who were unable to fly to Cairns to train with their teammates before leaving for Tokyo.

“I would have been a better chance of getting there had I been married to an NRL player than trying to win a medal in Tokyo,’’ one said.

David Fifita looks down at the ground as he is benched against the Parramatta Eels.

BIG MONEY BLUES

Is David Fifita the latest victim of the million dollar curse?

The benching of Fifita after a slow opening to the Titans match against the Eels on Saturday was the low point of a so-so winter.

Fifita’s best moments have been spectacular but when you are on $1.25 million a year they need to be regular — and match-turning — and so far there has not been enough of them.

Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt and Ash Taylor know the pressure of living up to a million dollar deal and you can see in their agonised faces there are times when the money becomes a millstone.

Originally published as Robert Craddock: Brisbane Broncos make Wests-Tigers look like Penrith in Suncorp horror show