Brisbane Broncos fallout: old boys attacked, David Fifita conundrum
You know things are bad when even club old boys are copping impromptu grillings from fans in their local shopping centres over Brisbane’s record loss. PLUS the horrible history working against Broncos.
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The chastening thing about the Broncos master plan to take a group of youngsters from boys to premiers together is that history insists it won’t work.
No modern premiership captain has ever said “we came together as boys, grew up together and essentially got there without being groomed by senior players.’’
Roosters coach Trent Robinson said the other night that to win a premiership you need a sprinkling of three groups – talented rookies, middle generals of between 50 and 150 games and old bare knuckled veterans.
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Canberra won titles in the 1980s and 90s using a backbone of players who grew up together but teams like Penrith in recent times have tried to raise a generation together and found it too hard.
That old photo of Cooper Cronk, Cam Smith and Billy Slater at Brisbane Norths created the impression you could grow a premiership team from the ground up but they needed plenty of old hardheads around them in Melbourne to teach them the ropes.
YOUNG AND RESTLESS
Here is some chastening news for Broncos fans – your team is likely to get even younger next season.
With Darius Boyd retiring, Ben Te’o’s future uncertain due to a one year deal and captain Alex Glenn fading, the possible absence of three old warriors will make the competition’s youngest team even younger.
TEENAGE TEMPTATIONS
Would you take a $400,000 a season pay cut to stay with a team occasionally beaten by 50 points?
It is a provocative question and one making Broncos officials nervous as they wait for confirmation that teenage gun David Fifita will be staying with the club next season.
Fifita is believed to have been offered around $800,000 a season to stay with Brisbane but that is understood to be at least $400,000 short of the Titans offer in what Mal Meninga has called “a priority signing.’’
FACE THE FURNACE
Being a strong “bad day’’ performer is one of the greatest challenges in sport.
Fronting up and explaining yourself when thing go horrendously might be a harrowing experience but it is also how people grow.
That’s why the unexplainable absence of timid captains Brodie Croft and Pat Carrigan from the press conference after the Broncos shattering loss to the Roosters was such an inexcusably poor effort.
ANYTHING DOING?
Well done to the QRL for managing to avoid staff cuts during the pandemic but now is the time for those staff to slip into fourth gear.
With the Intrust Super Cup abandoned for the season the QRL need to show leadership and resourcefulness to given at least clubs in the Brisbane area something to play for. It will be a major disappointment if they come up with thin air.
ON-SIDE
STAR POWER
The very sight of Cameron Munster at his conjuring best for the Melbourne Storm must be like a midwinter bowl of chicken soup for Queensland coach Kevin Walters.
Storm’s Christian Welch said on Triple M that Melbourne’s bench forwards were constantly amazed how Munster can charge into a dam wall of big forwards yet somehow has the strength to scramble his way to a quick play the ball, one of his many great strengths.
YOU TELL ’EM
Steve Renouf is on to something with his claim there should be a fine for anyone at the Broncos who mentions how young their side is.
This system worked for the All Blacks when they were banned from talking about how cold it was during off-season tours of Europe, feeling as soon as you give yourself an excuse you turn soft.
As someone noted at Broncos training “whinging about how young your roster is like moving to the Valley and complaining about how noisy it is ... you chose it.’’
IT WASN’T ME
Even the old boys are copping it after the Broncos’ two huge losses.
Former Test hooker Kerrod Walters was doing his shopping on the Sunshine Coast over the weekend and got a couple of impromptu grillings from fans in Woolies and other shops regarding the Broncos’ form.
One of league’s most genial characters, Walters answered every question with good grace, but behind the scenes the text messages were flying like popcorn in a hot saucepan among some pockets of the Broncos old boys during the Roosters debacle.
MATT ATTACK
Matt Lodge is a hard man to warm to given his shady past, but at least he has a crack.
Lodge’s withering spray at his team (including himself) for being overrated is the sort of message this young team needs to hear.
Lodge’s form is solid rather than spectacular at the Broncos, but in a stronger pack his work would look much better.
Originally published as Brisbane Broncos fallout: old boys attacked, David Fifita conundrum