Broncos prepare to face Eels and reclaim dignity lost in infamous defeat
It was a game that Brisbane will never forget, a result “that hit deep in the soul” and will never be erased. But on Thursday night, the Broncos host Parramatta with a chance to claim some measure of revenge.
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Brutal. Embarrassing. A wake-up call.
That is how Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold describes the worst day in Broncos history – last year’s 58-0 finals nightmare at the hands of Parramatta.
On Thursday night, at an empty Suncorp Stadium, the Broncos get their shot at redemption when they host the Eels in the first game of the NRL premiership relaunch.
Twelve of the 17 players who wore a Broncos jersey against the Eels at Bankwest Stadium on September 15 last year will be there again.
For Seibold, the record loss was a shocking end to his first season in charge of the Broncos but presented a golden opportunity to kickstart a Red Hill revolution.
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“It was a really embarrassing day for our club,” Seibold said.
“Two weeks earlier we beat that same Parramatta team. We had a one-off performance, that wasn’t a trend in our game last year. We didn’t concede that many points in any other game.
“It was brutal, it was a pretty big learning curve for the entire group that if you don’t turn up mentally (this can happen).
“It was a good wake-up call for everybody. I have left it pretty much behind.
“I like staying in the present and I’m optimistic about our start to the season. Our next goal is to start the season like we did in the first two games.”
The Eels debacle shone the spotlight on the Broncos and gave Seibold a reason to put his stamp on the team.
He axed Darius Boyd as captain and held honest one-on-one meetings with every Broncos player.
Million-dollar man Anthony Milford was told he had to lift. Origin winger Corey Oates was challenged to be better. No player left the meetings confused about what they needed to do in 2020.
Nothing was sugar-coated when Seibold decided this was the moment for the Broncos to change as they attempted to snap the longest premiership drought in the club’s history.
New captain Alex Glenn admitted the fallout was devastating and inspired the Broncos heading into the 2020 season, which they started with back-to-back wins before the competition was suspended on March 23.
“It was obviously a game us players and fans will never forget,” Glenn said.
“To finish our season the way we did was something that hit deep in the soul. It was a long off-season, let’s put it that way.
“We used it as motivation to strive for success in our pre-season. We never want that to happen again.
“We used it as ammunition and to fuel the flame inside us so that every training session and rep we did we were competing the best we can and never giving up on our teammates.
“I’d be wrong if I was to say we’re over that loss. We are still hurting, but we’re not using that as our main focus going into this game.
“It’s a game we’ll never forget, but when we come up against Parra there is no revenge. It’s about making sure that we pick up where we left off in Round 2 and the form we had.”
Broncos players Jamayne Isaako, Kotoni Staggs, Jake Turpin, Joe Ofahengaue, Matt Lodge, Payne Haas, Tom Flegler, Pat Carrigan, Glenn, Milford, Oates and Boyd will be there again tonight with the scars of Parramatta etched in their memories.
Carrigan will never forget the way his first season in the NRL ended and is determined to ensure that never happens again.
“To be honest, it is something I will always remember as part of my career,” he said.
“It was something that happened and that will always motivate me.
“I’m excited to get a full squad back and hopefully get some momentum going this season. The end goal is to be there on the grand final day in October.”
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No player paid a bigger price for the Eels debacle than Boyd.
He was stripped of the captaincy days after the defeat and knew 2020 would be his final season in the NRL.
The coronavirus suspension of the NRL season threatened to bring a premature end to Boyd’s career, but he will get another crack at ending it on a high.
“I didn’t want to finish that way,” Boyd said.
“I always said I was content with my decision, regardless of what happened, and I still am, but it’s definitely good to be back.
“We probably got motivation from finishing that way (against Parramatta).
“We’re now taking it as a new year and starting fresh. We’re thinking about what we can do this year.”
Originally published as Broncos prepare to face Eels and reclaim dignity lost in infamous defeat