Darren Lockyer says Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Milford should switch

LOCKYER: There’s one change that I believe the Broncos can make that could save their teetering season, and it’s a matter of switching things up in the halves.

Kodi Nikorima.

• SPINELESS: Seibold takes aim at online critics

• CHANGE IT: Stars say the spine needs work

While Brisbane panicked in the chaotic set which cost them victory against the Tigers on Thursday night, they should not hit the panic button with the composition of their spine.

A number of Brisbane’s critics are calling for coach Anthony Seibold to sack his first-choice halves Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima and shift Darius Boyd from fullback to five-eighth.

I don’t believe axing players is the answer. But some subtle positional tweaks could be a viable solution.

Anthony Milford rues a missed opportunity on Thursday night. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Amid the forensic and savage analysis of Brisbane’s 22-16 loss to the Tigers, there was one attacking set that crystallised why the Broncos are now teetering at 1-4 and what they must do to stabilise their season.

With the game locked at 16-all in the dying minutes, the Broncos had a glorious chance to put the gutsy Tigers to bed with a field goal.

With the Tigers on the ropes, the stage was set for Milford to write the script: Bark at the forwards. Run here. Get to this part of the field. Get me in field-goal range. Give me the ball. Bang. Game over. Milford ices the game.

Instead, the sight of Brisbane bumbling through that set, with passes going to ground and Milford setting up for a field goal, only to botch it by strangely racing forward as if running a block play, smacked of chaos.

No one took control of a matchwinning situation.

Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Milford need to switch places. Picture: AAP Image/Dave Hunt

Communication broke down. There was no dominant voice. It should be a valuable lesson for Milford and Nikorima when they are next in the same situation.

I still believe the Milford-Nikorima alliance can improve and ultimately work.

Perhaps it’s just as simple as swapping jumpers.

Is it time for Milford to be given the Brisbane No.7 jumper made famous by Allan Langer?

The shift may only seem subtle, and irrelevant to some, but the psychological impact for Milford could be the answer to provide clarity and clearly define the role of Brisbane’s $1 million man.

The great premiership teams have all had one great playmaker who steps up in The Moment.

The Cowboys had Johnathan Thurston. Canberra had Ricky Stuart. Brisbane had Langer. The Knights had Andrew Johns. The Storm had Cooper Cronk. Now the Roosters have him.

Tellingly, they all wore the No.7 jumper.

Alfie Langer led the way for the Broncos in the No.7 jersey. Picture: Peter Wallis

I don’t agree with the growing chorus of critics who believe Brisbane should rip their playmaking spine apart. Putting fullbacks in the frontline and five-eighths to fullback takes weeks, if not months, to derive a full understanding of what those positions require.

Some NRL coaches will argue the jersey number is irrelevant but in the case of Milford, it might be the message to show him who must be in total control.

Handing him the No.7 jumper is all about psychological intent. It will signal to Milford that he is the general. He owns the result.

Johnathan Thurston wears the No.6 jersey in 2014. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

I remember in 2014, Thurston wore the No.6 jumper in a Cowboys side that had been beaten by Newcastle mid-season.

Searching for answers, coach Paul Green made a subtle change, handing Thurston the No.7 jumper. They went on to win nine of their last 12 games.

A year later, Thurston steered the Cowboys to the 2015 premiership.

From my experience in Brisbane, Queensland and Australian teams, successful sides have one dominant voice.

After the loss, skipper Boyd said Brisbane’s turnaround hinged on a collective effort by the spine and that is true to an extent but the Broncos seem to have too many soldiers running around without a chief general to orchestrate clear direction.

Brisbane’s inability to finish off the Tigers simply came down to a lack of communication and playmaking leadership.

One week, the Broncos are lacking execution. The next, effort is a problem. For the Broncos to climb out of the cellar, effort and execution must intersect around a framework of communication and direction. I’m confident it’s there.

Some may argue Milford is not up to the job, but I believe he can be the game manager the Broncos need right now.

There’s only one way to find out.

Originally published as Darren Lockyer says Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Milford should switch