Wayne Bennett’s Broncos are miles ahead of where they should be

MATTHEW JOHNS SCOUTING REPORT: Broncos are the title favourites and I like them a lot. What Bennett did with this squad last year was at least 12 months ahead of where most believed they would be.

ARE the title favourites and I like them a lot.

What Wayne Bennett did with this squad last year was at least 12 months ahead of where most believed the Broncos would be when the veteran coach returned.

Apart from winning titles, what Bennett does best is improve his individual players. I suppose that goes hand in hand.

Will the Broncos go top in 2016?

The development of Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford as individual talents and as a combination was crucial in the Broncos’ success last year, and they’ll be even better this year.

The fast go-at-the-defence- direct style of play that Milford and Hunt employ will suit the extra speed of play and worry the extra tired middle defenders which the interchange reduction will create.

Bennett’s sides are always super fit, so the Broncos will relish the extra fatigue element in the contests. The back row of the Broncos is equally as crucial as the halves.

Sam Thaiday, after an early-season rocket from Bennett, returned to his best last year, and I’ve never seen a player get better and better with age like Corey Parker. He’s phenomenal.

Adam Blair’s career looked almost buried until Wayne sprinkled him with that special magic dust and suddenly he’s the bloke he was at the Melbourne Storm again.

So who knows what Bennett is capable of getting out of James Roberts, who has the speed and ability to rival the great Steve Renouf.

A lot can go wrong in a season, but they deserve clear favouritism. Don’t expect the Broncos to play their best football early in the season.

For the juiciest odds you might want to wait until June to place that bet if you like Brisbane as much as I do.

Anthony Milford is set to stun in 2016.

BEST 13

1 Darius Boyd 2 Corey Oates 3 Jack Reed 4 James Roberts 5 Jordan Kahu 6 Anthony Milford 7 Ben Hunt 8 Sam Thaiday 9 Andrew McCullough 10 Josh McGuire 11 Alex Glenn 12 Matt Gillett 13 Corey Parker. Interchange: 14 Jarrod Wallace 15 Adam Blair 16 Joe Ofahengaue 17 Kodi Nikorima.

INS

James Roberts (Gold Coast Titans), Carlin Anderson (Ipswich Jets), Caleb Timu (Mormon mission), Salesi Funaki (Wests Tigers), Herman Ese’ese (Canterbury Bulldogs), Sam Scarlett (Penrith Panthers)

OUTS

Dale Copley (Sydney Roosters), Justin Hodges (retirement), Todd Lowrie (Newcastle Knights), Ashley Taylor (Gold Coast Titans), Mitch Garbutt (Leeds Rhinos), Matt Parcell (Manly Sea Eagles), Mitchell Dodds (Warrington), Jayden Nikorima (Sydney Roosters), David Stagg (retirement), Jon Green (retirement), Marmin Barba (released), Daniel Vidot (Salford), Zach Strasser (Redcliffe), Jordan Drew (Cronulla Sharks), James Gavet (released)

DRAW

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