NRL news: Brisbane Broncos eyeing premiership as local talent blossoms
Developing premierships – not buying them – has stood the test of time in the NRL, which is what Brisbane is banking on as they set out to quash almost two decades of title despair.
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The Broncos have constructed one of the finest generation of local talents in their history as Brisbane look to emulate Penrith’s homegrown heroes in a bid to break the club’s 17-year premiership drought.
Broncos coach Kevin Walters is under mounting pressure to deliver the club’s first premiership since 2006 and he is banking on Brisbane’s ‘Backyard Blitz’ to finally quash almost two decades of title despair at Red Hill.
The Panthers have become the top dogs of the NRL on the back of locally-sourced quality produce. In their grand-final defeat of Parramatta in October which sealed back-to-back titles, 11 of Penrith’s starting 13 came through the Panthers system, headlined by Nathan Cleary, Jarome Luai, Brian To’o, Dylan Edwards and Stephen Crichton.
It reinforced the rugby league axiom that homegrown works best. Developing premierships – not buying them – has stood the test of time in the NRL.
Now, Walters is doing just that, with Brisbane’s 2023 premiership roster to include 20 players that emerged from the Broncos’ development systems – a staggering two-thirds of their 30-man full-time squad.
The contingent includes Origin and Test representatives Payne Haas, Corey Oates, Pat Carrigan, Selwyn Cobbo, Tom Flegler, Kotoni Staggs, Kurt Capewell, Tesi Niu and Herbie Farnworth, who all cut their teeth in Brisbane’s Academy or former under-20s outfits.
Then there’s forwards Kobe Hetherington, Cory Paix, TC Robati, Keenan Palasia, Jordan Riki and Brendan Piakura, plus rising backline stars Ezra Mam and Reece Walsh, Brisbane’s marquee off-season recruit.
Throw in emerging trio Deine Mariner, Blake Mozer and Xavier Willison – who have been promoted to Brisbane’s NRL squad this season – and there are no more excuses.
The Broncos’ premiership window is open now.
“We’re aiming for these kids to win another premiership for the Broncos,” Walters said.
“We’re seeing the success Penrith have had with their local juniors and it’s been a fair while since a Broncos player became a 300-gamer. Corey Parker and Sam Thaiday were the last two.
“We’re a club steeped in history and I’d love to see this batch of guys stay loyal and become 200 and 300-gamers for the Broncos.
“This group has the potential to do something special for the Broncos.
“We’ve seen the Penrith model and the Storm model work in terms of bringing through a group of players together with an attachment to those clubs.
“The combinations and connections those clubs have developed is invaluable and in critical times in games – and big games – in the NRL, those local connections shine through.
“For one reason or another, we haven’t been able to win a premiership since 2006.
“But one of my mantras coming back here is to unify the Broncos, to develop that next generation with a feel for the club, and to now have 20 guys who have come through our program shows we are on the right track.”
Brisbane’s most recent premiership side of 2006 had 14 local products in the 17-man squad which shocked the Storm with a 15-8 grand-final boilover at Homebush.
The posse included skipper Darren Lockyer, Justin Hodges, Darius Boyd, Shane Webcke, Petero Civoniceva, Sam Thaiday, Tonie Carroll, Sam Thaiday and Corey Parker.
But fast forward to 2023 and the competition for Brisbane-based talent has never been more high-octane.
There is a view Brisbane bask in a talent-identification monopoly and can run riot in southeast Queensland with an army of development chiefs such as Broncos Academy boss Simon Scanlan.
The reality is different.
Scanlan, a pivotal figure in luring Brisbane Academy whiz-kid Walsh back home, says the Broncos are under attack from NRL rivals for their local kids, a threat heightened by the birth of new expansion club the Dolphins.
“Every club recruits out of southeast Queensland,” Scanlan said.
“As the time goes on, the junior recruitment space is more competitive.
“A long time ago, Queensland kids were left to the Queensland clubs but there is so much competition on the ground now.
“We’re proud to have 20 guys in our NRL squad because having so many homegrown players is difficult when there’s so many clubs competing for Queensland kids.
“All the Sydney clubs have junior-representative teams and they have scouts targeting Queensland regularly to bring players to fill their teams.
“Southeast Queensland is not the domain of the Broncos anymore. It’s open to every NRL club.”
Of the threat of the Dolphins, ironically coached by Wayne Bennett, the man who has delivered all six titles to the Broncos, Scanlan said: “They are just another competitor.
“Instead of there being 15 other NRL teams recruiting out of this area, there are now 16.
“I wouldn’t call them a threat, I would say they are another option. Location-wise they are convenient for Brisbane kids who may not want to leave the area to play NRL.
“We’re a development club and the goal of any development program is to bring a batch of guys through to hopefully win a premiership.”
In recent years, the Broncos have copped some poaching body blows.
Blockbusting back-rower David Fifita, one of the most damaging forwards to emerge from the Broncos Academy, sensationally quit the club to join derby rivals the Titans last year.
Canterbury almost pulled off a big-money play for back-rower Brendan Piakura last year, while the Warriors succeeded with a massive $1.3 million offer for Walsh, although the Broncos had the last laugh in reclaiming the boom fullback.
Samoan Test prop Palasia signed a two-year deal with the Titans on Thursday.
The likes of Flegler, Farnworth, Mam and Carrigan are off-contract over the next 12 to 24 months and Walters is determined to ensure Brisbane’s premiership ambitions are not ripped apart.
“It’s something we need to be cautious of, that the players we have identified, coached and developed stay in the Broncos system,” Walters said.
“It’s vital that we continue to help them grow as footballers and young men.
“You can’t keep everyone, but the elite ones that can make a difference, we need to hang onto them.
“One of the most enjoyable parts of the job for me is working with the talent coming through in guys like Herbie, Selwyn Cobbo and Ezra Mam.
“But once they come through, the job doesn’t stop. It’s important we hang onto that talent. You don’t want to put three or five years of work into them and then see them picked off by other clubs.
“We have a group of guys in the category of 50-70 NRL games so they are coming into their best footy … and we need to capitalise on that.”
Originally published as NRL news: Brisbane Broncos eyeing premiership as local talent blossoms
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