Brisbane have become premiership underdogs and that’s just how they like it

BRISBANE have become premiership underdogs ahead of the NRL season opener and that’s just how Wayne Bennett likes it.

Coach Wayne Bennett speaks with players during the Brisbane Bronco's training session at Red Hill in Brisbane, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017. The Bronco's will play the Cronulla Sharks in the season opener on Thursday. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO ARCHIVING

THE Broncos have slumped from outright premiership favourites in some markets on the flimsy evidence of one pre-season loss and now have four rival teams in front of them in markets.

Last weekend’s NRL preview magazines by The Courier-Mail and Sydney’s Daily Telegraph carried premiership tips from 28 staffers, ex-players and Fox Sports commentators and precisely one picked the Broncos.

None of the three ex-Broncos captains canvassed by The Courier-Mail, Kevin Walters, Gorden Tallis and Darren Lockyer, placed Brisbane in the top four.

Even a judge who is as sober with his forecasts as Peter Sterling reckons they will miss the eight.

And one Sydney newspaper reckons Wayne Bennett is losing his ability to connect with his young players.

Bennett has the Broncos just where he wants them.

So, you come to realise, Bennett has these Broncos exactly where he wants them — with less pressure, but with the us-against-them mindset that he has used over the years so successfully to motivate his teams.

“We always set our targets high and we always want to be a top-four team and get a home semi,’’ backrower Alex Glenn said as week one of the season counted down to Thursday’s clash with premiers Cronulla.

“We weren’t happy with how we finished last year (in the second week of the finals).

“We don’t look too much into those polls and predictions because we know anything can happen in a season. All we can control is how we train and how hard we play each week.’’

There are consistent themes you hear in why the Broncos might not be a frontline contender in Bennett’s third year.

Ben Hunt’s 2018 signing with the Dragons will be used a prime reason for a lack of success should the Broncos struggle this year, but players and clubs are fully attuned to the reality of NRL player movements.

There is serious pressure on Ben Hunt.

Whether Hunt, 27 next month, is a good enough game manager to lead the Broncos to the grand final again is another matter entirely.

If the Broncos struggle in the forwards in any game, some pundits will trace it back automatically to Corey Parker’s retirement.

“He is a massive loss to us. He was one of our workhorses,’’ Glenn said.

“It’s exciting at the same time. It gives some players an opportunity to play in a different spot.

“I look at someone like Tevita Pangai Jr in our forwards. He’s going to be one player everyone starts talking about soon. He’s played a lot of games for us and while he’s still a boy he has a lot of talent. He’s so powerful and can crush lines. He has a defensive game as well.’’

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Pangai, Jai Arrow or a revitalised Joe Ofahengaue are among the contingent of young forwards from whom Bennett needs at least one major improver in a season that starts with four matches against the four preliminary finalists from last season.

“We can really stamp our authority on the competition against the reigning premiers,’’ former skipper Sam Thaiday said.

“We want to knock the premiers off their perch and start the year well. As premiers everyone wants to beat you — the Cowboys found that out last year.’’

Originally published as Brisbane have become premiership underdogs and that’s just how they like it