Monday Buzz: Phil Rothfield’s highlights, lowlights | The attitude problem that is hurting the Brisbane Broncos
Some Broncos players are too busy lapping up the superstar adulation, letting their egos run wild and thinking they’re better than they actually are, an attitude which has them on the brink of missing finals. PHIL ROTHFIELD’s highlights and lowlights.
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The Broncos are about to miss the finals for the third time in four years as pressure mounts on coach Kevin Walters to quickly find a solution to their premiership capitulation.
Now you’re not about to read another sack-the-coach story.
Walters took this side to the grand final last year and went so close to snatching the trophy.
Yet the performance on Saturday afternoon was just terrible.
It is a coach’s job to ensure the footy side turns up on game day ready to play.
The Broncos weren’t ready.
With their season on the line they were out-enthused and out-energised.
Completely blown off their own home ground in front of more than 40,000 fans, some of whom got up and walked out as the scoreboard got more embarrassing.
I think they are gone. Absolutely shot to bits.
They are $51 to win the comp on the TAB but should be a million to one.
So if Kevvie’s job is safe, how do they fix this mess?
Your columnist is concerned about halfback Adam Reynolds.
He is the most wonderful campaigner but injuries are catching up with him.
They can’t afford Sam Walker because they already have Reece Walsh, Pat Carrigan, Payne Haas and Ezra Mam on big bickies. Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo don’t come cheap either.
More than anything else they need players with the mindset of the Canterbury Bulldogs.
They don’t have the best side in the NRL but there is not a tougher, hungrier or more fearless outfit in the competition – three ingredients the Broncos are desperately missing.
It’s easy to blame fatigue from State of Origin but this can come back to an attitude problem.
That some of their glamour players are wandering around town, lapping up the superstar adulation, egos out of control and thinking they are better than they actually are. This needs to change.
HIGHLIGHT
This column is normally all about rugby league but how can you go past golden girl Ariarne Titmus for your weekend highlight. What an out-and-out champion and such a magnificent advertisement for Australian sport.
LOWLIGHT
The Cronulla Sharks. This side has alarmingly fallen apart after promising so much at the beginning of the year. Addin Fonua-Blake can’t get to the Shire quick enough.
SHOOSH
Fresh from locking down Spencer Leniu on a contract extension, the Roosters are now close to doing an upgrade and new two-year deal with State of Origin utility star Connor Watson.
SHOOSH
We’re all for the NRL’s stringent rules on concussion, despite Manly centre Reuben Garrick insisting he was not concussed when forced off by the bunker medico with a category one on Saturday night against the Roosters. He did stumble coming out of a tackle. As much as it was tough on Manly, sometimes players need to be protected from themselves. They are too tough for their own good.
SHOOSH
We love the fact the NRL is looking at a wildcard round the week before the finals when we have a 20-team competition. This rewards the top-six sides by having a week off. And it makes the seventh and eighth placed sides have to play off with ninth and 10th to make the play-offs. It’s a great idea.
SPOTTED
You can’t blame one player for the Broncos’ capitulation against the Canterbury Bulldogs but five-eighth Ezra Mam’s poor defence didn’t help – he missed 10 tackles.
SPOTTED
There was one good result to come out of the Wests Tigers’ performance in Auckland on Friday. With betting agencies banned from having logos on jerseys in New Zealand, the Wests Tigers promoted Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, a cancer support organisation, on the back of their jumpers.
360 VIEW
Catch you tonight on NRL 360 on Fox League at 6.30pm with Braith Anasta, Gordie Tallis and James Hooper to discuss all the big issues from the weekend round.
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Originally published as Monday Buzz: Phil Rothfield’s highlights, lowlights | The attitude problem that is hurting the Brisbane Broncos
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