NRL 2020: Brisbane Broncos suffer incredible week from hell

The Broncos suffered an appalling week from hell as they endured a sex tape scandal, biosecurity breaches and on-field despair.

The Broncos are in a world of pain.

You could not script what the Brisbane Broncos have gone through in the past week.

Even before the NRL club conceded three times in the final 10 minutes to lose 36-26 to the Sharks in Round 12, it was already at its lowest ever ebb.

But Brisbane showed rock bottom was even further down.

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In the past seven days we’ve seen disgruntled stars looking for other clubs and quitting leadership groups, coaches and players breaking quarantine protocols and more on-field woes.

It’s amazing reading footy fans would never have thought possible involving a club that for so long has been a powerhouse of the NRL.

Here’s how the week from hell panned out for a team sitting second-last on the ladder.

1) KOTONI STAGGS’ SEX TAPE SCANDAL

On Tuesday last week, a sex tape featuring centre Kotoni Staggs was leaked without his consent.

Queensland Police were alerted and an 18-year-old woman was later charged with distributing a prohibited visual recording.

2) TEVITA PANGAI JR SHOPS HIMSELF AROUND

On Wednesday reports emerged gun second-rower Tevita Pangai Jr was shopping himself around to other clubs, looking for a way out of Brisbane.

Fox Sports NRL journalist James Hooper reported the 24-year-old picked up the phone personally and got in touch with Roosters supremo Nick Politis to suss out his options.

Once that news went public, Pangai jumped on Instagram to defend himself, saying there was nothing sinister going on.

“To clear things up I met Nick Politis a couple of years ago and we have stayed in touch,” Pangai wrote. “He is a good man and I was giving it to him about selling his Broncos shares, nothing more.”

Speaking on the Big League Wrap last night, Hooper labelled that excuse “garbage”.

3) ALFIE’S BIG MISTAKE

Who would have thought there’d be a day when Allan Langer wouldn’t be allowed to have a beer at the Caxton.

Next was Broncos trainer and club legend Allan Langer being forced into a “COVID hold” after breaching coronavirus protocols.

Langer, along with two other staffers, were fined and sent into quarantine after leaving the “bubble” and going for a birthday beer at a private room at Brisbane’s Caxton Hotel.

The breach meant Langer and Co. were not allowed to travel to Sydney for the game against Souths on Friday night.

4) SAME OLD STORY ON GAME DAY

The Broncos lost their 10th game from 11 starts since the season restarted in late May from its coronavirus-enforced hiatus, going down 28-10 to the Rabbitohs.

Coach Anthony Seibold praised his side’s improved resilience but that claim was mocked by commentators after his side let in two of the softest tries you’ll see at NRL level.

Souths forward Mark Nicholls rolled over from a standard hit-up 10m out from Brisbane’s tryline and Tom Burgess did the same in the second half, pushing through poor attempted tackles.

Fox League commentator Braith Anasta said of the Broncos: “If anything I think they took a step back, so I wouldn’t say it is their most resilient performance. I think last week (against the Sharks) was their best, so there is still a lot of work to be done.”

5) SEIBOLD SIDELINED BY FAMILY EMERGENCY

On Saturday the cub confirmed Seibold had stayed in Sydney after the loss on Friday night instead of travelling back to Brisbane with the rest of the team because of a “serious family matter”.

Seibold will need to spend two weeks in self-isolation from the moment he returns to Queensland, meaning the Broncos will be without their head coach for the next two games against the Raiders and Dragons.

Anthony Seibold had personal issues to deal with on top of his professional woes.

6) DARIUS BOYD QUITS THE LEADERSHIP GROUP

It emerged on Saturday night veteran Darius Boyd had quit the leadership group because of a communication breakdown with Seibold.

The Broncos’ most experienced player was reportedly fed up with his ideas and advice not being taken on board, and there are suggestions he was unhappy at routinely being played out of position at left centre despite asking to play in his preferred spot at fullback.

Boyd, who will retire at the end of the season, has played more than 300 NRL games as well as 28 Origins for Queensland and 23 Tests for Australia.

7) ‘DISGRACEFUL’: TEVITA IN MORE TROUBLE

Pangai’s problems continued when he was outed for breaking biosecurity protocols on the weekend, resulting in him being stood down for two weeks as he goes into self-isolation.

Less than 24 hours after returning to Sydney, he went out and mingled with members of the public — which is a breach of the rules.

Pangai went to the opening of a barber shop in Brisbane with links to the Mongols bikie gang. Police conducted a search of the premises and, noticing Pangai, alerted his presence to the NRL.

There is no suggestion Pangai did anything illegal, but it was a bad look being out and about when the forward should have been at home.

James Hooper said “the stupidity just beggars belief from Tevita” while ex-NRL star Michael Ennis also ripped in.

“It’s incredible selfishness,” he said on the Big League Wrap. “It reeks of him not giving a rat’s a**e about the club at the moment.”

Broncos legend Shane Webcke told Seven News Pangai’s breach was “quite disgraceful” and “inexcusable”.

Tevita Pangai Junior was in the headlines twice in one week.