NRL 2020: Roosters rout ‘not up to NRL standard’ Broncos as legends pile on

After a long week where their coach made his long expected exit, the Brisbane Broncos have once again been panned for a horror result.

An all too familiar look for the Broncos.

The Sydney Roosters have added to the Brisbane Broncos’ dire week with a 58-12 win at the SCG.

The week could almost not end quickly enough for the Broncos after the saga of coach Anthony Seibold at the club finally came to an end.

Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership. Every game of every round Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

But any hope of the Broncos turning it all around for their caretaker coach Peter Gentle quickly evaporated as the Roosters piled on the points, while hardly looking like they got out of second gear.

The Broncos’ only bright spot is that at least the Roosters didn’t beat the 59-0 record they set against Brisbane earlier in the season.

“Some of the tries tonight and some of the tries the Broncos have had scored on them this year have been from poor structure in defence but tonight it’s just one-on-one misses. That is just not up to NRL standard,” NRL legend Andrew Johns said as Roosters winger Daniel Tupou completed an expansive attacking raid down the left side.

“They’re arm-grabbing, not getting their shoulders in. And for the Roosters you get the feeling there’s more points to come.”

The Sydney Roosters ran up a cricket score at the SCG.

Fox League’s Greg Alexander was equally scathing.

“There was some pretty ordinary defence, they’re not sitting in 16th but they should be,” Alexander said.

“They’re the worst side in the competition … 59-0 against the Roosters, 48-0 the Tigers beat them at Leichhardt, 46-8 the Storm got them, 58-12 tonight.

“We spoke about Brisbane’s chances coming into this game and I think the betting in the game was the most a side had ever been paying.

“I think it was outrageous what the Broncos were paying to win the game. That was right.

“I was asked if we would see improvement in the second half. The Roosters ran in six second-half tries, so the Broncos’ season is over and honestly, I don’t know how they get through a week and front up for a game when they know this is on the cards.”

Broncos caretaker coach Peter Gentle said “we’re not going to serve that up for the next four weeks”.

“We need to be better than that,” he said. “We don’t help ourselves with the ball, and we’re just compounding it in defence. It doesn’t matter who you play, and they’re a fair side too, we need to be better than that.”

Gentle also refused to give the team an excuse that the Seibold exit hurt it’s preparation.

He was right as the Roosters brought up the half century with seven minutes remaining.

Superstar fullback James Tedesco was at his scintillating best, scoring a try and orchestrating the demolition from the back.

He had five try assists, four line break assists, 10 tackle busts and 23 runs for 203m with the reigning Dally M Medallist showing why he’s in the conversation – if not leading it – for the best player in the league.

It’s the second time the Roosters have passed 50 against the Broncos in the clubs’ head-to-head history, both happening this season.

But the Broncos once again had no answers.

Definitely no answers.

Alexander said the season had sent the Broncos’ confidence plummeting to new depths.

“Honestly, they’ve just been battered,” he said. ”We’re not in Brisbane, can you imagine the pressure and media scrutiny on those players and I think it’s just worn them down.

“The pressure on the coach, everything about this season has just added to what we’ve seen. A team that’s used to losing, it just becomes a habit.”

Social media had no mercy for the Broncos.

Is there a mercy rule for a season? Can we just let the Broncos go on leave now? #NRLRoostersBroncos

— Veronica Eggleton (@veggleton) August 28, 2020

This Broncos team just has to finish with the wooden spoon.

They genuinely deserve the honour.

Absolutely diabolical stuff tonight#NRLRoostersBroncos

— Sam Phillips (@samphillips06) August 28, 2020

The Broncos have plenty of players with potential but they’re just far too young and inexperienced to be expected to make any sort of impact against opposition like this. It’s men against boys. #NRLroostersbroncos

— James Smith (@JamesSmith1001) August 28, 2020

At least it’s not 59-0 🤷‍♂️ #nrl

— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) August 28, 2020