Darren Lockyer: Adam Reynolds has the Allan Langer magic to break Brisbane’s title drought
Brisbane’s last premiership captain Darren Lockyer believes the Broncos are primed to smash the club’s 17-year title hoodoo - and it’s all thanks to one man.
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Brisbane’s last premiership captain Darren Lockyer says Kevin Walters’ class of 2023 are title ready and has hailed Adam Reynolds as the modern-day Allan Langer who can steer the Broncos to the holy grail.
The Broncos are mired in the longest premiership drought in their history and 17 years of failure has intensified pressure on Brisbane to reclaim the NRL trophy Lockyer famously hoisted in their 2006 triumph.
But, almost two decades later, Lockyer says the Broncos are primed to smash their premiership hoodoo.
Brisbane head into Saturday night’s clash against the Raiders at Suncorp Stadium flying high on top of the league with a perfect 5-0 record and Lockyer declared the Broncos are on the cusp of a title-winning ‘Kevolution’.
Asked if Brisbane can win the NRL premiership this year, 355-game club icon Lockyer, now a Broncos board member, was unequivocal.
“While you have a half like Adam Reynolds I think it creates an opportunity,” said Lockyer, who won four Broncos premierships in 1997-98, 2000 and 2006.
“Then you throw in people like Payne Haas, Reece Walsh, Herbie Farnworth ... there is a (premiership) window there, no doubt.
“We haven’t gone 5-0 for 25 years so there are some really good signs.
“If all the troops stay fit I think that scoring points is not going to be an issue. It is just making sure they stop the opposition scoring.
“Defence has been the focus in the off-season and they just need to remind themselves that has to be the focus every week.
“They are all playing really good football at the moment. They have just got to keep their feet on the ground and know every week is a difficult week, and this week against the Raiders is no different.”
Langer, Brisbane’s greatest halfback, was the heartbeat of the Broncos’ golden empire, orchestrating the club’s watershed premiership win in 1992 before clinching another three titles.
Since Langer’s retirement in 2002, the Broncos have been searching for a title-winning talisman and Lockyer says Brisbane have finally found another Little Master in former Souths champion Reynolds.
Now in his second season at Red Hill, the 32-year-old plays his 27th game for the Broncos on Saturday night and Lockyer says Reynolds possesses a Langer-like influence.
“I think Adam Reynolds is the key to that (Brisbane winning the title) as well,” Lockyer said.
“I thought his kicking game kept us in the game against the Dragons (in round 3). I thought the same with his kicking game against the Dolphins (in round 4).
“I’m not saying take out Reynolds and we can’t win. I’m just saying he is one of those generational players like Allan Langer.
“While they are there you make the most of it.
“It was looking encouraging last year. I don’t think anyone thought we could win it last year but they thought we could play finals.
“Their confidence is good at the moment and they are working hard for each other.
“History shows you need to be in that top four to have a shot at the title. When we get to the Origin period hopefully we are sitting in a good position on the ladder, which allows us to get through that period and re-evaluate after the Origin series.”
Broncos coach Walters, Langer’s former partner-in-crime, said the $2.4 million purchase of Reynolds has transformed the club.
“Adam’s football brain is exceptional,” Walters said.
“It is like having another coach out on the field and younger playmakers, particularly Ezra Mam, Reece Walsh and Jock Madden, are all benefiting from having ‘Reyno’ here.
“That’s why we brought him to the Broncos, to pass on that knowledge and be a match-winner and he has been great in that space.”
BIG MAM: EZRA REVEALS JT INSPIRATION
A bulked-up Ezra Mam has revealed how some mentoring from NRL legend Johnathan Thurston helped turn the Broncos whizkid from a “passenger” into one of the most dangerous attacking weapons in the game.
Tired of being targeted by bigger opponents, Mam says he has put on 5kg of muscle and the extra bulk has underpinned his sublime form ahead of Brisbane’s clash against Canberra on Saturday night.
Mam runs onto Suncorp Stadium as one of the form Broncos of the 2023 season, with the five-eighth’s combination with halfback Adam Reynolds and fullback Reece Walsh firing Brisbane to a perfect 5-0 start.
But Mam’s tenure in the No.6 jumper has not been without moments of turbulence.
Even though he was named Brisbane’s rookie-of-the-year last season, Mam’s excellent 13-game contribution in 2022 finished on a sombre note as NRL ball-runners made a beeline for the teenager in defence in the Broncos’ late-season capitulation.
Determined not to be a liability in defence, Mam has muscled-up - literally - following an off-season weights program that has given the Indigenous ace the confidence to also impose himself in attack.
“To be honest, I feel like I was a passenger last year, so I wanted to make a change this year,” Mam said.
“It was great to make my debut but, being so young, the week in, week out footy became hard for me.
“The contact and the collisions took a toll, so that’s the reason why I wanted to build my body up over the off-season, so I could take the collisions and I could be more consistent with my football.
“I was 82kg last year and now I’m sitting at around 87kg, so I’ve put on a bit of weight.
“It’s been a lot of effort in the gym, a lot of hard work.
“I feel like the boys have put trust in me this year and that’s made me more confident in attack and defence.”
Mam’s self-belief has been aided by memories of his first-ever encounter with his childhood heroes, former Cowboys dynamic duo Thurston and Matt Bowen.
Both Thurston and Bowen punched above their weight to become Origin and Test champions in the NRL’s Land of Giants and Mam, who turned 20 in January, says advice from ‘JT’ has eased the pressure valve of wearing the famous Broncos No.6 jumper.
“I met Matty Bowen and Johnathan Thurston at a carnival when I was 15 and I still remember the conversation I had with JT,” Mam said.
“Thurston basically said, ‘Make sure you have fun and if you have your life in order off the field, it can help you on it’.
“That’s been my approach and it’s working for me.”
After missing seven tackles against Penrith in round 1, Mam has fallen off just nine tackles in the four past games and has produced some venomous front-on shots.
“I like tackling people,” the Broncos pivot said.
“It’s more a mindset change.
“Last year I was a bit of a target, but I have worked hard in pre-season to build my defence and put more power into my defence.
“Defence was a heavy focus over the pre-season for all of us and with the players inside and outside of me, my decisions are getting better.
“I feel like if I get my defence right, then my attack will follow.”
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