NRL 2022: Brisbane Broncos will have to get to finals the hard way
The Brisbane Broncos have arguably the toughest draw of any team in 2022 – but there’s a silver lining and reason to hope, writes Chris Honnery.
Brisbane’s season opening clash against South Sydney shapes as an all-important blockbuster if they are to reach their goal of making finals in 2022.
The Broncos’ season draw was released on Tuesday, with one of the tougher tasks in the competition to make the top eight.
Brisbane have been handed a draw which will see them play 2021 finalists the Storm, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Eels and Knights twice in the one year.
In contrast, the Titans – who finished eighth in 2021 – only have to play the Sea Eagles, Eels and Knights on two occasions.
The Broncos also play a total of 14 matches against last season’s top eight teams – the most of any team in the competition.
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However, they do have a favourable home ground advantage to kick off their campaign with seven of their first 10 games played on Brisbane and Redcliffe soil.
A tantalising Round 1 clash against 2021 grand finalists South Sydney will kick off their season and shapes as a blockbuster matchup to start their season off on the right foot.
The Bulldogs (wooden spoon), Cowboys (15th) and Warriors (12th) round out the Broncos first month of football, with each shaping to be winnable matches for Brisbane.
A win over the Sea Eagles at Suncorp Stadium in Magic Round, a win over the Titans in Round 12 at home and a Round 24 blockbuster against Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium could prove to be the games which make or break Brisbane’s season.
EARLY PREDICTIONS FOR BRONCOS 2022 SEASON
Round 1: v Rabbitohs, Suncorp Stadium – Might lose*
Rd 2: v Bulldogs, Stadium Australia – Might win
Rd 3: v Cowboys, Suncorp Stadium – Might win
Rd 4: v Warriors, Moreton Daily Stadium – Might win
Rd 5: v Roosters, Suncorp Stadium – Might lose
Rd 6: v Panthers, BlueBet Stadium – Might lose
Rd 7: v Bulldogs, Suncorp Stadium – Might win
Rd 8: v Sharks, Suncorp Stadium – Too close to call
Rd 9: v Rabbitohs, Stadium Australia – Might lose
Rd 10: v Sea Eagles, Suncorp Stadium – Might lose*
Rd 11: v Knights, McDonald Jones Stadium – Too close to call
Rd 12: v Titans, Suncorp Stadium – Might win*
Rd 13: Bye
Rd 14: v Raiders, Suncorp Stadium – Too close to call
Rd 15: v Storm, AAMI Park – Might lose
Rd 16: v Cowboys, Queensland Country Bank Stadium – Too close to call
Rd 17: v Dragons, Suncorp Stadium – Might win
Rd 18: v Titans, Cbus Super Stadium – Might lose
Rd 19: v Eels, CommBank Stadium – Might lose
Rd 20: v Tigers, Suncorp Stadium – Might win
Rd 21: v Roosters, Sydney Cricket Ground – Might lose
Rd 22: v Knights, Suncorp Stadium – Too close to call
Rd 23: v Storm, Suncorp Stadium – Might lose
Rd 24: v Eels, Suncorp Stadium – Too close to call*
Rd 25: v Dragons, Netstrata Jubilee Stadium – Might win
*Crucial games
‘WE’RE THRILLED': ENTERTAINING TITANS HANDSOMELY REWARDED
– Travis Meyn
Gold Coast Titans have been given a saloon passage to secure back-to-back finals appearances after being handed the draw of dreams by the NRL for 2022.
The Titans were celebrating the release of next year’s season schedule on Tuesday which has given them a golden opportunity to make consecutive play-offs appearances.
After breaking a five-year finals drought this year by finishing eighth under coach Justin Holbrook, the Titans have few excuses not to finish in next season’s top eight.
The only 2021 top eight teams they will face twice in 2022 are the Sea Eagles, Eels and Knights.
That means the Titans will not have to play powerhouse clubs the Panthers, Storm, Rabbitohs and Roosters twice.
In contrast, the Brisbane Broncos, who finished 14th last season and claimed the wooden spoon in 2020, have to face the Storm, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Eels and Knights twice in 2022.
Titans CEO Steve Mitchell said the club was happy with the draw they had been handed.
“It’s a great draw, we’re thrilled with the outcome,” he said.
“We’ve got some really great match-ups in good time zones.
“We’ve got an extra free-to-air game which takes us to seven for the regular season. Our NRLW side has got four Channel 9 games in their schedule which is phenomenal for their exposure.
“The way Justin has got the team playing, it’s an entertaining style and the audiences are showing that. The broadcasters are rewarding us.
“With that comes an expectation. People want to see us win. We’re happy with that, that’s where we want to be.”
The Titans will kick off their 2022 campaign against the Eels in Parramatta before hosting the Warriors at Cbus Super Stadium in Round 2, where their NRLW side will play the Broncos.
The Eels are the only 2021 top eight team they face in the opening four rounds, with games against the Warriors, Raiders and Tigers giving the Titans an opportunity to start the season well.
The Titans will host defending premiers Penrith in Round 8 – their only game against this year’s champions – before facing the Roosters in Mackay.
They will come up against the Dragons in Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium and face the Broncos in Round 12 (Suncorp) and Round 18 (Cbus) – either side of the State of Origin series.
The Titans will head to New Zealand to face the Warriors in the final round of the regular season.
Mitchell said the club’s Round 2 match-up against the Warriors would be a highlight on the home game calendar.
“The Warriors is going to be hard to top,” he said.
“We get such a big contingency of Kiwi supporters that come to that game.
“We’ve had a great year from an audience point of view. We’ve had more audience growth than any franchise in the country.
“To top that next year will take some work but getting an extra free-to-air game helps.”
Reduced travel schedule delights Cowboys
– Chris Honnery
North Queensland’s haul of frequent flyer points will fall in 2022 but they have the chance to climb the NRL ladder after being handed a Queensland-centric draw.
The Cowboys – one of the most-travelled teams in the competition – will leave Queensland for only seven games next season as they look to use their Sunshine State advantage to bounce back from consecutive bottom-eight finishes.
The draw is a coup for the 10 per cent of Cowboys fans who travel more than 400km to attend a home game, and the 30 per cent of supporters who journey more than 100km.
Cowboys hierarchy asked for more Saturday afternoon and evening games to accommodate their travelling fan base and the NRL has delivered.
Seven of the 12 home games are scheduled for those times, with the rest at Queensland Country Bank Stadium to be played on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.
Cowboys CEO Jeff Reibel said the draw would aid the players’ welfare and recovery.
“There’s no secret we’re the most travelled team in the NRL,” Reibel said.
“When you’re based in North Queensland it’s part of what we do, but to be able to cut that travel down is an important thing for (the players).
“Also, no five-day turnarounds, that’s something that’s quite important as well.
“Mixing that with our trip up to Darwin and with the right flight schedules, we can get home sooner and give the guys one more day of recovery as well.”
Other notable games include a Townsville ANZAC Round clash against the Titans on April 23 in a nod to the city’s military connection, and the Cowboys’s first-ever game at the Sydney Cricket Ground on August 13 against the Roosters.
The Cowboys only play three of last season’s top-four sides once, with the exception of premiers Penrith. The second clash will come in the final round of the season.
Reibel said it was vital for North Queensland to start the season in good form.
“You’re going to have to play every team and the fact we get to start with the Bulldogs into Canberra, and then to the Broncos into the Chooks, that will be a start that we will welcome,” Reibel said.
“At the back end of the year, we’ve got three away games in a row, one in Bundaberg and the other two in Sydney so it’s important we get off to a decent start.”
Dream draw gives Broncos no excuses for finals failure
– Peter Badel and Chris Honnery
Kevin Walters’ hopes of a 2022 finals fightback have received a boost with the Broncos to start the premiership with a bumper home draw – including a Sunday derby showdown with the Cowboys.
News Corp can reveal the Broncos and Cowboys will square off in round three in the first Sunday clash between the 2015 grand final foes at Suncorp Stadium in almost two decades.
The most recent Sunday Suncorp clash between the Queensland arch-rivals came in 2006 – Brisbane’s last premiership triumph – when the Cowboys flogged the Broncos 36-4 in the season opener.
The Broncos have requested more Sunday games and the NRL has delivered by pitting Brisbane against their Townsville rivals at 4pm on March 27 at Suncorp.
Walters will be rapt with Brisbane’s draw for a season that will make or break his tenure as Broncos coach.
It is understood seven of the Broncos’ opening 10 games will be on Brisbane soil, including five Suncorp home matches in the first eight rounds.
Walters is under pressure to deliver a finals campaign next season and the NRL’s draw will give the Broncos every chance of a flying start to the premiership.
Aside from playing Souths in round one in key recruit Adam Reynolds’ Broncos debut against his former club, Brisbane will face wooden spooners the Bulldogs twice in the first seven rounds.
In another boost, the Broncos face premiers Penrith just once – an away clash on Good Friday in round six.
The Broncos effectively have another home game in round 10 against Manly during Magic Round before another Suncorp fixture against the Titans in round 12.
The Broncos are tipped to make the finals in 2022 and the NRL draw has given Walters’ troops no excuses in their quest for playoffs redemption.
The Broncos are expecting to be close to full strength when the 2022 campaign kicks off as their gruelling pre-season got underway on Monday with fitness assessments and the dreaded Yoyo beep test.
Payne Haas, Kotoni Staggs, Jake Turpin and even new recruit Reynolds were at Red Hill on Monday morning for Brisbane’s first day back at training.
Staggs (knee), Haas (ankle) and Turpin (jaw) have all recovered from off-season injuries.
“We didn’t start the year too great last year with Kotoni out injured, Pat Carrigan was out, Payne Haas missed the first three games with suspension,” Walters said.
“We expect to start 2022 virtually at full strength.
“Tom Flegler won’t be available because he’s got a few weeks (suspension) to serve but everyone else will be right to go, which we didn’t have last year.”
Reynolds was among the first to arrive as he prepares to officially start training as a Bronco in December.
Fellow recruits Kurt Capewell and Ryan James will also have another few weeks off before joining the main group for pre-season training, but Walters said their impending arrival had already created a buzz.
“From a coaching point of view, our players are going to learn a lot from these players,” he said.
“Not only from the way they train, but also from the way they prepare for games and how they conduct themselves away from rugby league.
“That’s been the void at the Broncos for the last couple of years, that lack of leadership given the age of the playing group
“I’m really excited about what lies ahead for these guys.
“They’ve had two years now of playing in the NRL so they have the experience on the field but they also have to learn best preparations for training and for games and make sure they’re doing that week in and week out.
“Adam, Kurt and Ryan have been doing that for about 10 years.”
Walters to push limits after landmark deal
Broncos coach Kevin Walters has vowed to push his players to new limits this pre-season as the playing group kick off their 2022 premiership campaign on Monday.
Fresh from agreeing to a landmark coaching contract at the Broncos, Walters admitted he is excited for the pre-season ahead and declared a finals berth next season is not just a hope, but an expectation.
Around 15 players, including Kotoni Staggs, Patrick Carrigan and Tyson Gamble, will be down at Red Hill on Monday morning for their first official day of pre-season training.
The Monday session is set to be a testing day for the players to see where each one measures in fitness and strength exercises, before things get a lot more difficult over the summer months.
Walters said the coaching staff are preparing a gruelling pre-season training schedule to push the players to be better, while cautiously making sure they don’t break down ahead of Round 1.
“The pre-season is an extremely valuable time for players and staff,” Walters said.
“It sets up the year as such and this one will be no different.
“I’m sure they’re all looking forward to a tough pre-season but an enjoyable one.
“To get better, you have to play harder so we’ll certainly be training a lot harder but smarter as well.
“We need to be smart with our players and our performance staff have been really good in that space.
“We want to push our players as much as we can without breaking them.
“To have a good pre-season, you don’t want 12 or so players watching from the sideline.
“It’s a real art in it and we’ve got some great staff at the Broncos so they really need to push them but keep them running and keep them match fit.”
The Broncos have recruited well leading into pre-season, with South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds and premiership winner Kurt Capewell headlining a list of new recruits.
And with those names comes an expectation of being competitive and a top eight finish — a goal Walters is not shying away from.
“That’s the expectation,” Walters said of playing finals footy next year.
“Not just to make the finals, but it’s my expectation, along with the players and the staff, to put us back on the front pages for the right reasons and not the back pages.
“I’m really excited to get back to work this week and get stuck into pre-season.”
The Titans meanwhile hosted their train-and-trial contracted players at Parkwood last week before the main squad joins them on Thursday to officially start their season.
The Cowboys wasted no time either this year with their pre-season training kicking off last Friday as they look to turn around a disappointing 2021 campaign.
BRONCOS MAKE HUGE CALL ON KEV CONTRACT
Kevin Walters has backed himself to revive Brisbane as a premiership force after agreeing to a landmark new contract that gives the Broncos the power to sack him without facing a major financial hit.
News Corp can reveal Walters will be placed on a standard employment contract based strictly on performance – including lucrative incentives for on-field success. As part of the deal, the club has given Walters the licence to go shopping and bolster his football department.
While NRL coaches have traditionally signed deals ranging from two to five years, Walters is happy to waive a fixed contract period and will be judged solely on his week-to-week performance at the Broncos.
“I’m not expecting any favours from anyone here,” Walters said ahead of Brisbane’s official return to pre-season on Monday.
His original two-year contract, brokered in September 2020, will be rescinded. Instead, Walters will sign a revised open-ended employment contract, with no fixed term, that will see him assessed like any other office employee at the Broncos.
The restructured deal will include performance bonuses for Walters should he steer the Broncos to the finals, the top four or the club’s first premiership in 15 years.
But there is no five-year buffer enjoyed by his predecessor Anthony Seibold, who subsequently received a $1.5 million payout after parting ways with the Broncos just two seasons into his $3m-plus deal.
Walters’ management has been in negotiations with Broncos bosses in recent weeks to modify his employment terms.
Under the terms of the new employment contract, the Broncos must give Walters a period of notice, believed to be at least three months, should they wish to terminate the Brisbane legend.
There is a view the traditional coaching contract is heavily weighted against NRL clubs, who are regularly subjected to multimillion-dollar termination payouts.
The Broncos are also eager to avoid incessant media speculation over the future of Walters, who was originally off-contract during the 2022 premiership.
The Broncos coach is confident he can deliver and says his best form of security is to win consistently in his quest to deliver Brisbane’s first premiership since 2006.
“I have to perform,” Walters said.
“Every club has to get results and we’re no different.
“I’ve said for a while I want to be here long term and I intend to do that. But I’m not a fool either. I’m not kidding myself. It’s about getting results and I need to get results to stay in the role which is pretty clear.
“I want to be here for longer. We’ve had some player movement which hasn’t provided stability and what the Broncos need is stability across the playing group and the coaching staff.
“I never saw myself as a short-term appointment. I want to be here for a while, but to do that everybody at the Broncos has to perform and I’m no different.”
The deal is not all skewed towards the Broncos. Currently on a salary of $400,000, Walters will earn major bonuses if he meets Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), such as making the playoffs.
The Broncos have also told Walters he has unlimited resources to hire as many staff as he needs to ensure Brisbane hit back as a regular finals and premiership contender after finishing last and third last in the past two seasons.
Walters’ agent Chris Orr confirmed the proposed new arrangement which could change the way NRL clubs broker future coaching contracts.
“The Broncos want Kevvie to be their long-term successful coach,” he said.
“The Broncos are looking to throw all their support around Kevvie by increasing resources, whilst taking away any contractual questions by entering an employment agreement.
“This means Kevvie will be rewarded on results whilst also increasing stability across the club.”
The Broncos have overhauled their entire contracting mentality over the past 12 months.
Under previous management, a stable of Broncos stars had deals beefed-up by player options and Brisbane’s new regime, led by CEO Dave Donaghy and chairman Karl Morris, have moved to abolish potentially expensive player-option clauses.
Donaghy and Broncos head of football Ben Ikin are on standard contracts with no fixed term of employment.
Walters enters his second season of NRL coaching in 2022 and the reality is he faces the sack if the Broncos miss the finals for a third consecutive season.
But Brisbane’s strong recruitment drive, which has netted premiership duo Adam Reynolds and Kurt Capewell, has given Donaghy confidence Walters will steer the Broncos back into finals contention.
“We’re in discussions with Kevin, so I’d prefer not to (comment) for now,” Donaghy said.
“Look, Kev’s our coach. He’s our guy and he’s determined to succeed.
“There’s been quite a bit of change here in recent times, but we feel that with a number of things falling into place, the opportunity exists to build on where we currently are.
“We’ve prioritised investment in our football program and supporting our coach, staff and players.
“The growth I’ve seen in Kev as a coach and in the program led by Ben Ikin (head of football) has been tremendous.
“The pre-season starts Monday and we believe the group led by Kev will continue to grow on the gains we saw at the back end of last season.
“It’s for them to do, but I’ve got the confidence and belief in them that they will.”
“There’s real value in stability and continuity. I’ve been really impressed with Kevvie in the last three to four months. He’s certainly grown.”
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