The Brisbane Broncos, Gold Coast Titans and North Queensland Cowboys are winning the games they need to win when they need to win them but, even if they do make the eight, none of them can win the NRL premiership this year or in the near future.
Brisbane Broncos
A business associate of mine goes to the gym every morning with a former NRL player, and I’m fortunate enough to share in some of the opinions and conversations that are had.
One observation is that there has been a severe culture shift since Anthony Griffin has taken the reins at Red Hill.
Following the win over the Cowboys in North Queensland a couple of rounds ago, the Broncos’ change rooms saw celebrations akin to that of a grand final win – complete with singing and dancing.
Granted the win was preceded by three losses on the trot but it would be hard to imagine such celebrations in such a situation to have taken place under Wayne Bennett or even Ivan Henjak.
There would have been a couple of pats on the back but Bennett would have drilled into the team that one win was just that – one win.
The Broncos seem to have lost much maturity over the past five years and their recruitment policy doesn’t help the cause.
Gold Coast Titans
The Gold Coast Titans have boasted a strong and ever-improving roster since their inception and had many people talking when they finished in the top four for two consecutive years (’09 and ’10).
They collected the wooden spoon in 2011 and have since struggled to string consistent seasons of footy together.
They have been playing well in patches this season and it doesn’t help that three of their best players (Jamal Idris, Dave Taylor and Albert Kelly) are currently out due to injury, but even when they have been at full strength this season they’ve been unable to capitalise.
John Cartwright is a talented coach, no doubt, but surely a coach whose team has only made the preliminary finals once in six years with the players the Titans have possessed needs to at least be put under the microscope.
North Queensland Cowboys
Although Neil Henry comes across as an extremely genuine bloke, 100% committed to the Cowboys, the prolonged heartache his team has caused for its fans was enough for him to be shown the door.
I feel for him but I tend to agree with the decision to let him go.
The Cowboys can play unbeatable football when Johnathan Thurston is in form but have never had ball players of his ilk around which to build consistent premiership charges.
Their peak to date came in 2005, when they finished fifth in the regular season to come within a whisker of stealing a fairytale maiden premiership.
Following Graham Murray’s resignation, the Cowboys struggled on the park and haven’t been consistent contenders since.
Until the Titans and Cowboys become consistent footy teams and the Broncos gain experience and have a pair of experienced halves to run off, they will continue to finish the season as also-rans.
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