In the Broncos versus Storm game on Friday, we saw something special – Brisbane were completely outplayed for the first time in a long time. Wayne Bennett was embarrassed. His post-match comments were a sign of his own denial.
For a few weeks now there have been signs that all is not right in Broncoland.
There was the Round 9 first-half performance against the Sharks, the Round 12 loss to Wests, the Round 13 Warriors man-handling, the Round 16 40-4 capitulation against the Bulldogs, and Friday night’s 48-6 flogging at home by the Storm.
Yes, Origin is on and Brisbane have put up six players. So what?
Bennett took off for a visit to the UK after Origin 1 to oversee the UK Test side, but you would have thought the team was in good hands while the coach was away.
As a fan, I’ve watched the team closely, and the weakness exposed by the Storm in the outside backs has been there for most of the season. When Corey Oates plays, the left-side defence performs better, but the right side leaks points. Since Jack Reed has been out, James Roberts’ pathetic defence, lazy plays when returning onside, his lack of urgency and any effort to tackle front-on has been exposed.
Fill-in winger Lachlan Maranta just hasn’t got it anymore. Alex Glen as a stop-gap centre is exposed every week he plays there, and still Bennett sticks with the same team.
Kodi Nikorima’s hesitation at dummy half while he ponders whether to run or not has all the support stopping on their run. Or, when he does pass, it is almost always misdirected. On Friday night, his true worth to this team was exposed. It was embarrassing and if the ranks of players wanting a shot are that thin, the team is really in trouble.
Last season, their run to the finals was built on defence, this season it’s now open season and the players look at each other to see who opens the gate. The halves are scared to run because other teams have closed them down. Ben Hunt’s defence is hesitant as he is half covering for Roberts. Anthony Milford needs Hunt to set him up, and it’s pure individual brilliance if they happen to fluke a try or two.
They will be lucky to make the eight on current form.
So why is coach Bennet in denial about this team’s performances? Why has he not sent Roberts down to the Queensland Cup with a stint in the forwards to toughen him up? Why has he allowed this weakness in defence out wide to continue? Is he distracted, or is his tactic to prove a point about how Origin weakens teams who offer up the most players?
On that score, the Broncos have six (Cory Parker, Josh McGuire, Sam Thaiday, Matt Gillet, Darius Boyd, Cory Oates), Cowboys five (Johnathan Thurston, Michael Morgan, Justin O’Neil, Matt Scott, Janes Tamou), Sharks four (Andrew Fifita, Paul Gallen, James Maloney, Jack Bird), Bulldogs three (Josh Morris, David Klemmer, Josh Jackson), Storm two (Cam Smith, Cooper Cronk), Tigers two (Aaron Woods, Robbie Farah), and a few other teams have one player away on Origin duty.
Of the six players Brisbane offer up to Origin, four are forwards, yet when watching the losses mentioned above, only the Bulldogs and Storm got the better of the Broncos’ forwards. This once again points to the backs as the problem.
Up until Round 8, the Broncos averaged 27.3 points scored per game, since Round 9, their average is 19.8. Defensively, up to Round 8 they had conceded an average of 10.1, since Round 9, that is now 27.
Set completions have fallen from 81.3 per cent to 75.87, missed tackles 7.6 per cent increased to 9.2 per cent, average run metres decreased from 9.2 to 9.0, tries scored decreased from 4.5 to 3.4.
The only positive stats are penalties conceded, 5.1 down to five, and errors, 8.6 down to 8.1.
The Origin and byes period started in Round 12 and runs to Round 19.
Before Origin 1 the Broncos played Tigers without their Origin players and lost 18-19. After Origin 1, they played the Warriors away three days later and lost 36-18.
Before Origin 2, they had a bye. After Origin 2, Brisbane played the Bulldogs away three days later and lost 40-4.
Before Origin 3 the Broncos get another bye. After Origin 3, they play the Rabbitohs away in Round 19, also three days later.
This draw obviously bleeds excuses for performances if you believe Bennett – he laid this platform pre-Origin.
Brisbane sit on 20 points with a bye in hand to sit in seventh place – although that would be sixth if the Eels had their points stripped.
In the coming weeks, the Broncos play: Rabbits away Round 19, Panthers at home Round 20, Roosters away Round 21, Dragons away Round 22, Parramatta home Round 23, Bulldogs home Round 24, Storm away Round 25, and Roosters home Round 26. On current form, none of those games are a lock for a win, except perhaps against the Eels.
All the other teams have tough forward packs, and given the weak defence on both edges, the Broncos are a stretch to make the eight this season.
I struggle with both the team’s performances, and Bennett’s inaction on players’ lack of performance. Other coaches will now be focused on this team’s weaknesses and they won’t be slow in taking advantage.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Anyone that has called for Roberts to be selected for origin this season has proved to me that they either haven't watched (m)any games or know stuff all about footy. He has been grim for most of the season - even when the Broncs were playing well. In a journeyman career stretching five or six seasons, he has shown flashes of briliance (with extended periods of disinterest) but really has had just one good, consistent season. His form this year has been terrible and he wouldn't be in my top half dozen centres to be picked for the blues.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Agreed Joe. It was the same in the Dogs game. The first half was as gripping a game of footy as you'd want to see. Both teams controlled the ball, made minimal errors but still moved the ball around. After six weeks of the season we were all ready to just have the Broncos and Cowbiys play off for the comp. The Broncos will come good in the lead in to the semis. Bennett is the master of timing his team's run. I reckon they're in the top paddock at the moment having a spell. Once origin is over they'll start training proper with intensity lifting to semi final time when they'll be cherry ripe.
Peeeko
Guest
Roberts in the forwards to toughen him up? Oh dear
Tom Rock
Expert
There was a rumour doing the rounds that the back 3 for the Broncos were having serious problems with their eyes. Apparently they had gotten retinal scarring from staring up into the luminous light towers at Suncorp stadium on a Friday evening too often. Everyone knows that players need a healthy balance of artificial and natural light to avoid this common yet largely unspoken footballing ailment. Yet until recently, this had never been a problem. Strange.
ThaiJohnno
Guest
Hunt is the guy who needs time in QLD cup to re-enforce to him just how lucky he is to be playing league for a living instead of doing 9-5 work. He has looked totally disinterested this year and needs a size 10 up his backside to wake him up to reality -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Jara W
Guest
The trophy was already engraved in May though.... Awkward!
ferret
Guest
Are the Broncos premiership material? No, not this year. Are they as bad as these couple of articles today suggest? Not by a long shot. On the first point the Broncos are about 2 big forwards short of a great pack. I think that's why Bennet is giving Pangai, Ofenhenague, Sua & Esse Esse a lot of game time this year. Quite often 3 of these youngsters are in the 17. The Broncos are also a couple of decent backs short. Having said that, the injuries this year to backs has been unprecedented and unpredictable. Reed is ordinary in attack but quite solid in defence. Kahu has missed a lot of time as has Oates. So no panic stations yet. The author needs to remember defence is also about trust in the player beside you. Most of this year the backs don't even know the bloke's name. Plus, for the past few weeks the edge forwards (eg Gillett) have been drained by SoO. They'll make the 8. After Para drops out who is going to replace them? The Titans? But they're not in the same ball park as NQ, Sharks or Storm (nor is anyone else).
The EYE-BALL Opinion
Roar Pro
I don't question Bennett's abilities as a coach, just his motives in allowing this team to play this badly. What is the real agenda here?
Joe
Roar Rookie
I think the Broncos can turn it around. They actually did well in the game especially the first 15 mins and the first half in general. As others in the media have pointed out if you looked at the stats of that game Broncos had more possession, more sets, more offloads 78% completion (94% at half time) and 8-4 penalty count. What the Storm did well as mentioned by Wayne and Bellamy is exploit Oates wing once he went off (Vunivalu 3 tries) and Milfords tendency to drift out in defence (Proctors try and Bromich break which led to Morgan try). The right edge defence of the Broncos though really needs a shake up as Blair had two easy tries there. Roberts looks great in attack but his defence needs a lot of work and Gillett looks like he's still got a hang over from Origin celebrations. I think the Dogs game as well might have been because there might have been a bit of celebration after the Origin series win and playing 3 days after that they were never going to get it together. Bellamy joked in the press conference after Tigers game that Smith couldn't remember anything from Thursday. After Origin they will probably make a run.
jamesb
Guest
"Fill-in winger Lachlan Maranta just hasn’t got it anymore." I don't think Maranta ever had it in the first place..
PNG Broncos fan88
Roar Guru
5th article and counting...keep them coming. Probably help push our premiership odds to double figures - not too bad at all $$$
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
Even Manly aren't playing this bad :P
Griffo
Guest
Just a quick point, the article says a couple of times that Canterbury beat the 40-4. It was actually 40-14. I think the Broncos will improve after origin finishes however I think what the weekend showed us is they are too far off the pace to challenge the top few teams. I think they'll make the finals and they're no better than fourth best, however finishing that high is unlikely at this stage. Some other teams in the top eight can cause an upset on their day but in terms of having the quality across the park and consistency of performance I believe no team outside the current top 3 can win the premiership.
P. Marlowe
Guest
There is still time to turn things around but they are going to need to do something quick. Some players are badly out of form (Blair, Hunt) while injuries to outside backs like Reed and Kahu has resulted in us fielding some very substandard players like Eden and Maranta over the last few weeks. I would not be surprised to see MacGuire and Gillett get some 'injuries' ahead of Origin 3. I don't think we can be completely written off but the performances almost seem to be getting worse.