Anthony Seibold faces a daunting task taking over from Wayne Bennett at the Broncos.
After losing three experienced forwards in Josh McGuire, Sam Thaiday and Korbin Sims, the Broncos forwards are largely young and inexperienced players, albeit with great potential.
Anthony Seibold will also need to erase the memory of the Broncos 18-48 defeat to the Dragons in their last game of 2018 in the elimination final at their home ground of Suncorp Stadium.
The young guns in the Broncos forwards are more renowned for their attack than their defence, but it is defence that will be key to being competitive in 2019.
Seibold, after his recent swap from Souths, has recognised the problem in the Broncos forward pack with the acquisition of Cowboys defensive forward Shaun Fensom. Andrew McCullough and Matt Gillett are the only other experienced forwards in the Broncos roster.
Matt Lodge played well in his first season with the Broncos last year, as did Tevita Pangai Junior, but it is a big ask to expect the likes of Joe Ofahengaue, Jaydn Su’A, David Fifita, Payne Haas and Kotoni Staggs to deliver week after week in the NRL premiership.
The Broncos face a tough draw generally, playing the Storm, Cowboys, Roosters, Sharks, Rabbitohs, Warriors, Titans, Eels and Bulldogs twice.
The Broncos also face a very tough start to the 2019 season, meeting Melbourne at AAMI Park, North Queensland at Suncorp Stadium and St George Illawarra at Suncorp in the opening three rounds. Memories of their elimination-final defeat to the Dragons will be fresh in players’ minds. Round 4 will then see them face 2018 premiers Sydney at the SCG.
If the Broncos cannot salvage at least one win from the first four matches, they may lose confidence, especially if they suffer any early big defeats.
There will be few easy matches in 2019 for the Broncos forward pack, with teams such as the Newcastle Knights, Gold Coast Titans, St George Illawarra Dragons and Canberra Raiders all boasting big experienced packs capable of putting severe pressure on the young Broncos forwards.
I’m predicting a long season for the Broncos in which they’ll struggle to make the finals.
Mick
Guest
Seantice get your facts right the Broncos finished close to the bottom of the stats for penalties received so your comment is meaningless and pointless
Mick
Guest
Actually it's not fact it's fiction Brisbane finished down the bottom of the stats for penalties received so you and that goober need to get your facts right
William W
Roar Rookie
Ignorance? No, it is a fact mate.
Walter Penninger
Roar Guru
The rookies for the Broncos have to perform in year 2, but even if they do experienced teams will wack them at the end of the season.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
You might want to reword your comment about the big experienced Raiders forward pack. Big Shannon Boyd and the even bigger Junior Paulo are gonski. Will be interesting to see how the stripped down - more mobile Raiders pack goes. Getting back to topic re the chances for the Broncos this season. Jeez - who knows? They have Bird and Gillett fit again which will be a real bonus but haven't recruited any big names. Given both of them hardly played a game last year you could consider them recruits. Shaun Fensom will be serviceable and tackle all day but doesn't bend the line much. But the Broncos have a production line of young forwards available so it will be interesting to see how they go. TPJ is a beast and should go to another level this season. And both Milford and Nikorima can be match winners and MIA the next. They can be devastating against a tiring defence. They just need a bit more consistency. I expect the Broncos to be competing for positions in the bottom 4 of the 8 along with about 8 other teams.
Glenn
Guest
You can always rely on the refs giving the Broncos 1 or 2 wins each year, particularly at Suncorp.
Cordial
Guest
They still haven't gotten over the Cowboys beating them. The Storm respond by winning it all after losing the year before, so your point hasn't been thought properly. They haven't been the same since the last premiership and they may never win one.
Peter Piper
Guest
I admire your confidence. Personally I cannot see them making the top 4. Top 8 yes but I reckon the top 4 will come from Roosters, Storm, Souths, Dragons, Panthers.
Johnno 2
Guest
Broncos backs lack defensive ability . Bird is not an NRL standard player , can't tackle , can't pass ,got no idea of positional play , doesn't cover and can't hold a pass. The opposition would target the centre parings as Bird and Roberts are not profissent defensive players. One can't expect Milford,Nico,Oates and Ossaka to cover for the centres inability. Bird will be found out again early and the sooner the Broncos tear up that contract the better. Pity he didn't follow Bennett to Souths , he may have got a game in the reserves , or better still go back to the grub team of the competition
Bunney
Roar Rookie
I'd like to see Bird play as a ball-playing lock. If being in the centre is too much defensively, you could bring him off the bench after the first 20 - I think he could handle that. Kotoni Staggs keeps getting mentioned as one of the Broncos young forwards brigade, but he's a centre - a big strong one with pace to burn. He can partner Roberts in the centres instead of Bird.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I don't wanna get my hopes up too much, but I can't see them failing bad enough to drop out of the 8
Emcie
Roar Guru
The whole Bird leaving the Sharks so he didn't have to play in the centres thing was a furphy. He was interviewed when he arrived at the Broncos and said that his preferred position was lock but that he'd been told by Bennett that he'd be playing in the centres (despite every journo and his dog saying that he'd been signed as a half). All last year Bird was apparently moving back (even before a ball was kicked) and it never panned out despite having every excuse to if he wanted. It doesn't seem to be anything other then media fueled rumormongering.
buttery
Roar Rookie
Gillo is back so he will put some starch in their defence but Seibold will have to work out a way to stop Lodge from going missing in the big games, when he played for Redcliffe in the preliminary final against the Sunshine Coast & when they played the Dragons last year he was MIA & I think it's time to put McCullough back to the Q. Cup & bring in Jake Turpin.
Walter Penninger
Roar Guru
I guess will have a good indication when the young Broncos forwards face the Titans big pack in their last trial match.
James
Guest
Hah you talk like the Storm aren’t having any fresh grand final memories. Every year Brisbane gets trashed in articles, last year it was the backline crisis, yet Brisbane was the only team to beat the Roosters twice. Face reality, Brisbane is a strong team
Greg
Guest
I reckon Bird will ask for and be granted a release sometime over the next 12 months. When he left the Sharks he said he did so because he didn't want to be stuck in the centres and also for the opportunity to play under Bennett. Bennett is now gone and he's stuck in the centres again, away from his friends and family in Sydney. He may well end up as 5/8 for the Eels.
peeeko
Roar Guru
Would love to see them miss the 8 but they look strong across the board. If the spine clicks they will challenge for top 4 easily Very strong squad
Emcie
Roar Guru
The Broncos have been predicted to miss the finals every season but '16 since Bennett last returned. Maybe it's personal bias but they look like a stronger squad then last year (taking injuries of Gillett and Bird into account) to me so I don't see why they'd be significantly worse the a side that tied for 5th spot. Sims and Thiaday weren't exactly reliable so not sure they'll be massive losses
Ghost Crayfish
Roar Pro
I'm cautiously optimistic. Our forward pack lacks experience and work rate in the middle, but Fensom is a good signing to help address that. In our other questionable areas, I think Darius Boyd looked better late last year and with a full injury-free pre-season, hopefully he'll be better again this year. In the halves, Milford and Nikorima are both classy and experienced players now, with plenty of rep footy under their belts. If they can get their combination working properly, they could be as good as any halves pairing around (a big IF but it is possible). Similarly, Bird is a quality footballer. Fit and motivated, he could be brilliant. So here's hoping... The coaching change was hamdled incredibly poorly, but in the end, I think we needed a change. Bennett had the team playing like talented strangers at times last year - disorganised but occasionally brilliant. With better defense and more coordinated attack, we can beat anyone.
Flexis
Roar Rookie
McCullough and Boyd offer plenty of game management. The halves offer plenty in attack. But because that doesn’t meet your expectations of the numbers on their back they’re the worst spine in the comp? You think Fifita and Pangai Jr lack penetration? Roberts won a few games almost single handedly last year. But at least we can agree that Isaako is a talent ;)