What a difference a few months can make.
After starting the year with two wins from two starts, the Broncos were being talked up as premiership likelies along with the Raiders and Roosters. The young Broncos forwards seemed unstoppable and were being heralded as the best pack since the dominating Broncos teams of the ’90s.
Our Broncos had shown real promise, but the game plan was largely built on one-out running – large forwards cannon-balling into the defence, dominating in tackles and smothering the attack.
And then the world changed. On March 23 the NRL suspended the season due to the coronavirus pandemic, a break that was to last until May 28. When we emerged the game had changed. The NRL had decided to move from two referees to one, which included a decree to pursue a vision of faster moving games with less stoppages. Most importantly ruck infringements would be penalised with an automatic six-again call.
In the return round, it could be seen that the game was now favouring the mobile running forwards who could play long minutes and work all day in defence. Defensively, the players who were quick to recover and get back into the defensive line were thriving. In attack fortune was swinging the way of the creative ball players. Mitchell Moses, Luke Keary, Nathan Cleary and Cameron Munster were killing it, and even the old legs of Cameron Smith adapted well.
(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
There was much more space to use and the well trained structures and systems of teams were crumbling. The mindful players with game vision were exposing teams who lacked the ability to think and adapt on the fly. Successful sides had fast play the balls, bodies consistently in motion, and frequent offloads that kept pouring pressure on the defence often earning the rewards from the officials.
And so the Broncos were found out to be a one-trick pony. The dream had died and the new reality was apparent. Now, eight games into the new world, we have still not learnt the new style much akin to touch football. In a case of natural selection (eat or be eaten), the Broncos have failed to adapt, evolve, and change.
Yet we are seeing no humility from the players in the approach.
There is no doubt the Brisbane Broncos’ stocks are limited. The cattle yards are empty. There is certainly no next most likely to step up into any key position in the team at present. There is no superman to ignite some magic or provide some inspiration to a squad that looks tired, helpless and lost.
And yet it would seem this is no excuse in the cut-throat wold of professional sport for what now is almost guaranteed to be the worst season in the club’s history.
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We don’t need to look any further than a dogged, resilient and passionate Canberra, who knocked off the reigning premiers – the Roosters – on Thursday night. What an incredible display of determination over the odds. A broader view can be taken with Craig Bellamy and the Storm, whose stocks seem to be plundered each year and still manage to finish at or near the top of the table in the regular season.
Potentially the largest real impact to the Broncos is the lack of a Queensland Cup competition this year. This is where the boys earn their right through scars and hard knocks, often playing against seasoned campaigners who love nothing more that to inflict pain on the young up-and-comers. These games are arguably tougher for the youngsters than NRL games as there is a target on their backs. There is nowhere to hide. These games turn boys to men.
In graduation from the Q Cup, a first-grade spot comes arguably comes more from desire and persistence rather than God-given talent or skill. Even then the first-grade spot is never assured, and rightly players are constantly facing the threat of relegation to the lesser competition, suffering the indignity being dropped and excluded from the elite group. This system builds character, creates discipline and corrects ego.
However, in 2020, there is no consequence for failure and no system of correction. By failure I do not mean losing footy games, it is simply falling short of club and individual standards. Never has it been more true for the Broncos that the standard walked past is the standard accepted. The clichés from senior players echo loud.
“We are preparing really well” means little on game day if the heart is missing or the players just do not show up.
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There will be times in any professional environment where we appear to do things well, maybe even perfectly, however the results are just not going our way. If we focus on daily development and govern ourselves to common standards, we should be able to accept that eventually the universe will correct itself and results will go our way.
The Broncos of old did not seek praise or glory or acknowledgement. They worked for each other, the club, and dare I say it, the coach. This was a system where no individual was bigger than the unit as a whole – adjustment was swift, but delivered cleanly and fairly. These ideals have been lost at the Broncos.
This week there are none with the earned right to pull on a Broncos jersey, however there are only a very select few in the playing group that understand this.
Now in the face of hardship, the Broncos decide what version of themselves they want to be. Facing the obstacle is the only way through and this starts with governing the standards, attitude and approach. This is our true battle now, as it has been in the creation of dominant teams of old.
We must begin with quiet humility, discipline and respect.
PaulC
Guest
Ben Lewis, can't you remember the Sunday night replays (Kerry's contribution) ? An hours replay turned into 45 minutes or less after commercials. Great way the ARL/NSW RL ran the game. Every time Ribot or Morgan made a suggestion on improving the game they were told by Arthurson to start their own competition. On one occasion Ribot made a complaint to Arthurson about Quayle & Athurson said he would look into the complaint & pass it onto the NSW RL who ran the competition for the ARL. Later that day Ribot had a phone call from Quayle who was investigating the complaint. The way the ARL/NSW RL ran the game was laughable, 8 replays beats the rubbish Kerry & Arthurson dished up.
thomas c
Guest
There's no indicator of mettle than being put to the test again and again and showing it. The techniques of managing people may help but I'm not sure they transform fundamental psychology or result in someone who think in cliches without really engaging. Teams fight for talent, and may hire people rather than risk leaving them in the lower grade to harden up. A promising kid might be given a choice, sign with use and we'll pay you and you'll play OR sign up, do a apprenticeship and if you're as good as you think, you'll get there. The NRL could allow clubs to protect their projects or maybe allow clubs to hedge their bets. With a 30 man roster, you have to prioritize. Currently clubs prioritized youth and when 10 people are out injured, don't have the slots to draft in lower grade players who have some experience.
Adam
Roar Guru
:thumbup: SO true. At the time Superleague came in union was a real chance of becoming the premier code in NSw/QLD/ACT. Without Kerry blowing up the establishment it may well have happened (plus terrible admin from the ARU)
Adam
Roar Guru
:laughing:
Rellum
Roar Guru
Not to mention all the damage the NSWRL did to the BRL over the years so cry me a river
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
It’s hard to see them winning more than 2 games. And even 2 games isn’t guaranteed.
Big Daddy
Guest
This is the first time in probably 20 seasons they have looked like missing finals. You can put it down to a number of things the board, the coach, the players. I'm prepared to write the season off and look forward to next with the same enthusiasm. Whether it's with Seibold or not is hard to forecast. If he does go I'd bring hook back and look at buying a couple of "fit " high class backs. It can't get any worse this year but never say never.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
It's a "hard working" metric, based mostly on tackles, yards and hitups. Just like fantasy points, it has no real correlation to the result
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
You raise a go0d point - will it inspire the insipid? One thing I can say for sure, is that Seibold will very quickly learn who is for him and who against, and will very quickly cut those who aren't playing well and not digging in to support him. Perhaps that is what the 'leak' is supposed to do? Draw out those in the team who are happy for the coach to crash and burn.
Nat
Roar Rookie
The Broncos didn't damage the game in Australia at all. It blew up the NSWRL running the game like a dictatorship and keeping it at an amatuer level to maintain control. The product has never been bette, the palyers bigger, stronger and faster. It has dwarfed union and you get 8 games a week direct to your couch. Did you hate on Kerry Packer for bringing in ODI Cricket?
ferret
Guest
From my understand Payne Haas, David Fafita, Xavier Coates, Thomas Flegler, Pat Carrigan, Tesi Nui, Herbie Farnworth, Isaako, Cory Paix, played very few Q cup games before promotion to the top squad. I could be wrong, so happy to be corrected. If they have played Q Cup it wasn't a long apprenticeship. Which I think is the point this post's author was trying to make.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Rellum, If it is stats based then that is even worse. Who wrote the program? Or, who interpreted it? Benji got a Try and a try assist, Billy Walters got a Try and a Try Assist, Luciano got 2 Tries, did 180m and 34 Tackles for No Misses, Harry Grant did 10 DH runs, 1 Try and 39 Tackles while Josh Aloiai did 212m and 25 Tackles. Haas is an out and out champion of the game, but he was very well contained by the Wests Tigers forwards and he never looked dangerous.
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
Normally I don’t take pleasure in watching a club suffering in the doldrums (with the possible exception of Melbourne, Manly, and Canterbury), but when I consider the damage that the Broncos and their News Corp owners inflicted on the game of rugby league in Australia by starting the super league war, I find myself giving them zero pity.
Rellum
Roar Guru
They just have to improve each week on average. But the trend is a nosedive in the other direction so I can't see any turn around. What about this 5 from 10 will inspire a bunch of older heads to suddenly play for him? You would think it was nonsense but with the current Broncs, who knows.
Rellum
Roar Guru
On another point, watching the game I felt that Isaako was trying to cover two defensive positions. To me he was clearly worried about Boyd on the inside to the point of trying to cover for him. Maybe I am way off but that is just how I saw he performance.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Who has bypassed the QRL?
ferret
Guest
Your point about highly talented youngsters bypassing the rigours of Q cup is well made. Especially when that's pretty much ALL your players. I would add that successful clubs each have at least one "smart" footballer. Not the best physically, and the most skillful but one who can read the game and adjust accordingly. Cam Smith is the obvious example, but also Cooper Cronk & Luke Keary, DCE, Josh Hodgson, etc. Even Jamal Fogarty seems to provide the Titans with better direction than Taylor. But the Broncos have no-one. Milford plays whatever pops into his head. Croft may or may not develop but the Luciano L try makes me questions his awareness. When Coates raced up and in from the drop-out he left a 10 metre gap to the sideline. Croft should have drifted wider to cover the space if LL escaped Coates, whic he did. Crft stayed inside and got brushed coming at LL from the side instead of in front. This is Field awareness 101. The main things the Broncos need is a smart player (oh, and a new coach)
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
See my other comment (below/above - who knows)
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
Yep, those 6 are in the top eight. Add Sharks and Dragons, both can cause Broncos trouble. Then add Cows and Titans, also who can both cause trouble. If Seibs drops any of those then he has to make more from the first list. I'm dubious about the validity, source and surety of this 5 from 10, because every man and his dog 'knows' that it won't happen - so why this requirement'? I'm convinced that Seibs could lose 6/7 and still live, it depends on the showing from the Broncos. If they play with heart and attitude and come close he'll survive and you'll find this 5/10 is fiction. Nobody in the board really wants him to fail.
LeftRight
Guest
Lots of problems for the Broncos to fix both on & off the field. They have contract issues (ineffective players and coach signed to long term contracts, making sackings expensive), senior expensive and ineffective players playing out of position (Boyd and Milford both fullbacks playing as inner backs), an inexperienced player promoted over others as captain (and this after Glenn who was unwanted recently was also promoted to captain), a reserve halfback from the Storm shunted into the leadership group before earning such a promotion, Boyd and Milford, the highest paid players not performing (but they are both fullbacks playing out of position), so what does that do for lower paid players? The list of woes and mistakes is undoubtedly longer. And on top of all of the above, and maybe because of the above, the team can't attack or defend. And they were like this last year. The team is so bad, even scoring a few points on the end of a flogging would be hailed as progress. It's hard to see them winning 5 of their next 10 games in order to save Siebold's job.