Brisbane youngster Brodie Croft is adamant the weight of expectation didn’t prove too heavy a burden in a forgettable first NRL campaign with the Broncos.
The sight of Brodie Croft in tears following a defeat during Brisbane’s miserable 2020 NRL campaign appeared to reflect a young man buckling under the weight of expectation.
Brought to Red Hill from Melbourne at the end of 2019, Croft was talked up as the man to fill the Broncos No.7 jersey for a decade.
Such was the belief from coach Anthony Seibold, Croft was named co-captain for his Broncos debut in the season opener against North Queensland.
By the end of the campaign, Croft was out of the team and Seibold was out of the club.
Some were wondering if new coach Kevin Walters would keep on the 23-year-old, with teenager Tom Dearden having finished the season as the club’s starting halfback.
Croft, however, is adamant the external spotlight was not proving too bright and he had handled the pressure just fine.
“That’s easy to say from the outside in but from the inside out I didn’t feel that way,” Croft said.
“I was confident my own ability. I still am confident in my own ability.
“I know my strengths. I know what I need to work on. Haven’t lost faith in myself and what I’m capable of doing on the football field.
“There was a lot going on but I’ve reset this off-season, refreshed and thought about what I’ve done well this last year, what I didn’t do so well, what I need to work on this coming year and go from there.”
Croft also has no issue with going from the golden boy in his first pre-season at Brisbane to fighting to prove himself for a starting role ahead of 19-year-old Dearden.
“It’s a great battle,” he said.
“Competition for spots is always great.
“It betters yourself as a player and if you’re getting better as a player you’re going to better the team as well.
“We’re pushing ourselves, pushing each other and I’m really enjoying it.”
Tim Buck 3
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Larry1950
Guest
He's not hopeless but that edge defence at times was woeful. Seemed to get wrong footed fairly often with bad reads close to the line. We're all experts in retrospect but having seen the spoon season efforts, I'd be looking at Corey Paix as the main competition to Dearden. For the Broncos spine to be competitive, they need a fullback with a voice to direct them (Niu & Isaako are too quiet) who can also ball play, a hard running 5/8 who can tackle (lift your game Anthony) and a hooker who can spot a hole & get through it (sorry Andrew McCullough but you've lost any pace you once had). Current squad does not inspire confidence, is this a rebuild season for Kevvie to shape his squad? If so they'd better not lose Staggs or Coates. I'd throw the 1 jersey to Jesse Arthars, Paix starts at hooker, Staggs at 5/8 when he's back & Dearden by default at halfback. Milford can fill in for Staggs early on but we'll probably be over his defensive weakness by mid-season. Reckon Niu is marking time until 2022 when he can join his schoolmates at the Titans, pity about that because he's the future. Isaako can cover one wing, Coates the other & Oates will have to earn a forwards spot which I find doubtful. All in all, shell shocked bronco fans won't have much joy in 2021, hope I'm wrong.
Joe
Roar Rookie
It is pretty obvious now that Hughes was the better pick at 7 even though Croft was the career halfback and Hughes was a fullback. One thing about Bellamy is he likes to pick what he calls 'out and out footy players' who just have great footballing instincts and don't seem to panic or get rushed. I've watched all of the Storm's 2020 games again and Hughes was fantastic at halfback. The two games against the Rooster where he took over and was the dominant half. Split second reactions in the Roosters game and Eels finals game where he suddenly gets the ball on 5th option kick play after Suli bats it back and in both cases makes exactly the right play to get crucial tries. I really hope the Storm do everything they can to hold onto him...manufactured half or not, playmakers like him don't come around every day.
Joe
Roar Rookie
Attitude definitely a big part of defense and Croft doesn't have it. He would be the same height as Brandon Smith but Smith looks 10 feet tall when defending. To Croft credit he has worked on his defense but at times old habits kick in and he starts avoiding the big players...drifting or going in when he shouldn't. Hughes is small too but in the GF he was throwing himself in front of Kikau...got run over a few times but can't fault his effort and attitude in D.
kersed
Roar Rookie
Darius Boyd enters the room...
Adam
Roar Guru
Yeah they are a little dodgy for sure. But I think it's just an attitude thing, or maybe technique? But Thurston was a terrible tackler, but somehow managed a career for as long as he did. It would probably help him if he had a tough hard tackling 2nd rower next to him that plays 80 and makes 50 tackles a game
Albo
Roar Rookie
Adam, I reckon some of those advertised height & weight details are pretty dodgy? Unless my old eyes are going much quicker than I thought ? According to the Broncos team details Tom Dearden is apparently 6 kg lighter than Croft ? Nevertheless, Croft seems to have greater trouble defending than the likes of Cronk & DCE, which has dogged his career to date.
Adam
Roar Guru
I agree to a large extent but look at the reported height and weight of Croft and someone like Cronk. In fact he ways more (allegedly) than Cherry-Evans, maybe not the best tackler but seems to hold the fort well enough
Albo
Roar Rookie
Yep ! If you can't survive in a spine that also has Smith, Munster & Slater , which spine will you work well with ? In a nutshell he is too small , which gets him found out defensively in todays modern game, where halves have to make 30 tackles a game on storming titans aimed directly at the little guys. He is no Geoff Toovey.
Walter Black
Guest
Bellamy dumped Croft so dramatically before the finals for a reason, that should have been a big enough red flag for the Broncos.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
It's hard to asses a player fully when he's spent a season playing for the winners of the big spoon but he did have some great moments. The worrying thing for him and the Broncos is the lack of faith the Storm had in him despite the club having a stellar season in 19. It's easy to shrug it off but when the Storm punts someone it should ring some alarm bells.
Nat
Roar Rookie
I think he has shown many times over he has the qualities to be a very good half but if you can only throw an arm out in defence you won't make an NRL team.
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
He was looking alright before the Covid break.