Another beatdown and another day of miserable off-field news for the Brisbane Broncos.
As the South Sydney Rabbitohs handed them yet another emphatic shellacking, the fourth week in a row that Brisbane have conceded over 40 points – or close enough to – news was also simultaneously breaking regarding big-name second rower Tevita Pangai Junior.
The man they know as TPJ, who has been one of the best for formerly Queensland’s best team this year, has reportedly been told he will be let go at the end of the year and is free to explore his options elsewhere.
It simply makes no sense given how good Pangai Junior has been in a well-beaten team this year – a team who now sit dead last on the ladder. That of course may be temporary, with the Bulldogs also struggling, but a club like the Broncos shouldn’t go from wooden spoon one year to being in the battle for it again the next.
Serious questions must be asked of their retention strategy, but given the answers provided by coach Kevin Walters at the post-match press conference and their track record in the last couple of years, maybe we shouldn’t be surprised by just what a shemozzle the strategy is at Red Hill.
The single quote which you could put weight on from said post-match press conference is this:
“We need to restructure our whole football club,” said Walters.
“No real reason why Tevita, but we have got to restructure our roster, and that’s what we have to do.
“So not everyone can stay, so that’s why.”
That smacks of a club who simply have no idea about what they are doing or why they are doing it. For a coach to come out to a post-match press conference – as put on the spot as he might have been by the question given the news broke regarding Pangai Junior only during the game – and say that is baffling.
The decision itself is baffling given Pangai Junior has been one of the best Broncos players this year.
Though at times he’s been inconsistent, that should almost go without saying in a team so far down the table and conceding so many points every week. In fact following Thursday night’s pasting by the Rabbitohs, a 46-0 beatdown, the Broncos have conceded 32.1 points per game and have a for and against of negative 250.
Not only that, but they have now let in 170 points in the last four weeks at over 42 points per game. That indicates things are only getting worse, and that shouldn’t be happening as the youth in Brisbane gain more experience.
And yet Pangai Junior has been playing big minutes on a consistent basis, averaging 122 metres and tackling at over 90 per cent efficiency, which even in a top team isn’t a bad outcome.
He was solid against South Sydney in the face of adversity again on Thursday, and it must be making Brisbane fans scratch their head and ask why.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
If the election to move on Pangai Junior was the first decision of its type, then maybe some sense could be made, but the Broncos have been something of a rabble off-field for some years now.
While the losses of Sam Walker and Reece Walsh will be talking points for what seems like the next couple of decades, and while they let their best two young talents go, there are plenty of others who have gone out the door.
David Fifita and Tom Dearden are among the others, and the rumoured signing to the Warriors of Matt Lodge doesn’t make a great deal of sense either for the Broncos, who need his experience.
Experience is something the Broncos haven’t kept in their roster, and it’s shown both in last year’s wooden spoon effort and this year’s fight to avoid it.
They simply don’t have the mental resolve in the middle third, and while players like Josh McGuire will never single-handedly win you a premiership, they will provide you the toughness and grit to go with strong forward packs.
Instead the Broncos have gone to youth, and mountains of it. Sure, Payne Haas has been excellent, but he can’t do it on his own, and he doesn’t have the experience to be a leader in the forwards.
Sure, the Broncos signed Karmichael Hunt, but that doesn’t make a great deal of sense either given he has spent ten years out of the game. Regardless, the halves aren’t able to do much unless the forwards are contesting, and Brisbane’s pack simply aren’t doing so.
They might have the talent, but they don’t have the balance. It’s been a problem for the best part of 24 months, and with recruitment decisions like getting rid of Pangai Junior, who has not only been one of their best but is now approaching 100 first-grade games, won’t turn things around in a great hurry.
Sure, plenty of credit needs to go the way of South Sydney for their emphatic beatdown on Thursday, but you could have seen it coming from the moon.
Kevin Walters’s side might avoid the wooden spoon in 2021 thanks to the Bulldogs, but there is no happiness in doing that.
That is how bad the Broncos have been, and until they get their own house in order off-field, it’s not going to be changing.
Catherine Brown
Guest
Can we just ask one question. Are any of the players actually enjoying playing. Just stop thinking and enjoy the game and the rest will come. The pressure is killing players. Even tin the dark days The great players still enjoyed playing.
Mike
Guest
I can't believe how bad the Broncos are. Their defence is woeful. They are doing the rîght thing in punting Milford. He's a follower not a leader and the Broncos need to have more leaders - any leaders. Coates was terrible for Qld and he defended the same way as he does for the Broncos. Indecisive, slow off his line, crabbing etc. Just terrible.
Nat
Roar Guru
TBH I wouldn't be surprised. Remember his misses got in trouble on Triple M with 'breaking news' she wasn't allowed to say...
MarkD
Guest
Gday Bee bee, Bennett was never sacked ,his contract wasn't extended or renewed . Bennett was the one who chose not the coach the Broncos in 2019 after repeatedly saying he would be coaching the Broncos in 2019 because he had a contract but this is the man who if Gus Gould is to be believed had a handshake agreement to coach Penrith in 2020 or 2019 if the Broncos sacked him,. In my opinion he had no intention of being at the Broncos after 2018 and tried to get the Broncos to sack him, but once it became clear the Broncos weren't going to sack him or payout his contract he was open to a change for 2019
Crow
Roar Pro
Bellamy would not accept his ill discipline
Crow
Roar Pro
TPJ is an ill disciplined footballer. A good player but not up to the standard required at NRL level. He wastes the salary cap by not being eligible for selection each week due to suspension. He would not last as the top clubs. Time for him to part company with the Broncos.
Nat
Roar Guru
My reply to SM was based arond the players "players lost to other clubs" That was the brief. I've agreed with you all the way on the abysmal - everything. I'm not defending it, I'm putting context around it. Example, I think you are taking some liberties with 'in the system'. The first criteria should be pulling on the jumper at least once. Plus you have gone right back to 2016. TBH, that Brisy team, apart from a freak day here and there are B+ (handy) at best but would it come close to the 8?
steveng
Roar Rookie
Yes MarkD the whole thing was a mess and typical of what goes on in a power play situation(s) but, Bennett with his record had a plan and these other guys just didn’t have a clue hence and why things have panned out this way, first with Bellamy then Seibs and now the whole club is gone down and its continuing with TPJ etc etc have a look at the Broncs circa R15 2021 as it won’t get better no matter what they do if the admin is in a mess that it was and is today. Let’s see what this new bloke from the Storm that is in charge is going to do?
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Walker's father and uncle uncle did not want him near Sebold Walsh got $650K per season for three years from warriors. $650K for a rookie , that's more than Luai is on ?, Good on the kid but its a big risk. The real question on Walsh is how did the Titans miss him, Played for Nerang Roosters all juniors then Tweed Seagulls. Meninga must have been working for FOX that day not the Titans
MarkD
Guest
Gday steveng Not the way i remember it happening . I know it hurt and there was an element of treachery when Seibold decided to sign with the Broncos but Bennett knew he wasn't wanted by the Broncos i reckon a good 3month before Seibold knew he was a chance to coach the Broncos. It was all about Bellamy in the beginning of this sad and spiteful saga. The Broncos only had eyes for one coach and the rumours had started late in the off season of clandestine meetings between big club and an unnamed coach but it wasn't until March April when it was reported that it was the Broncos and Bellamy. Bellamy officially turned down the job in June and sometime in July it is reported that Seibold was now the Broncos target. He signed a few months latterto start coaching 2020 as did Bennett with South. Both Bennett and Seibold said that they were going to continue their current contracts to 2019. Bennett was trying to get sacked so he would receive full payment for his contract . He had a hand shake agreement to go to Penrith with Gould before ever considering Souths. Bennett knew of the rumors earlier and if he didnt know that he wouldn't be coaching beyond 2019 after being told about the Bellamy offer thus confirming the rumor then that's a bloke some where in Egypt .
Bee bee
Guest
What a terrible time this is when Bulldogs and Broncos supporters have to sift through the wreckage of their current train wrecks of clubs and work out what went wrong. Sad sad times. Oh well. I guess it is a great for anyone who doesn’t like Brisbane or Canterbury which apparently is a lot of people.
Bee bee
Guest
Broncos issues began when they sacked Bennett. He actually wanted to stay. The apparent underlying story is that Bennett wanted more power and others at organisation wanted to go in another direction. Sadly that direction was down. Down so far they will need years just to be competitive again.
Bee bee
Guest
I guess you could say Bennett left the club in a mess. But, he did actually wanted to stay in Brisbane another year. It’s an easy narrative to say the problems started with Bennett going. That’s a partial truth. His fingerprints are not the only ones at the crime scene.
Bee bee
Guest
If value for money is based on on your try total then any decent winger should be a millionaire.
The Barry
Roar Guru
No, but the Brisbane list is all current players that have been in the Brisbane system If we’re including retired players may as well throw in David Gillespie and Andrew Farrar The Dogs retention has been horrid too, but Storm for the most part lose players they want to let go I’m pretty surprised how much you’re defending the Broncos in this regard
Nat
Roar Guru
They are hardly rejects. We have a cap and limited roster spaces. We are literally looking back over 10yrs and picking the eyes out. It's unfair to ignore all other circumstances surrounding those calls.
Nat
Roar Guru
Those Melb guys may have retired now but that wasn't the brief. They all left to other clubs. You've included guys who never had a contact and/or never played at the Broncos. I would argue both the Storm and your Dogs sides would match it with the Brisy one, comfortably.
Lance Boil
Roar Rookie
The best CEOs own the outcomes no matter what and focus on solutions not excuses
MarkD
Guest
Damn theses sausage fingers. Last line should have.......much better over the last few seasons given the injuries and suspensions the Broncos have had So how did the Milf /Barba swap workout :laughing:
MarkD
Guest
Geez i reckon this has Bennett's fingerprints all over it . From the moment he decided he didn't want to even give Barba a go and that paying him to play for the sharks while signing million dollar duds Milford and Bird on long contracts was the start of the Broncos salary cap issues. Oh I' can't forget about his ageing.puppy Darius whose loyalty also got him a long and large paypacket as well that would see him finish up as a limp toothless old dog whose master had dumped him with the in-laws . Loyalty to the great man manager might have served Darius alright but i reckon Petero would say different ,among others. I'm kinda spewing that Bennett isn't still coach of the Broncos because i doubt he could have done much better over the last 2given the