There was a time … a time before cable, when the Brisbane Broncos reigned supreme.
If the Anchorman narrator’s voice didn’t register as you read that intro, give it another try and you’ll hear it.
It has been 30 years since Brisbane won their first premiership and that time frame can be divided into two distinct periods – the dynasty of six premierships from 1992-2006 and a drought ever since.
The Broncos lost their aura around the time Darren Lockyer hung up his boots in 2011, the last kingpin from the golden era.
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They have won just five finals matches in the AD (After Darren) period – two of which came when they qualified for the 2015 decider before losing in the final seconds to the Cowboys – and haven’t tasted victory in a playoff in six years.
Kotoni Staggs scores. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
After the nadir of the wooden spoon in 2020, the Broncos are finally back.
The only unbeaten team after four rounds, they are on top of the premiership ladder for the first time since Round 10 of 2016 and are odds-on favourites to make it five on the trot when they host the last-placed Wests Tigers at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.
After being one of the leading contenders in the pre-season to be the first coach punted, Kevin Walters looks like he not only deserves another go next year but a decent extension as a reward for the rebuild.
One of the biggest factors in their dynamic opening month was not through recruiting but by reclaiming a player they should never have let go in the first place.
The decision to release Reece Walsh two years ago to join the Warriors after failing to match their offer was the worst in a long list of Broncos contract blunders in a short timespan – overpaying for Matt Lodge, Tevita Pangai jnr, Darius Boyd on long-term deals then cutting them free ahead of time.
Whether it was good fortune or karma, they were able to get him back a year early from the Warriors after letting him leave a season ahead of time.
The more realistic scenario is that the Broncos had mismanaged their salary cap a few years ago and couldn’t pay Walsh what he was worth but after finally tidying up their books, were able to pay him market value and he suddenly developed a bout of homesickness which could only be cured by a maroon and gold No.1 jersey and the contract that comes with it.
Reece Walsh celebrates scoring a try. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The Warriors at least got a quality player in return with Kiwi international Te Maire Martin heading back to his homeland after reviving his career at the Broncos.
After missing the Round 1 upset over the Panthers at Penrith with a facial fracture, Walsh has given the Broncos a much-needed injection of speed off the mark from fullback as well as a secondary playmaking option to lessen the load on Adam Reynolds and, in turn, his inexperienced halves partner Ezra Mam.
Against the Cowboys, Walsh peeled off three line break assists with one leading to a try while scoring one himself.
He backed it up against the Dragons in the late blitz with two tries of his own and creating a couple more line breaks including a try-scoring play.
And last week against the Dolphins in their first Brisbane derby, Walsh produced a try assist as he created two line breaks against their determined local rivals.
His seven line break assists is two more than anyone else in the competition even though he’s only played three games.
Reynolds is actually slightly more involved than last year at 48.7 touches per game (up from 45.1) but he’s by no means as dominant as other chief playmakers, ranking 10th among halfbacks across the NRL.
In simple terms, he’s looking after the quantity of Brisbane’s attacking plays and Walsh is adding extra quality when needed.
With incumbent Maroons fullback Kalyn Ponga’s playing future clouded by repeated concussions, Walsh is emerging as the frontrunner for the spot ahead of Dolphins counterpart Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow when Billy Slater selects his opening squad next month.
Brisbane were too conservative in attack all round last year as they adapted to Reynolds taking over at halfback, a task made harder by a couple of short-term absences due to COVID-19 and broken ribs.
The Broncos, who plummeted late in the season from the top four to ninth with a 1-5 record to finish, were officially meh in attack.
They ranked accordingly at ninth for tries and points while struggling to get into the opposition 20-metre zone, last at 24.3 plays per game at the business end of the field.
Brisbane valued possession over potency – equal third in completion rate at 79% while ranking 14th in offloads (8.1 per game) and passes (90.7).
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
With star forwards Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan leading the way, the Broncos are running rampant through the middle to create the momentum for Reynolds and Walsh to attack a retreating defensive line.
They lead the league in tackle breaks (37 per game), running metres at 1902 (although for what it’s worth the winless Wests Tigers are second at 1891) and are smashing the rest of the field in post-contact metres at 681.4 (the Eels are the next best after four rounds at 599.4).
Haas is tallying more post-contact metres than many NRL forwards manage all up in a game.
His average of 91.1 dwarfs the next-best in Panthers winger Brian To’o. Brisbane have four players in the top 10 with Carrigan fourth (71), fellow middle forward Thomas Flegler ninth at 65.4 and centre Herbie Farnworth 10th at 64.7.
Their completion rate has slipped to be ranked ninth overall which is not a concern, quite the opposite – they’re giving the ball air now. Brisbane are up to fifth now for offloads at 10 per game and eighth in passing.
Walters has been impressed by his team’s improvement at the defensive end with only 58 points conceded in the opening four rounds.
As great as the Broncos teams of yesteryear were with the ball in hand, they were always ruthless in defence.
The Tigers present a possible danger game – they upset Brisbane during their late-season fade last year and Walters is taking nothing for granted, particularly wary of the team coming down after the hype of last week’s win over the Dolphins.
“We’ve had a big month of footy, not just last week,” Walters said on Friday at his captain’s run media conference.
“We’ve played the premiers and a top-four side in the Cowboys. Then the Dragons were very good as well against us. It’s no different here at the Broncos. People want to come to Suncorp and play well so we’ve got to match that challenge,” he said.
“I don’t see it as a danger game. It’s another game of footy for us. The Tigers will be ready to play, we’ll be ready to go as well. There’s a good vibe amongst them all, a good bond to not let each other down.
“There’s a few teams we owe from last year but if we keep looking back, we won’t see what’s in front.”
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