The Broncos now sit just one win from five rounds of football in 2019.

This is a side that, in the pre-season, was among the NRL heavyweights. Many, myself included, had them comfortably in the eight, possibly even in the top four.

They have an all-star forward pack, two rep halves, a returning NSW quality and premiership winner Jack Bird, and a brand new coach coming off a brilliant 2018.

The will he/won't he saga that took up the first half of the pre-season that saw Bennett and Seibold ultimately swap coaching positions wasn't an ideal build up, but it was fairly tame compared to other clubs.

With a brilliant roster and talented coach, anything less than a top-eight finish would be an abject failure.

Despite being one win from five, their season is far from over. Let's be honest here, the opening month doesn't really matter. It sets a tone and obviously you'd rather be 3-2 then 0-5, but titles aren't won in the opening rounds.

They're certainly lost though!!!

The Broncos, right now, look at long odds to win the title.

That seems obvious and probably silly to say but let's not forget what the Broncos management did here in moving on Wayne Bennett.

Seibold was brought in because the Broncos brass decided Wayne Bennett, the most successful coach in the game's history, couldn't deliver a premiership. Seibold supposedly could.

The risk was huge and the reward was to be a title.

I'm calling it now, and believe me I'm not the only one; The Broncos can't win a premiership with a spine of Boyd, Milford, Nikorima and McCullough.

All wonderful players, but that four-man spine can't win a title. Nikorima and Milford are too alike, McCullough doesn't offer the attacking instincts needed to overcome two halves down on their form, and Boyd is coming to the end of a brilliant career.

I didn't mean for this to be a sink the boot piece, as I'm one of Boyd's biggest fans, and I think Nikorima cops a lot of undue flack.

That said, there's a HUGE decision looming for Seibold as this Broncos outfit is it's own worst enemy.

They were WOEFUL against the Roosters. Worst performance of the season. Almost unwatchable. Their effort seemed down, their direction was non-existent and there are videos of certain players who look like they've got no interest in last-ditch tackles.

I'm sure that's not the case but the video doesn't lie. It certainly raises the question, at very least.

Last Thursday when Michael Chee-Kam busted through four defenders, FOUR, he found space that was never there. Will all due respect to the talented Tigers utility, it's not as though this is Josh Addo Carr busting through four front rowers.

MCK had no right to score that try. Four men looked at each other and left a hole for the Tigers to win the game.

Darius Boyd wasn't in the same postcode when he attempted to make the cover tackle. Again, it was a clever step, but he was legit two metres from the play when he fell over.

Let's not forget that this came one set after the Broncos absolutely murdered an easy opportunity for a field goal. They didn't even get a shot off such was the disgraceful setup.

Right now Darius Boyd can't be disappointed if his name isn't on the team list next week.

That's a huge call for one of the best fullbacks of this era. Some will laugh at that statement but the proof is there. Multiple titles, incredible stats, a closet full of rep jerseys. Try to argue.

In the space of two weeks, there have been three awful 'efforts' to stop tries. I'm not saying he would have saved any, let alone all, but his lack of urgency and positioning meant a small chance became zero chance.

Nikorima and Milford need to cop grief for their lack of direction against the Tigers.

That game was the Broncos' to lose. They had a full set of six on the half way line. They spent the first two tackles going backwards!!!

Awful!

Last week against the Dragons when it became time for the shot, neither Nikorima nor Milford stepped up. Instead, it was left to Isaako, a young winger.

Nikorima has never kicked a field goal in 86 NRL appearances. As a halfback. Yikes!

Chad Townsend, in 83 games for the Sharks has six. Ash Taylor has three in 69 games.

The question is going to be asked whether Boyd and Nikorima are the best options. Milford's form has been poor but they're paying him the better part of a million dollars a season, he's not playing QLD Cup.

Does Seibold have the mettle to make those huge calls?

Dropping Nikorima for the very talented Sean O'Sullivan isn't an earth-shattering call if made, but dropping club legend Darius Boyd is not going to be easy.

Calls for the shifting of Isaako to fullback are growing louder. He's a brilliant talent and his game needs to grow with more involvement. It could be at fullback.

Maybe it's not as easy as dropping two out of form players. Possibly one.

They'll probably come out and battle it out for the 3 Dally M points next week after all the talk, but all eyes are now on Seibold.

For the first time in his short career, he's under intense scrutiny.

There's a HUGE decision coming up. Can he make it?

Either way, he's going to have to earn his money!!!

18 COMMENTS

  1. it’s not like the 6/7 problem is new … trying to make Milford into a 5/8 was doomed from the start … he has never shown leadership skills. Nickorima is best suited as a bench replacement for the 9 jersey. Milford to fullback to regain some confidence… if not boot him. Boyd will struggle under any coach not named Bennett … so the call should be to axe him. It won’t happen as the fans would revolt and the new coach would be a ‘dead man walking’.

  2. There is an Old Chinese Saying – ”be careful what you wish for, you may just get it” For those who don’t quite get it, Seibold wanted the Broncos job so badly and now he has it. Now what? There are samples of this in politics: Rudd, Gillard, Turnbull etc.

  3. Seibold was always going to be a massive risk and I think him going to the Broncos was more about getting rid of Wayne than it was wanting Tony. Seibold had a good year last year but it was one year out of….. oh yeah 1 year. They hype that surrounded him at Souths is proving to be just that. Unless things improve rapidly, we might just witness the shortest coaching gig in history.

  5. Most of the fans are actually calling for Darius to be dropped, or at the very least shifted to the wing/centre position, so no revolt from that side of things. We see how badly he is playing and want to see something done. Agree with your assessment of Milford. He has been coping flak with how he is playing, but I believe he is being forced to play away from his strengths which is his running game.

  6. That’s true chalky, he is under mounting scrutiny in Brisbane and it is only going to get worse as the Broncos continue to lose. He was set at Souths, had a great roster and the players seemed to be prepared to play for him. I thought he should have stayed loyal to the Bunnies as they gave him the opportunity to coach an NRL side and actually hoped that the Broncs would have signed Madge. He is here now so I will support him, but I think it will take time for the players to adapt to his style of play as all the Broncos have really known is Bennett style. (Technically Henjack and Hook were Benny clones)

  7. Gee they’d love bennett oh sorry we have the greatest coach of all time coaching the greatest club of all time with 21 premierships…lol@paulwhite ceo@donkeys he wanted his old school mate anthony siebold at the donkeys egg on face now id suggest…

  8. Well at least the donkeys are not over the cap their current team is a shadow when bennett won those 6 over the cap premierships similar to the rorters and the storm teams today you have to basically be over the cap to win a premiership my team souths were over the cap thats why we won in 2014 we had a stacked team and anyone whom disbelieves my theory are kidding themselves.

    …

  9. Its a 2 horse race for the over the cap rorters and the over the cap storm to win in 2019 whoever believes that these 2 teams are not over the cap by 2 or 3 million dollars know nothing about rugby league.blind freddy knows that the rorters and the storm are given 1st preference to rort the nrl and the nrl turn a blind eye talk about blatant corruption fact!!!

  12. So Shadow ya CLOWN
    🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡
    You have just admitted that soufffffths cheated in 2014 by being over the cap. What you should be saying now is No premierships in 48 yrs and 4 premierships between 1967- 1971 under the four tackle rule and 16 premierships when the game was not even played like rugby League under the unlimited tackle rule🤣🤣🤣😁😁😁😆😆😆😂😂😂😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣🤣😁😁😁😆😆😆😂😂😂😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣🤣😁😁😁😆😆😆😂😂😂😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣🤣😁😁😁😆😆😆😂😂😂😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤣🤣😁😁😁😆😆😆😂😂😂😂🤣😂🤣😂

  15. Look the fact remains the same, Seibold overachieved at soufffffths last season because he was a rookie coach with a fit Greg Inglis and he produced an attacking style that the coaches had not made up tactics to counteract. He went under the radar for over half a season and when all the great coaches like Bellamy, Robinson and even an unlucky McGreggor worked out how to beat Siebold’s team they came crashing down through the semis when it counted. Saints should have beaten them but for a couple of errors in the semis. The Roosters kept them tryless in the Preliminary Final and Melbourne out attacked them. Seibold has no answer when teams smother them in defence. His sides panic and make errors in attack.

    Everyone in Brisbane knew Bennett’s expiry date had passed when he lost his first grand final by insisting to instruct the halfback to kick the ball over the side line to wind down the clock and not go for more points, age caught up with him that night by making that wrongful decision. They sacked him for good reason thinking that this Siebold rookie bloke was the next Bellamy/Robinson. But he isn’t. and he cant get his Brisbane team firing because he insists on picking the same team that has no fire power.😂🤣😆😁😆😂🤣😂 I said at the start of the season Brisbane and Souffffths would not make the eight but if one of them might it could be soufffths with a very extraordinary amount of luck.💪🐔👍

  16. Yes I think your spot on 100% correct Kelby. With the possibility that Cooper Cronk may retire at seasons end, (Hopefully not) then why would the Roosters let O’Sullivan leave the club❔❓❔❓Its because they realise he is not likely to succeed in the NRL. If he was a potential superstar and with the knowledge that Cronk could retire soon, then they certainly would have offered him a contract that he could not refuse.

    If I was a Bronco’s selector. 1. Isaacko, 6. Bird, 7. Millford. backup 9 from off the Bench Nikorima, and Daddys boy to the flank.💪🐔👍 They are going to miss the eight anyway so at least with that combo it might get them a 9th or 10th.😂🤣😆😁😂😆🤣😂

  17. I agree with the

    “ol@paulwhite ceo@donkeys he wanted his old school mate anthony siebold at the donkeys egg on face now id suggest…”🥚🥚🥚🥚🥚😝 but that part about Bennett being the best coach of all time.is not true today. Sure the stats say this is true but he is old and washed up now. That’s like saying if Katharine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Marilyn Monroe or Elizabeth Taylor were alive today that they still are the most beautiful woman on the planet. Ya CLOWN😂😂🤣😆😂🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

  18. History shows us that teams after 5 rounds that have a 1-4 win loss ratio, 95% of the time miss out on the semis. Brisbane still have some tough games in the coming weeks with Canberra, Cronulla Soufffffths should win that one, Manly and Sydney.I think they may only win one in the next five weeks and Seibold’s head could be on the chopping block😂😆🤣😁😂😆😂😝

Comments are closed.