When you come back from camp and you see the Bronx bet the panthers

(Yes obviously it is chatgbt and I didn’t fact check)
Edit: Not picking a side here (although I lean Billy), I’m no genius when it comes to NRL - just wanna hear people’s thoughts.

I believe our problem is the team and club profile.

Broncos 2026 Team Profile Problem

As Stephen Covey often said , " Sometimes you have to stand outside the forest to look at the trees."

My Thesis

This year is a repeat of 2024 ...

I believe it's not the coaches it is the team profile that is the problem.

The team we fielded this year is not very big. Our spine and back line lack size (apart from Shibasaki) and are constantly targeted and bashed. When our forwards are really pushing the opposition backwards our small but fast backs can blow any opposition off the field.

However if our forwards are not dominating then opposing teams will just wear us down by running big men at out smaller halves and backs and are just griding us down.

To prove my point , compare the size of Penrith's spine and backs to the Broncos, apart from Brian Toao, they tower over our boys and are way better equipped to defend against big forwards. I also believe our problem lies in having some over rated forwards.

In 2026 we lost Corey Jenson, Kobe Heterington and Tyson Smoothy. Losing our forward leader in Capewell in 2025 turned out to be a massive blunder in retention especially in 2026 when he is still playing great footy at origin level (Compare his stats to Piakura and Ricki).

Oh yes Corey Parker was spewing nonsense on radio about Piakura being a future test player because he ran with Brendy in the mornings. Hence Luke Capewell (our forward leader and minister for defence) saw he was being pushed out and moved to the Warriors.

Give me a break, the broncos need to be smarter and I'm sorry, many of the old boys who are in media, aren't very smart ( not including Lockyer, Webke and Lazarus who knew move to new challenges). I mean the last dominant back rower we had was Matt Gillette. So what is the solution???

If we keep the same team next year without Hass, yes we will regroup and do well, but I am certain we will repeat the 2024 and 2026 seasons in 2028 because of our recruitment profile.

I suggest we recruit to the Penrith model of taller and superfit players who can grind down any opposition over time. (If they come super fit, then guess what, the coaches don't have to worry about them carrying a few extra kgs from a big weekend.)

The salary cap does not allow any team to have an excess of marqee players for any extended period so the next best thing is put together a team that is physically best suited to the modern fast game of today.

The Broncos have a small but incredibly explosive spine and back line but I don't believe the salary cap allows us to maintain dominance over successive years unless we move to the Penrith recruitment model.

Some of our smaller bodied players will find the mental and physical exertion too much ..eg Corey Paix, Ezra Mam, Rhyse Walsh, Katoni Staggs, and soon J.karapani. Along with Reno and Hunty we often have seven smaller great players tackling massive forwards as the Broncos "Blood new players".

Even with the best coaches this will result in alternate seasons as the players ramp up every second season ... look at the pattern ... there is a definite reason for this.

Recommended immediate moves

... start blooding Verhoeven at centre and recruit a big fit five eight who can tackle with good hands. Mam to half back Billy Walters and Mozer to share hooking role and start looking for two backrowers who look and play like Kobe Hetherinton (another huge loss).

Stop hyping the young players like Vaa Semu who won't come into his peak until he is 25 at earliest. Look to the smart players like Carrigan to lead your team and give Ben Hunt a chance to lead the team in 2027 ... His play is law!

Verhoeven, Phillip Coates etc are our future.

Broncos Club Profile

I once met Bellamy at the world cup in Edinburgh lovely man. We saw him on the plane back from the world cup reading CV'S of prospective players for 5 hours at least. We need a coach who is really football smart, oh yes you say we had Seibold ... Sry a weekend at an expensive uni doesn't do that. Nor does a simple Physical Education Degree. Madge has the smarts ...but he is good for three years then he has to evolve to lead the next generation of Broncos (and that will be like climbing Everest again).

Football smarts come from both reflective learning and application on the footy field. Smith Cronk and Billy Slater had smarts along with JT. They could spot a top player within 10 minutes after watching any game. It was a Qld pastime in the 70s and 80s watching potential players to see if they "Could make it!".

Again I am sorry but Karl Morris is no Nick Poliltis. He is a newscorp businessman ... not a blood brother Queenslander that Lachlan Murdock needs.

If the Broncos want a Dynasty, they have to be patient and recruit a very smart operator at the level of Peter Valandy's ... then the Penrith-like dynasty will eventuate.

They have the money, they lost a great operator in Ben Ikin, (it was appalling that they pushed him out when they really, really needed his insights into detail). Ps I love those guys but no-one is perfect.

They just need the will to decide as a board and actually learn about the game they preside over. Yes media, politics, all influence but at the end of the day it is belief that "This is the right thing and this is best for the club" that makes the right decision.

However how can a club board made up of woke and business appointees with one or two ex-club players make effective decisions?

Yes I am clearly saying put intelligent ex football players or coaches back on board, make a majority and they don't have to be Ex-Broncos. Wining games will bring in more money than new Suncorp venue entertainment strategies

Okay that's my rant.

You can all abuse, disagree or add to this thesis on the broncos team and club profile.

Never say never!

I get that it would be nice to do, and will probably keep our fate in our own hands a bit, but I keep hearing that the only way we make the 8 is if we go undefeated for the rest of the season. Seems like there is possibility for some wiggle room (predicted ladder attached).

I think we are let’s hope for no injury’s

Hey all,

I'll be in Brisbane for the Bingham Cup in August and was looking to watch a NRL game in person and have a couple Q's that I can't seem to verify.

1) Women play followed by the men, I assume one ticket for both games?

2) There are only singles left, any best places to sit?

3)Anything else to know? I arrive that morning so will be highly caffeinated and looking forward to the first beer(s) of the trip.

Thanks!

I knew the team had this in them.

This is why losing 3 critical matches they should have won hurts so much more.

They have suffered the worst luck with injuries to key players, they are already up to 32 players used in the season which is one more then the Rabbitohs did last year.

For that reason you can excuse most of their losses apart for 3 critical games that come to mind.

- Round 2 against the Eels, they gave up a significant lead with some shocking left edge defence.

- Round 13 against the Dragons, they simply didn't turn up.

- Round 14 against the Titans, they again gave up a lead and they still had a chance to win it on the final play and screwed up with a dumb kick.

If they win those 3 games they are now sitting on 24 points instead of 18 and they are only outside the 8 on for and against.

Hopefully the horror run of injuries is over and they can string some wins together, but losing those 3 games means that even they go on a run it will be all for naught

As a Broncos fan who watches all their games it seems like nearly every game Piakura always has to come off the field for a HIA. And in 2022, I believe he had multiple concussions that limited his ability to play that year.

Of course, lots of HIA incidents are accidental, but I can’t help but think Piakura’s constant HIA’s are as a result of his carelessness. They seem to mostly happen when he’s trying to tackle a player so it’s got to be some fault with his defensive technique.

Wondering what you guys think? There’s no way most of his HIAs are accidental.

Raiders v Souths

Even though we’re on equal points with the Raiders and a win for them puts them 2-up on us, I think a Raiders win is better in the long run. They’ve got Tigers next week, then a tough run home. We need to overtake them, but I don’t think they’ll be contending for a Top 8 spot. Souths will be. We need as many Souths losses as possible. If Souths do win though, a 30+ thrashing of Raiders will help us overtake on PD.

Bulldogs v Tigers

Tough call, but I think a Bulldogs win is better. They’re ahead of us now, but the Dogs have a harder draw coming up and are likely to lose more than they win. So that’ll take care of itself. Tigers have an easier draw and are right up our tail. If they lose this week and then we keep winning, they won’t get us.

Titans v Manly

Titans aren’t a threat to us, Manly are. A Titans win will help us close the gap on Manly. Unlikely though.

Dolphins v Cowboys

Six-of-one, half a dozen of the other here. They’re both ahead of us, both of even points. If anything here, Cowboys have a worse PD, so a Cowboys loss will help us close that gap. They’re ahead both have winnable draws coming up, but if anyone’s gonna shit the bed, it’s the Cowboys. Dolphins are also finding form late.

Reece Walsh is the heartbeat of this team, he is so good switching between 1 and 6, such a hard nosed team playing like this and having almost everyone available. Shame how the season has played out, but not all hope is lost just yet..

I still think it's too little too late but holy hell what a game by our boys. Couldn't be prouder of that effort

What a way to end the drought, I was on the edge of my seat right up til the last minute. Best game we’ve played in while, and against Penrif of all teams!
Up saint Walsh. Up the Bronx 🤘🏽

Definitely the best we've played this year since early rounds.. We may actually win this, knowing how this side (current line up) pick up second half.

I know it's too early to pick a team for 2027, but this season is now a write off. Barring injuries and some excellent preseason form, what do you think/want the team to look like next year?

This is my idea:

1. Walsh.

2. Karapani.

3. Staggs.

4. Gagai.

5. Mariner. A shame since he was playing well at centre, but I can't see elder Gagai playing wing next year.

6. Billy. I'd love his energy and grit on field at all times. He and Duffy would understand the simple assignment of giving Walsh the ball whenever, à la Billy and Hunt during last year's finals.

7. Duffy.

8. Willison.

9. Paix.

10. Barnett.

11. Piakura.

12. J. Riki.

13. Carrigan.

14. Mozer.

15. Talty.

16. J. Hunt. He's average but full of effort. Every team needs guys like him.

17. P. Riki. See above.

18. B. Hunt. A mentor/utility role.

As much as I'd love to put Jensen in there as well, it unfortunately looks like his career is over. He and Barnett starting with Willison off the bench would've been awesome. 😔

Hey bronxnation, would anyone happen to have 2 origin tickets they are looking to sell? thanks!