Broncos coach Wayne Bennett believes the impact of this years State of Origin series on the club is the main reason behind his sides late season form slump.
Speaking on ABC Radio, Bennett said the large-scale involvement of Broncos players and staff in this years series had drained the entire organisation.
"Up to round 12 this year, we were in good form, Bennett said.
At that stage of the season we were up near the top of the table in the NRL with nine wins and three losses. Our Reserve grade side was leading the Queensland Cup and our Colts were on top of the table in the Toowoomba competition.
Now we are down in eighth, the Clydesdales finished sixth and missed the finals and our Colts slipped down to third or fourth.
"Our whole program is just so disrupted by State of Origin and my involvement as coach hasn't helped. Before the State of Origin but we came back from Origin and it's all fallen apart.
If we had three or four players involved [in Origin] we could handle it but we've got 11 and 12 involved.
I know it is the pinnacle of our game and players want to play it and be involved in it and I would never think of denying them that opportunity.
I just think there needs to be some concessions for our competitions elite players. They need a rest.
In an indication that he would not directly participate in Queensland's campaign next year, Bennett said playing Origin matches was like "playing a grand final every couple of weeks" and this year's series had drained him and the players.
"I know how bad I felt," he said.
"I only started to feel normal again a week ago."
Bennett also questioned the NRLs scheduling after the third Origin fixture, which saw seven Broncos have to front up for four matches an Origin, a Test and two club games in the space of 10 days.
Look at a bloke like Shane Webcke, he hasnt had a week off all season and that includes three mid-week Origins and a Test, Bennett said.
And on top of that we had the scheduling of four games in 10 days after the Origin series and I dont think some of our blokes have totally recovered from that.
Bennett has called on the Rugby League Players Association to do more to help the games elite players.
He said the RLPA needed to speak to some of the players most affected by the extensive NRL club and representative season because clubs were just not interested in changing the status quo.
Clubs like us, Newcastle and the Roosters have all approached the league for some help in this regard, but we get no support from the other clubs, Bennett said.
They want to see our elite players backing-up and tired at the end of the season, but it is not good for the game.
The Roosters have made some excellent proposals this season that have just been rejected by all those clubs who arent as heavily affected by representative football.
It is time the players started standing up for themselves.
Gorden Tallis was speaking to a leading AFL player telling him how they had to play a Test on Friday night and back-up for the club on Saturday and the AFL player just laughed and said that sort of thing would never be allowed to happen in the AFL.
After their loss to Parramatta on Saturday Bennett dismissed suggestions that next Friday night's final game against St George Illawarra was grand final for the Broncos, with the Eels now just one win and percentage short of a Brisbane.
Next weekend Parramatta travel to Penrith, needing to beat the competition frontrunners to have any hope of being involved in the finals, while Brisbane can still make it even if they lose to the Dragons due to a superior for and against record.
"It's not our grand final," said Bennett.
"Our for and against is not that of a club sitting badly.
We havent been beaten by more than 10 points in the last six weeks, so we arent a side who is going out and getting blown off the park. We just cant get enough points ourselves and I am just not sure how we are going to fix that at the moment.
Asked if Brisbane could finish eighth and win five games straight to win a sixth premiership, Bennett replied: "We've managed to lose six straight and we didn't plan for that."
He has been a fine talent to watch. Things do not look too rosy for the Eels who are depending upon a Dragons win. 
