The issue is that the Broncos couldn't just go out and sign a Craig Bellamy or a Trent Robinson. They weren't available and even if they were they would never stake their reputation on a mess of a club right now. So either came down to a disgraced coach like Paul Green or somebody who has an obvious passion for the role and the club in Walters.
Kev's job right now is the most thankless role in the NRL. It's like Nathan Brown at the Knights where all he can do is ride this mess out and hope that the Bullemors, Fleglers, Rikis etc. of the squad can improve and they can at least set themselves up for 2023 or 2024. By that point, Kev will likely be out of a job and they'll bring in an assistant who will actually have some freedom to put together the roster he wants.
The whole mismanagement of the club goes back to the new television deal. Brisbane had the most amount of players off contract and when the Dragons threw that ridiculous deal at Hunt and when the Titans did the same with Taylor it spooked the club. They made all these commitments with the idea that the players would play under Bennett only to try and sign Bellamy behind Bennett's back. Then instead of trying to make peace they decided to go on with it and punted him for a rookie coach who was all hype.
Players start leaving the titanic and in order to keep a few of them Seibs throws these ridiculous contracts which just makes the salary cap worse. Players like Lodge, Pangai Jr and Oates all got paid ridiculous sums and they started promoting rookies on NRL deals well before they were ready.
With that said, Kev hasn't really been that impressive. Supposedly he re-signed Flegler on a $650,000 deal when really outside of Haas nobody deserved to be paid. Apparently he's looking to re-sign Staggs on $700,000 which is ridiculous and Coates is looking at $500,000 which again, why? They let Walsh go because $400,000 was unreasonable for a 18 year old fullback but $400,000 for an 18 year old second rower is more than reasonable. Made a big song and dance about starting Dearden in QCup only to call him up after one game and then play him in a glut of games against the top teams so he's absolutely shot. The one marquee signing he made was Asiata who was supposed to add a new dimension to the attack but he can barely get a game. Brisbane had two roster spots and instead of looking to recruit a player in a position of need on a short term deal he goes out and promotes the aforementioned 18 year old backrow and Danny Levi. I have no idea what he was thinking with the last signing considering he could have signed him on a train and trial deal and brought him up that way since the Broncos depth at dummy half is shot. The only free agents being linked to the club are his son and 34 going on 35 year old Karmichael Hunt who hasn't played NRL in 12 years.
Agreed mate.
I hated the Broncos in the 90’s - yep there was a rivalry but I also now realise that for many reasons, it was just coz they were so good.
I lost my hatred for them ages ago. And it coincides with their decline.... and funnily enough once Bennett left them to coach my mob.
The lustre of the broncos has long since gone. And I’m saddened in a way, your once mighty arch enemy is now not even a shadow of what they once were. You need arch enemies to be strong .... otherwise what’s the point of them...
But throughout all the broncos glory years of the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s... the broncos I hated... there was one player who I just couldn’t hate. Found it impossible to hate... even though he wore the despised yellow n maroon...
Kevin Walters. I actually liked Kevin. You couldn’t not.
Others like yourself Pete will have a far better knowledge of what’s led to the demise of this once Rugby League Superpower... and well put in your post. I would think that they outsmarted them self by trading their star coach away thinking they were “bigger than Wayne Bennett”.
How to fix them? It’s anyone’s guess...
But I always think of what a modern day rugby league superpower did when they hit the skids...
The 2009 Roosters were abysmal and won the wooden spoon. Swift, sharp action was taken on many fronts.... and they made the grand final the following year. You can only put that down to astute management, recognising failing and taking ownership to get things right again. They did and have been close to the top side of the next decade.
Pains me to say it but, the Roosters are an example to all teams here. Failures should not last more than a season or two. The broncos, a once proud club, are now a punchline. 2 seasons of misery, and now a 3rd isn’t getting any better. They need to get as ruthless as possible - but from the top to the bottom - exec, management, and players... get the broom right through the place.
I never thought the issues primarily rested with Siebold. I don’t think the issues now primarily rest with Walters either. It’s just a club that’s imploded on a supernova scale - and it’s been self-inflicted.
They’ll be back one day. But I fear for broncos fans it’ll be a few more seasons until the signs will be there that it’ll heading in the right direction.
