Sounds like the locals are turning on them, based on today's S-M:
Broncos season broken
You Say You Want A Kevolution?
The Brisbane Broncos' finals hopes are now all but extinct after succumbing to the St George-Illawarra Dragons 22-12 in Sydney last night. Just a month ago, the Broncos were all but guaranteed a finals spot, but an unfathomable drop in form over the last month means that (barring a miracle Tigers thrashing of Biblical levels over the Raiders on Sunday afternoon) the season for Brisbane is officially over.
Club officials are rumoured to have already faced an avalanche of backlash online, with demands ranging from the immediate termination of coach Kevin Walters contract, to the entire squad being placed under immediate review and voting privately on Walters' future. 50 and 60 point demolitions at the hands of the Storm and the Eels in respective weeks had already plunged the club into crisis mode, with more fuel added to the fire by departing Tyson Gamble's comments bringing Walters' actual input into the struggling squad into question.
The Sunday Mail understands that there are currently no plans to review Walters' current coaching tenure, however a review of the playing staff has not officially been written off. What can't be ignored, however, is that a capitulation like the one long-suffering Broncos fans have witnessed in the past month is hard to beat in Rugby League memory. Our data reveals that not since 1995 has a team failed to make the finals after being within the top 4 with a month left to play of the regular season.
Such an implosion couldn't come at a more critical time for the Red Hill-based club, with the impending debut of new local rivals the Dolphins in 2023 challenging the Broncos status as the biggest ticket in town. This will make it tougher for the Broncos to trade on their history and tradition of excellence as a bargaining chip in a cross-town war to sign Queensland-based talent, with enough pressure already from clubs like the Storm.
But the answers all start on the field, and witnessed again last night with their season to play for, was a playing group lacking cohesion and energy, in stark contrast to the team playing expansive, free-flowing football that saw them all set for a top 4 finish and running fellow top 8 contenders close if not winning the contest.
Through a decorated plating career (and as the last playing member from the Broncos originals), Walters showed time and again the resilience and spirit that typifies our Queensland heroes. The Walters brothers are household names in Queensland Rugby League. Now is the time where, more than ever, Kevin Walters needs to rely on that same passion and (together with the under-fire board) find a way to resurrect the Broncos to their long-held place as the Pride Of Queensland Rugby League- and fast.
COMMENTS
"Been a loyal Broncos fan since 1988 day 1 and I have never seen a team this bad. No effort, no direction. Where's that Bronco spirit? Where's the heart and the understanding of what it means to be a Bronco- we are the pride of Qld and now even the Cowboys are laughing at us. There is no worse performing club in the NRL, the whole joint needs a clean-out ASAP or I am handing in my season membership".
- D. Smith, Rocklea
"To think I painted my face and sang 'Next year we got Kevvie'. I am mortified. Kev, we love you always but please for the good of the club just step aside NOW!"
- Trev, Ebbw Vale
"Left the game early last week, had seen enough. Then I witnessed the disgusting sight of a Dolphins membership stand set up out the front of Suncorp- our spiritual home. To make matters even worse, Wayne Bennett was in the membership stand handing out free lemonade, with fellow Broncos fans swarming over to chat with him and no doubt discussing memberships for 2023. They can walk- with our incompetent coach."
- J.K, Nudgee
"Seeing our boys get carved up by the Storm and the Eels in respective weeks was as bad as the 2015 Grand Final. A disgrace on our proud club. But even with the Dolphins coming in we have nothing to worry about. They can have a good first season while creeping Jesus Bennett poaches what he thinks is going to usurp our mighty club, the Cowboys can have another good season in 2023, but we will win the war. We are the Broncos, the biggest club in Qld and it will remain that way."
- Broncofan, Brisbane
"I heard Wayne Bennett had a lemonade stand out the front of Suncorp so I went along and discovered they were giving out free lemonade and selling Dolphins memberships. I got to talk to Wayne personally and liked what he had to say about the club and their aspirations. So after being a proud Bronco since 2006, I signed up. Can't wait for 2023 to be part of something special.
- D. Boyd, Brisbane
"What's happening- we're the Broncos and we're better than this! Disgraceful effort, the whole board needs to walk for the shameful handling of this club ever since they stabbed Bennett in the back and who's laughing now? The players need to be sacked as well- they don't know the meaning of what being a Bronco is about. If they want to dish up that crap they can go play for the Tigers or head down the road to the Titans, rubbish clubs with toxic cultures and stop trying to drag our proud club's name through the mud."
- Sam, Auchenflower
"It's glorious to watch the entitled, arrogant Broncos get what they've deserved for so long. Having lived up here in Qld these past 20 years, there is no more insufferable fanbase or club in the NRL apart from the Storm. Think it is their given right to the premiership, supporting an arrogant bunch of show-ponies who carry on as if they are on a whole different level to the rest of the NRL. You know the Broncos have become a total pony show when their smug fans stop finding a way to talk about the Broncos is every single discussion on League, to acting like they have no interest in league. If they want to turn Brisbane around, they could take a leaf out of the book of a club in Sydney who focused on juniors, got the right people in to turn the club around and are now reaping the benefits on field. They have done so through hard work, humility and doing the hard yards and are now on another level to the rest of the competition, setting the standards in League. That club is the mighty Panthers Your 2021 (and most likely 2022) Premiers- C'MON PENRITH!!!"
- S.Mugg, Logan.
