Broncos’ Origin warning
Immortal’s burnout fear
NRL Immortal and NSW legend Andrew Johns has warned State of Origin “burnout” could derail the Broncos’ charge to a drought-breaking premiership.
Queensland’s one-time playmaking nemesis Johns believes Brisbane’s ability to weather the physical and mental toll of the upcoming Origin series will determine if the Broncos snap a 17-year title drought this season.
Ladder leaders the Broncos go into Thursday night’s blockbuster against bogey side the Storm in Melbourne with up to seven players in Origin contention following their flying 8-2 start to the season.
In-form Broncos Pat Carrigan, Kurt Capewell and Selwyn Cobbo are likely starters for the Maroons, while superstar prop Payne Haas only has to stay fit to lead the Blues’ charge in the Origin opener on May 31.
Other Broncos who could make the NSW and Queensland extended squads include Tom Flegler and Kotoni Staggs, while red-hot recruit Reece Walsh is a major threat to Kalyn Ponga for the Maroons’ fullback spot.
Former Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett saw a slew of his star-studded teams left battered by Origin’s talent drain and 23-game Blues great Johns says the interstate grind can make-or-break the Broncos’ title hopes.
“It’s how the Broncos manage after Origin,” said ‘Joey’ Johns, the 249-game champion halfback who steered Newcastle to premiership wins in 1997 and 2001. “You look at their squad – they have Carrigan, Haas, Cobbo, Kurt Capewell and maybe Reece Walsh (in contention for NSW and Queensland).
“They are going to lose quite a few guys to Origin. It’s how ’Kevvie’ (coach Kevin Walters) handles that.”
The Broncos, who named an unchanged squad to the side that flogged Manly 32-6 in Magic Round, face daunting back-to-back clashes against title contenders the Storm and Penrith.
They head to Melbourne with a terrible record against Craig Bellamy’s troops.
Brisbane have lost 12 straight to the Storm, won just two of their past 24 matches and haven’t beaten Melbourne in a whopping 2450 days dating back to their 26-16 victory at AAMI Park under Bennett in 2016.
Brisbane supplied six players to State of Origin last season — Haas, Carrigan, Capewell, Cobbo, Staggs and Corey Oates – while a seventh Bronco, Flegler, was 18th man for Game Three and part of Queensland’s extended squad.
The Origin demands ultimately broke the Broncos. Fourth after 19 rounds, a weary Brisbane outfit faded badly, losing five of their last six games to crash to ninth, missing the playoffs by just one win.
But Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds is adamant the class of 2023 is a more seasoned group. One comforting factor for Walters is knowing his No.1 playmaker, Reynolds, can steer the depleted Broncos through the Origin period.