Alfie rates Broncos’ new crop of halves

BRONCOS legend Allan Langer says halfback Kodi Nikorima faces a fight to retain Brisbane’s No.7 jersey following the emergence of Red Hill’s “Fab Four”.

The club received a sneak peek at their bright future on Saturday night when 17-yearold playmaker Tom Dearden, too young to play NRL, dominated in a trial match along with fellow teenagers Tanah Boyd and Cory Paix.

Throw Roosters recruit Sean O’sullivan, 20, into the mix and the Broncos have a wealth of shot-calling talent at their disposal for potentially the next decade.

It has been a long time since Brisbane had such highly rated young halves coming through, with the Broncos struggling to find a long-term No.7 since Langer’s retirement in 2002.

Langer watched Brisbane’s next generation beat SouthsLogan 42-0 at Warwick and said incumbent halves Nikorima and Anthony Milford would be feeling the heat.

“They were very good, they impressed the coach (Anthony Seibold),” said Langer, a Broncos trainer. “They are only young at the moment but they’re going to put pressure on our top halves.

“Kodi and Milf have got their spots, but these blokes are going to be really knocking at the door in the next couple of years. The future of the Broncos in the halves is looking pretty good.”

Dearden, who turns 18 the day before Brisbane’s first NRL game against Melbourne on March 14, may not be physically ready for the top grade, but his two-try performance proved he is a genuine talent.

Boyd, 18, and Paix, 19, are a year ahead of Dearden in development and have represented Queensland in junior Origin. The Broncos also have former Australian Schoolboys halfback Troy Dargan, 21, again, but he could not crack the NRL last season under then-coach Wayne Bennett.