Renouf demands audit of 'anti-Wayne' Broncos

[Nashy]

Brisbane great Steve Renouf has joined a growing chorus of dissatisfaction with his former club, urging the Broncos to call in independent auditors to tear apart the football operations as Red Hill sits out the NRL finals for just the second time in 21 seasons.
The former Queensland and Australian centre echoed the blast given to the Broncos by Gorden Tallis, who used his News Corp column to tear strips off the club and demand a complete overhaul to prevent what he perceives to be a team in reverse.
Tallis suggested an influential and expanding group of former players had growing concerns about the direction of the club and it didn't take long for one to surface. And Renouf said he's hardly alone.
"It's not a good time at the moment, it really isn't. Something needs to be done. We went through this not long ago – but they need a review. And probably an external review," Renouf said.
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"They need someone in there to run some sort of audit and for people to be held accountable for what's happening. It's not hard to do – other sports do it.
"I think it has to be open and honest and they need to sit down and do it. Don't just say to the reporters that we're doing some soul-searching, I think the place needs to be audited in that capacity.
"It needs to be someone neutral that has no links to the coach, no links to the players, have no links too the other coaching staff or the admin side.
"There is a real concern. I agree with everything Gordie said. The direction it's going is down and backwards. We don't want that to happen."
Renouf also said he believed the club had taken an "anti-Wayne [Bennett]" stance by seeking to erode some of the pillars on which the Broncos were built. In trying to thrive in the post-Bennett era, Renouf said some Broncos staff had made the very name of the coaching icon taboo.
"I really think there's been an effort to erode the old Wayne Bennett way of things. Why would you change something that worked? I believe that has happened and it's gone a bit too far," Renouf said.
"There are certain values Wayne had there and it's virtually become 'don't mention his name around here'.
"Wayne wasn't frightened in using other coaches in his talks to us. For some reason, this place has almost gone anti-Wayne.
"It's not about bringing Wayne back. There's a lot they can do in the interim. The heart of the place has almost been ripped out at the moment. They can't get that low."
Bennett bemoaned what has become the worst season in Broncos history after his Knights tipped Brisbane out of the finals last week, saying his groups of players seemingly always found a way to make it to the post-season.
“They always found a way to get there, they always found a way to win. I don't know about the current crop here. I'm not here now. I'm just talking about the past,” he said.
Renouf said nobody was scared of playing the Broncos anymore, including the Bulldogs, who visit Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night to end the regular season.
"I remember every man and his dog wanted to come to the club. And we're just not feared any more, that's the sad thing. I don't think anyone is intimidated by playing us. I just don't know if they are taking it seriously enough," Renouf said.
"I'm not sure whether it's got too commercialised but all of a sudden, you start to lose your brand because you're not performing on the field. Yeah, yeah we're getting members. But members aren't going to sign up if nothing is happening and we're playing shitty football."
To add to the drama, the Bulldogs seem set to play Ben Barba, Brisbane's controversial signing for next season who has been hit with an allegation of domestic violence.
On that front, Renouf was finally speechless: "I really have no idea what they do there."

Renouf demands audit of 'anti-Wayne' Broncos

 

[vertigo]

What the **** happened to this club? It's like they think the ladder is upside down or something.

We also now have players championing Hoffman to keep his fullback spot and saying Barba wont be getting it.

 

[Broncoman]

Completely agree with everything Steve said. A full review of everything relating to the Broncos 1st Grade team needs to be undertaken, what we are doing is simply not working and the club must make changes if we are to move forward.

Hopefully this season can give us a good kick up the pants

 

[GCBRONCO]

Keep the pressure on them boys.

 

[jarro65]

Andrew Gee must be feeling a little nervous.

All his ex-teamates are lining up to have a say on what we need to do to improve.

I agree that an independent audit needs to be carried out too....... and the sooner the better.

 

[Dexter]

I think the point has been made and no more old boys need to go public. Maybe a few of them could contact the club and offer support but they need to keep their opinions behind closed doors from here on.

Gordie said he spoke up for fear of becoming another Parra but this is part of how Parra descended into the front office rabble they are. The public feuding opens up wounds that never heal, and it's at the point now that I have no doubt there is an agenda among the old boys to remove the coach before next year.

 

[Brett]

I think the point has been made and no more old boys need to go public. Maybe a few of them could contact the club and offer support but they need to keep their opinions behind closed doors from here on.

Gordie said he spoke up for fear of becoming another Parra but this is part of how Parra descended into the front office rabble they are. The public feuding opens up wounds that never heal, and it's at the point now that I have no doubt there is an agenda among the old boys to remove the coach before next year.

If there is indeed an agenda to remove the coach as you said, does that then make it the wrong thing to do? It's no secret we've had our worst season in the clubs history. That's a fact. The whole team look unfit. That's a fact. I've said good things about Griffin before, but look at our playing roster and tell me why we aren't a top 8 team this year.

The whole thing is messy as all hell. End of the season can't come quickly enough for Griffin and Gee.

 

[broncos4life]

Griffins position must be nearly untenable. Besides all the massive coaching problems he has my biggest concern is the quotes coming out from players, especially Alex Glenn with his garbage about barba won't take the 1 off of Hoffman.. You look at any of the top sides and I could never imagine a player making a comment like that in regards to a star recruit. could you imagine McGuire, toovey or bellemy putting up with that shit? I don't think so...

 

[Financeguy]

No issues with Renouf speaking his mind.

Agree that for Griffin/Gee and White the season cant come soon enough.

Kevin Walters is probably enjoying the comments of his old team mates...

 

[Huge]

I've never changed my opinion nor have I seen anything that has even swayed it a little. It's not because I'm stubborn either. My opinion when they announced the removal of WB ( it was never truly voluntary ) was that the Broncos of old were dead. Each year the players changed but the one constant was WB and his values. He brought a standard along with his coaching abilities and that standard suffered an inexorable decline with his departure. Renouf is correct, we need fresh eyes and he asks for that because he knows the inferiors who've tried to fill the void left by WB do not wish to be contrasted against the legend.

A shockingly poor decision to replace, at that time the worlds best coach, with a complete novice guaranteed a slide yet amazingly when I pointed that out I was attacked. I remember writing I wanted to be wrong about the outcome but sadly, only the most pig headed would still claim the decision was the correct one. We need WB back even as an overseer but I'd hand him the coaches hat if he wished. Bring back the boring, I like semi final time !

 

[Financeguy]

Griffins position must be nearly untenable. Besides all the massive coaching problems he has my biggest concern is the quotes coming out from players, especially Alex Glenn with his garbage about barba won't take the 1 off of barba. You look at any of the top sides and I could never imagine a player making a comment like that in regards to a star recruit. To you imagine McGuire, toovey or bellemy putting up with that shit? I don't think so...

Agree!

Griffin should come out and say Barba was purchased as a fullback and that will be his position and tell the players to stop talking bullshit to the media when they question them on who will be fullback.

It's like signing DCE and the current players banging on that Hunt is the halfback.

 

[Dexter]

If there is indeed an agenda to remove the coach as you said, does that then make it the wrong thing to do? It's no secret we've had our worst season in the clubs history. That's a fact. The whole team look unfit. That's a fact. I've said good things about Griffin before, but look at our playing roster and tell me why we aren't a top 8 team this year.

The whole thing is messy as all hell. End of the season can't come quickly enough for Griffin and Gee.

Nope, it doesn't make it wrong but repeating the same thing over in the press will only cause factions to develop. The club knows the problems, it's public enough, it's time to let the club start fixing things. It will be an eventful off season with more than a few staff changes.

New conditioning coach, new defensive coach to kick it all off.

 

[Brett]

Nope, it doesn't make it wrong but repeating the same thing over in the press will only cause factions to develop. The club knows the problems, it's public enough, it's time to let the club start fixing things. It will be an eventful off season with more than a few staff changes.

New conditioning coach, new defensive coach to kick it all off.

Thanks for your honesty. I agree with you 100%. Let's just hope the club has the balls to do what's required...

 

[nopatience101]

Wayne under pump: Renouf
By Dan Koch
October 10, 2005

FORMER Brisbane great Steve Renouf believes 2006 will be a make or break season for Broncos coach Wayne Bennett following his decision to sack three of his assistants last week.

Assistant coach Kevin Walters, performance director Gary Belcher and Colts coach Glenn Lazarus were dumped by the club on Friday as Bennett seeks to find the answer to his team's poor finals showings over the past five years.

While admitting the club needed to make some significant changes, Renouf yesterday questioned Walters' axing in particular, and said Bennett would face the greatest scrutiny of his illustrious coaching career next year.

"Wayne is under the pump, there's no doubt about that and while things needed to be shaken up a bit I don't think anyone expected this sort of reaction," Renouf said of the sackings.

"He's certainly put himself in the position of being a real target next season if things don't improve. It's devastating for the guys who lost their jobs and I especially feel for Kevvie because he is a really close friend of mine and I am sure he didn't see this coming.

"I think Kevvie has a fair bit to offer in coaching ranks but he and the other guys have taken the hit for the club's bad finish to the last few seasons. It's a big call to lay the blame on them, but in football clubs you have to make tough decisions sometimes.

"But if the same thing happens next season it will be interesting to see the club's reaction."

After leading the competition for 15 weeks during the regular season Brisbane crashed out of this year's title race by losing its last seven matches.

The 34-6 loss to Wests Tigers in the second week of the semi-finals was the Broncos' seventh loss in the eight finals they have played since winning the title in 2000.

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After that loss Bennett and Broncos managing director Bruno Cullen both intimated the club needed to significantly alter its game plan and playing personnel if it was to keep up with the likes of grand finalists Wests Tigers and North Queensland Cowboys.

The addition of classy St George Illawarra rake Michael Ennis, who yesterday announced he would be moving to Brisbane for two seasons, is a step in the right direction. However, much more is needed from emerging youngsters like Neville Costigan, Sam Thaiday, Joe Clarke and Brett Seymour.

With rumours abounding of team disharmony and the club's alleged displeasure at the performances of some members of the top squad, Renouf said Bennett needed to "get tougher" with the players.

According to the four-time premiership-winning centre, the current crop of Brisbane players were getting an "easier ride" from Bennett than the championship-winning sides of the 1990s.

Excepting veteran trio Petero Civoniceva, Shane Webcke and Darren Lockyer, Renouf said almost every player needed to take some responsibility for what has happened to Walters, Belcher and Lazarus.

"I do wonder if some of the guys are pushing themselves or are being pushed like we were back then (in the mid '90s)," Renouf said.

"The key guys seem to be carrying way too big a workload. They just aren't getting the support they need.

"I really hope the playing group doesn't escape what is obviously disciplinary action. A few of those boys need to put their hands up. They shouldn't be allowed to get off scot-free, which I think some of them have to an extent recently.

"They don't mind taking the accolades when they are winning, so they have to shoulder a fair portion of the blame when things capitulate like they did at the end of the year."

It is understood the Broncos are planning to appoint replacements for the dumped coaches in the next 48 hours. Several names have already been floated as potential candidates to fill the vacant positions including Canberra's Terry Matterson and Cowboys assistant Kelly Egan.

Former Bronco Ben Ikin has been linked with the Colts role, but flatly denied he was in the running, saying he was committed to his work as a player liaison officer at the Broncos, the media manager of the Queensland State of Origin team and as a Channel Nine commentator next season.

Renouf urged his former mentor to steer clear of former players and people who had strong links to the club when he makes his final decision.

' 'Wayne really has to get this one right and I think he will take his time and sit down and make sure he gets the best people available," Renouf said.

"There are a lot of good people out there and I think it is really important to sway away from guys who have just left the club. It doesn't work.

"Wayne needs to find someone with some strong, positive, new ideas who is prepared to challenge him when they think things aren't going the way they need to."

 

[Huge]

Assistant coach Kevin Walters, performance director Gary Belcher and Colts coach Glenn Lazarus were dumped by the club on Friday as Bennett seeks to find the answer to his team's poor finals showings over the past five years.


The difference between the coaches is in the last seven words.WBs team was playing finals. The following year,2006 WBs team (including his new staff members ) won the premiership. The last 5 years has been a litany of failures and underachievement coupled to delusional coaches making ridiculous claims. Claims like 'we have a plan so get on board'.

 

[Bull Shark]

^ so is that post quoting the story from 05' a shot at Steve Renouf or a demonstration of what a proactive, winning coach does when he knows his team needs to get better ?

I really think so many of our current ills could be cured via the appointment of an outstanding coach. Guys like Craig Bellamy & Des Hasler RUN SHIT at their respective clubs ... they know what they need to have in place to get their football team functioning at its peak and they ensure their demands are met by the 'higher ups' at the club ..

I think people would be amazed at the influence and the turnaround that would occurr in Brisbane if we had an "alpha" coach running the show .. and as for these current players, well they wouldn't know what fucking hit them ... but as footballers they wouldn't know themselves after a few months under one of these guys, such would be the improvement.

But, it's no good us bitching about it here .. the people ru(i)nning the club are the only ones who can work towards fixing this.

 

[nopatience101]

It was the same lines being thrown up then that are being thrown up now, coach is too close to players to make the tough call, emerging talent isn't kicking on as they should be, support staff aren't good enough, players aren't being pushed hard enough and standards have slipped. Wayne saw the writing on the wall after yet another post-origin slump and he went out and got himself another gig at the roosters, then things turned and the rest is history. Whenever a side is unsuccessful the same people with the same laundry list of problems come out, and most of the time the club responds the same way, hook will get a boosted and restructured support staff and 2014 to turn things around or he will be gone.

 

[subsbligh]

Renouf is off the mark.

The environment is completely different to the glory days of the early 90s where the Broncos had the benefit of lax salary cap rules, being the only genuine Winfield Cup threat from Newcastle north (basically 70% of the Rugby League geography) and Rugby Union being a game played by private school kids.

Recruitment doesn't just happen anymore. There's no margin for error (like poorly thought out recruitment decisions - Prince but at the cost of Norman and Wallace) and now potentially Barba at the cost of Hoffman.

Despite the haters, we do have a fucking good roster. Especially with the Barba purchase. If Milford comes through we have a lot of X factor