Here's what I learned from the 9s, at least the stuff that's relevant to the 13-man version:
POSITIVES:
* Our fitness has improved out-of-sight.
* Teamwork was a lot better - it has been said that we didn't have that many 'standouts', as evidenced by the lack of Broncos in everyone's 'best of' list. That screams of team cohesion. Last year we had world-beaters in Hoffman, Hodges, Parker, etc, and Origin incumbents Thaiday, Gillett etc. Yet we couldn't win a damn game.
* Desperation. It was an exhibition tournament, yet the cover-tackles, backing-up during attacking line breaks, and tacklers chasing during opposition line-breaks, was great to see. While this goes hand-in-hand with fitness, it's still a great sign.
* Copley. Hopefully he proves me wrong and becomes the great centre that the club has predicted him to be.
* Hoffman proved once again that he has all the skills to be one of the best wingers in the game. Maybe that's a negative.
NEGATIVES:
* With the game on the line in the final, the Broncos still looked clueless as to how to overcome the pressure. There doesn't seem to be anyone close to a Lockyer to stay composed and guide the team. Granted, we were missing our best attacking weapon (Barba) and the halves are still inexperienced, but they resorted to grinding football with only a minute or so to go and two tries required.
* Stagg, a wonderful servant to the Broncos and a player who would bleed for the jersey, sadly, is a spent force. Griffin may still choose him when he's recovered out of loyalty, but it would be the wrong move. Lowrie is interchangeable and has a bit more mongrel, but is prone to stupidity.