Fox Sports....

[andrewhaigh]

Gotta love em:

8. Fall of an empire
Sorry Brisbane fans, but the Broncos are set to miss the finals for the first time in 19 years. Last season they conceded the third-most points in the NRL, making the finals thanks largely to a hot start to the year. However the loss of Hunt and Taylor, combined with injury concerns over Lockyer and Hodges, means coach Ivan Henjak will get a reality check - and the Broncos will get bucked out of the top eight.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 66,00.html

 

[ningnangnong]

Lol, we were one win away from the Grand Final.

There was only one issue last season, and that was the mid-season slump, which i really don't want to experience again. I think Ivan has it figured out though.

 

[bronco_babe77]

They have been saying that for the last few years. I can't really blame them though - it will have to happen one year. But people and the media are so quick to hopefully predict our downfall.

I'm really hoping we don't get that mid year slump again though. They're just so painful. Especially when every man and his dog thinks its ok to greet you with "So how bout those Broncos eh?? Pretty bloody awful if you ask me. etc etc" The last couple of years I think we are lucky to finish where we did considering. We have to stop relying on the assumption that we'll have back end of the season form.

 

[Coxy]

They're like climate scientists. Throw enough predictions of doom and gloom and eventually one of them comes true.

Personally I prefer their reason for thinking NSW will win the Origin this year. Ageing Darren Lockyer and the loss of Karmichael Hunt. I mean, really?

I'd be concerned if Queensland had lost Thurston, Inglis, Slater, Folau, Price and Civoniceva from the rep game, but even if Lockyer retires I don't think Qld lose much. At all.

 

[Black Philip]

Christopher Boyd is a clueless wanker.

 

[pennywisealfie]

i love it. I love how we prove everyone wrong every year.

 

[Charmamba]

I swear they just copy paste that list every year and just change the dates.


How is Taylors name mentioned? he is not gonna be a major loss.

 

[Bucking Beads]

LOL how sweet it will be when the Broncos make the 8.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Meh just more incentive to piss them off more and not just make the eight but win the premiership [icon_razz1

 

[The Brizz]

The point about or tries conceded is a good one, however with Peter Ryan gone hopefully the team defends as a whole much better. I have us somewhere between 5-8 currently but that would go up or down depending on how quickly the new prop rotation settles in.

 

[tallis12]

Everyone says this every year, The boys will prove them wrong yet again.

 

[ddd]

I think it is essential to making the 8 for us, that people claim that the magic run will come to an end. They can keep it up for as long as they like as far as I care, cause it means that we make the 8.

Thanks fox sports, if this spreads we may indeed walk out with a premiership.

 

[Kris]

This stupid article better fire us up! I want us to win ALL the games, including GF so we can rub it in their ugly faces!

:-D

 

[Charmamba]

Wouldnt that be sweet Win every game from round 1 to Grand Final then smash the poms

 

[tallis12]

Wouldnt that be sweet Win every game from round 1 to Grand Final then smash the poms

It will happen ;)

 

[Professor47]

Tbh - if it was another team with the same roster it could be seen as a fair-ish but risky call. Thing is we're the Broncs. We're a winning club - no doubt about that. We've all seen enough of our team to know that we've got the best winning culture in the comp bar none for the last twenty years.

Look what happened to the powerhouses like Raiders, Manly, Roosters, Knights and the dogs (though not as much). They couldn't maintain their winning culture for whatever reasons. They certainly couldn't overcome their various problems and perform in the competition. Manly came back over the past few years and Dogs did the overhaul last year. Knights have been brave but no threat since Joey. Raiders won't relive their glory days until another twenty years.

It IS going to happen to the Broncos one day... but I don't see it in the near future unless the competition really starts to get fierce... which might take some time with the IC, perhaps more privatisation and advanced professionalism in the coming years.

 

[Mister Wright]

I've always had in the back of my mind that when Lockyer goes, it's almost curtains for the Broncos, and that was shown up a bit last season with our dire lack of depth in the halves against Canberra and eventually against Melbourne. However, Lockyer probably only has two years left, so if we bring on Hunt well and keep Smith & Wallace we should have enough depth when Lockyer goes. I see us making the 8 this year, it will be one of our least involved years as far as rep games go, so we should have a settled team for a majority of the year.

 

[Coxy]

I've always had in the back of my mind that when Lockyer goes, it's almost curtains for the Broncos, and that was shown up a bit last season with our dire lack of depth in the halves against Canberra and eventually against Melbourne. However, Lockyer probably only has two years left, so if we bring on Hunt well and keep Smith & Wallace we should have enough depth when Lockyer goes. I see us making the 8 this year, it will be one of our least involved years as far as rep games go, so we should have a settled team for a majority of the year.

Agree with that. Hodges will also come back fresh and hungry (assuming rehab all goes well). I think that'll be a bonus in the post-Origin hangover that always happens, no matter how few players are involved.

Realistically I can only see Folau, Thaiday and possibly Kenny being involved in Origin this year if Lockyer hangs up his boots.