Random thoughts about intangibles (aka winning culture)

[gUt]

In a song that says it doesn't matter what happens to your worldly possessions or your mundane circumstances, Tom Waits said:

"There's one thing you can't lose, it's that feel..."

I remember in years past getting a certain satisfaction from seeing the way the Broncos behaved on the field, as though they were totally impregnable and irresistible. The team had an aura of arrogance, a projection of utter indifference to whoever their opponent might be on a given week. Like the very best high-jumpers who casually pass on heights that are huge achievements for lesser competitors and who deign not to jump until their nearest rivals decide to get involved, the Broncos seemed to project "you lot start without us, we'll come out in the second half and win it from there".

Even if the game was a losing one players like Langer, Sailor, Lockyer, Lazarus, Civoniceva, Berrigan and Carroll and newly, Hunt and Wallace, made it clear that they were primarily having fun at their opposition's expense, casual and professional at the same time. Other teams would have to come totally amped, totally focussed and fired up to try to prove they belonged on the same field. It was a privilege for these guys to have the Broncos lined up against them.

What I'd like is to see this new breed of Broncos players try to capture and earn that same self-belief and arrogance. The question is though, is it something that Wayne Bennett taught them or is it something that rubs off on the rest of the team from the likes of Langer and Lockyer?

 

[subsbligh]

Re: Random thoughts about intangibles

I think you're really talking about the "winning culture" and I think that it has been ingrained enough over the past 20 years to stay in place. I think you'd be naive to think it can last forever. Look at Souths.

I know that there are certain teams that we play that you don't get too worried about, regardless of their current form (e.g. Tigers, Raiders, Penrith) and other that are the opposite and you know will always be a tough match for us (Bulldogs, St George, Roosters and of course Melbourne).

When Lockyer bows out I think that it will be truly the end of a Golden Age. I think that outside of football, the Broncos have had a sizeable advantage with the talent pool and the geographical advantage of not being mixed up with the Sydney media and all the other rubbish teams in NSW. That advantage is depreciating and "the next big thing" from QLD has 3 realistic options and not just default to the Broncos.

That is what will change the culture more than anything else.

 

[Assassin]

Re: Random thoughts about intangibles

Yes indead the popular description given to this is "winning culture". The fact that the broncs could walk onto the field against any team and genuinly think they were probebly going to win. Many clubs simply don't have this, souths has the opposite problem they actually go into most games expecting to loose and the mind set has played against them for years now. It probebly wasn't till that arrogant young Chis Sandow stepped in last year that they started to beleive again and the results were nearly instant. Hopefully for their teams sake they don't take his attitude away as he singlehandedly saved them from getting the spoon for anouther year!

Back to the broncs, its so hard to say what the future has in store but I'm pretty confident the team still holds a strong winning culture you only had to look at the reactions to the players in that last game in 08 where the storm knocked them out. They were truely devistated as they all genuinly thought they should have beaten them, there was no pats on the back for getting so far just pure disapointment that they didn't win.

For 09 we have lost Ennis who had a huge amount of that attitude but we have picked up Falou who I think sets his bars equally high, he's not content to play 1st grade... he's not content to get to grand finals... he wants to be the best and nothing less and that will definetly help keep the "Winning Culture" alive.

 

[Russo]

Re: Random thoughts about intangibles

Ah the footy season is back, some great posts guys and sure to generate some interesting discussions. Well done guys icon_thumbs_u

As for my thoughts agree it is a winning culture that you are describing and for mine it is the players and particularly the senior players that ingrain that in the the newbies, though dare I say it the Gen Y'ers seem to have that arrogance already which is different to what is needed IMHO to a winning culture.

It will certainly be an interesting season ahead, and an exciting one to see who is charge of the ship called the Broncos in 2009.

 

[gUt]

Re: Random thoughts about intangibles

I think Sandow does have that attitude, but it is the Gen Y version which to me says "I have something to prove and I will now prove it" compared to Langer's "I have nothing to prove".

The reason I raised this topic at all is that for me, the on-field arrogance doesn't seem to have been there in recent times, even in 06. I think certain players have never lost it, but there was a 15 or so year stretch when the entire team dripped with it.

Melbourne has it at times but there's a certain flakiness to theirs I think. When they lose a game it's doom and gloom and the ref's fault etc, when the arrogant Broncos lost it didn't really seem to matter. The next mob were going to pay for it.

 

[BroncoMatt]

Re: Random thoughts about intangibles

Just touching on the Winning culture, I read an interview with Ben Ikin the other day and he mentioned how nervous he was before the 2000 Grand Final. BUt he said the nerves went right out the window when both Bennett and Kevin Walters come up to him and said "WHat are you nervous about, we're the Broncos, We don't lose Grand Finals"

I love that!

 

[Hamm.0]

Awhile ago, in the "realistic expectations for 2009" thread, I said that I believe we will be at least top 4 at seasons end. That wasn't a piss in the wind comment, I honestly believe it. Why some may ask, especially when you consider the playing roster and new coaching staff? Quite simply, the Broncos (either Cullen or Henjak and I like to think the latter) upon learning of Bennett's departure immediately sought out men who have an ingrained winning culture, to co-coach.

Whilst as coaches, they may be green behind the ears, I honestly think Webcke will expect nothing less than 100% effort from his pack. Who greater to coach a pack, than the hardest working and one of the most passionate Broncos of all time? Then moving to the backs and we have the seasoned brain of Lockyer as captain and the greatest halfback to ever play the game as coach. A true club man who inspires players simply by his presence. If Langer can put aside his desire to please and show his backs how to be even a quarter of the winner he was, they will be successful.

The only true concern for the longevity of success at the Broncos is what subsbligh alluded to; Brisbane is no longer the default choice for an upcoming youngster. Winning culture or not, we have had oodles of talent through our ranks over the last 20 years and now with the Titans, Cowboys and Storm, not to mention QRL clubs feeding Canberra and Sydney clubs, the path to the Broncos has many diversions.

In short, do I think we will still have the arrogance to believe we can win before we have stepped on the field? No, I think we lost that mindset sometime shortly after 2002. However, do I think we still have a winning culture at the Broncos? Without a doubt.

 

[mrslong]

Aside from the obvious people Hammo talked about there is one certain young fullback at our club that exudes that winning confidence too, which he can pass on to some of his young GenY/iGen team mates (as long as he stops teaching them to party)...his confidence helps Lockyer immensely. Don't doubt it.

 

[Dave]

I totally agree with the Webcke thing - last year we really lacked a dominant personality in the forwards - even though he won't be on the field he will have been in the ear of Clinton, Kenny, Sims etc all week and as they have so much respect for the man they will want to do whatever it takes to win rather than let him down. With our greatest ever forward having a hads on role with the pack in 2009 and our greatest ever player actively involved as well I think this could be a great year for the Broncos

Back in the day we could afford to be arrogant because we had game breakers in almost every position. I don't think our culture has eroded in any way it just looks to me that when it comes time to win the game it takes a hell of a lot more effort from our player than it used to. While we have guys like Locky, K, Israel and Wallace we will always have that swagger about us - the confidence that whatever hole you get into you can get out of. I think it is up to the next tier of players - Parker, Clinton, Kenny etc to work hard, listen and put their body on the line when needed. Guys like Gavin Allen and Alan Cann would just turn up and run through walls when Alfie and Kevie asked them to.

We have the coaching staff and the key players to have a successful year - for me it all comes down to the attitude and commitment of our 50-150 game players. You know you are going to get enthusiasm and attitude from the young guys these days but the 2nd tier for me hold the key.

 

[Pigskin]

Re: Random thoughts about intangibles

Just touching on the Winning culture, I read an interview with Ben Ikin the other day and he mentioned how nervous he was before the 2000 Grand Final. BUt he said the nerves went right out the window when both Bennett and Kevin Walters come up to him and said "WHat are you nervous about, we're the Broncos, We don't lose Grand Finals"

I love that!

nice quote ... I also would like them to go back to being well behaved but cocky ... you exhude arrogance, and the opposition will smell it a mile away ... bit like scoring the first try

Oink !