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At least six Brisbane Broncos were spotted in a popular Sydney pub the night before their history-making 58-0 loss at the hands of Parramatta on Sunday, Foxsports.com.au can reveal.
Eyewitnesses confirmed Broncos players Matt Gillett, Andrew McCullough, Payne Haas, David Fifita, Corey Oates and Anthony Milford were all at Harpoon Harry’s hotel near Sydney’s Oxford Street until late on Saturday night.
The players congregated in the pub’s pokies room, where Fifita stayed playing the machines alone, after the rest of his teammates left the venue around 11pm.
There is no suggestion any of the players were drinking alcohol, but serious questions will be asked about the club’s culture and preparation the night before the most important game of their season.
Less than 24 hours after their visit to Harpoon Harry’s, the Broncos were handed a 58-0 thrashing by the Eels, the biggest losing margin in any final since 1908.
A pub patron who sat next to Milford as he played the pokies asked him what time he was playing the next day.
“I knew the game started at 4pm but Milford turned to me and said: ‘I think it’s at six, eh’. He wasn’t taking the piss, he was dead set,” the source said.
The players involved were among the poorest performers in a team that arrived at BankWest Stadium clearly not ready to play.
The backrow of Fifita and Gillett managed just 103 metres between them and Fifita produced two handling errors. In contrast, Eels forward Daniel Alvaro ran for 197 metres. Tepai Moeroa, who came off the bench, ran for 156 metres and scored a try.
It’s unclear whether coach Anthony Seibold was aware of his players’ nocturnal preparations, but he lambasted his team after the ‘embarrassing’ loss and promised a review of the club — which has bombed out in week one of the finals for two seasons running.
Club legends Shane Webcke, Trevor Gillmeister, Kevin Walters and Glenn Lazarus have all applied the blowtorch to the once-feared NRL powerhouse since their infamous defeat.
Gillmeister said the loss was “one of the worst I’ve ever seen,’’ Walters described it as “very humiliating,” while Lazarus said he “didn’t appreciate the lack of desire, lack of pride in the jersey” and believes coach Seibold doesn’t “take enough responsibility”.
It comes as Broncos CEO Paul White wrote a grovelling apology to the club’s members, pledging to fix things with an exhaustive review. White’s decision-making was called out by club co-founder Barry Maranta, particularly in awarding Seibold a five-year contract.
“The front office of a major franchise has a responsibility to provide a base for the coaching staff and from what I can see, the challenge is not being met at the Broncos,” Maranta said.
“I can’t imagine giving a coach a five-year deal. It’s the sort of business decision that would not have happened under our watch.
“Most businesses today would not sign a coach or CEO for five years. You have to have certain KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to earn a contract of that length.”
Reports have also emerged that Boyd’s captaincy is under threat and that he and McCullough have been told to find new clubs — while $1 million man Milford is on his last chance.
The Broncos have been contacted for comment.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/broncos/exclusive-the-night-before-losing-580-to-the-eels-the-broncos-were-at-the-pub/news-story/c7321bd8a790b3355989efa195507ff5
Eyewitnesses confirmed Broncos players Matt Gillett, Andrew McCullough, Payne Haas, David Fifita, Corey Oates and Anthony Milford were all at Harpoon Harry’s hotel near Sydney’s Oxford Street until late on Saturday night.
The players congregated in the pub’s pokies room, where Fifita stayed playing the machines alone, after the rest of his teammates left the venue around 11pm.
There is no suggestion any of the players were drinking alcohol, but serious questions will be asked about the club’s culture and preparation the night before the most important game of their season.
Less than 24 hours after their visit to Harpoon Harry’s, the Broncos were handed a 58-0 thrashing by the Eels, the biggest losing margin in any final since 1908.
A pub patron who sat next to Milford as he played the pokies asked him what time he was playing the next day.
“I knew the game started at 4pm but Milford turned to me and said: ‘I think it’s at six, eh’. He wasn’t taking the piss, he was dead set,” the source said.
The players involved were among the poorest performers in a team that arrived at BankWest Stadium clearly not ready to play.
The backrow of Fifita and Gillett managed just 103 metres between them and Fifita produced two handling errors. In contrast, Eels forward Daniel Alvaro ran for 197 metres. Tepai Moeroa, who came off the bench, ran for 156 metres and scored a try.
It’s unclear whether coach Anthony Seibold was aware of his players’ nocturnal preparations, but he lambasted his team after the ‘embarrassing’ loss and promised a review of the club — which has bombed out in week one of the finals for two seasons running.
Club legends Shane Webcke, Trevor Gillmeister, Kevin Walters and Glenn Lazarus have all applied the blowtorch to the once-feared NRL powerhouse since their infamous defeat.
Gillmeister said the loss was “one of the worst I’ve ever seen,’’ Walters described it as “very humiliating,” while Lazarus said he “didn’t appreciate the lack of desire, lack of pride in the jersey” and believes coach Seibold doesn’t “take enough responsibility”.
It comes as Broncos CEO Paul White wrote a grovelling apology to the club’s members, pledging to fix things with an exhaustive review. White’s decision-making was called out by club co-founder Barry Maranta, particularly in awarding Seibold a five-year contract.
“The front office of a major franchise has a responsibility to provide a base for the coaching staff and from what I can see, the challenge is not being met at the Broncos,” Maranta said.
“I can’t imagine giving a coach a five-year deal. It’s the sort of business decision that would not have happened under our watch.
“Most businesses today would not sign a coach or CEO for five years. You have to have certain KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to earn a contract of that length.”
Reports have also emerged that Boyd’s captaincy is under threat and that he and McCullough have been told to find new clubs — while $1 million man Milford is on his last chance.
The Broncos have been contacted for comment.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/broncos/exclusive-the-night-before-losing-580-to-the-eels-the-broncos-were-at-the-pub/news-story/c7321bd8a790b3355989efa195507ff5
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