Andrew Johns says the Broncos′ premiership window is closed for “a while” and that Michael Maguire’s men “have no chance” of making the finals this year.
The lack of optimism around the Broncos has been lingering for some time this season, with last year’s premiers on a six-match losing streak going into Friday night’s clash with the Roosters.
It’s a tough road ahead for the Broncos. Getty Images
That makes them just the third defending premiers since 1954 (grand final era) to lose that many games in a row.
While some supporters hang on to hope the team will make a late run like they did last year, the numbers just don’t back it up.
Maguire’s team can mathematically make the finals, but to make the top eight they need to win the majority of their remaining 10 games, and will have to rely on other teams dropping points to close the gap on the top eight.
The Broncos are close to the bottom of every statistical category this season, with Johns pointing to a combination of issues that have cruelled their chances this year.
Brisbane averages the fewest run and post contact metres this season, and are ranked bottom three in offloads, tackle busts and line breaks.
They’re top five for penalties conceded, handling errors and average the fewest dummy-half runs of any team. They’re also bottom five for tries conceded and metres conceded.
“There are excuses, injuries,” Johns said on Wide World of Sports’ Immortal Behaviour. “I don’t know how many games they’ve played together. It seems like one or the other’s been out.
“And you can’t get away from their ageing spine with Adam Reynolds and also Ben Hunt, who’s sort of in and out with injuries with soft tissues.
“With the injuries, they just cannot get any combinations going and then with losses comes lack of confidence comes internal pressure, more external pressure.”
Johns said he’d seen a similar situation unfold after winning premierships in Newcastle, where there might have been too many “pats on the back”, softening the team’s desire for 2026.
“One team town. All off-season, pats on the back, you just drop your efforts five per cent and collectively as a club or as a team, everyone drops a little bit, it just goes to show that,” Johns said.
“But you’d think a superpower like Brisbane would have enough depth to get around that, but it’s been very disappointing.
“With the attacking footy we’ve seen and the high scores with the changes to the rules and six agains – the Broncos have really been the opposite.
“So far they’ve scored 281 points, they’re 15th. This time last year they were fourth, they’d scored 372.”
The Broncos face the Sharks, Panthers, Cowboys, Knights, Dolphins and Warriors in the coming weeks.
Looking past this season, the Broncos face plenty of uncertainty.
With Payne Haas’ move to Souths and Adam Reynolds retiring, along with the additions of Jonah Pezet and Mitch Barnett, there are still questions hovering over the long-term success of the team, according to Johns.
“They’re gonna have an all-new halfback in Jonah Pezet. Jonah had hamstring problems this year,” Johns said.
“He’s missed a lot of footy, he’s only played a handful of games, and they were both on either leg.
“Mitch Barnett will be a really good signing for him. But I can’t see them winning it next year without Payne and also Adam Reynolds, it’s gonna affect them.
“Pezet is untried, week in, week out, we all know he’s got great potential, and he showed that in some games he’s played, but week in, week out, it’s still an unknown.
“There’s a lot of what ifs with the Broncos, they need a big off-season.”
