There will be no more excuses for the Brisbane Broncos heading into 2022.
Kevin Walters now has his fingerprints are all over the roster and he’ll be confident the former powerhouse club can play finals again.
Walters has replaced big-money trio Anthony Milford, Tevita Pangai Jnr and Matt Lodge with proven performers Adam Reynolds, Kurt Capewell and Ryan James.
Kotoni Staggs returns from 18 months of frustrating knee injuries, while exciting prospects Tesi Niu and Herbie Farnworth are another year into their development.
Filling the No. 7 jersey with a consistent performer has been Brisbane’s biggest problem in recent years and there’s plenty of excitement around the arrival of Reynolds.
But Broncos great Corey Parker has told foxsports.com.au that Reynolds is no silver bullet for the club - and says he’ll need plenty of help.
Parker wants to see that help come from hooker Jake Turpin who must take his game to the next level and unlock a forward pack bursting with talent.
Brisbane will be desperate to return to winning ways next year with the impending arrival of Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins in 2023.
Here foxsports.com.au breaks down how the Broncos are shaping up for 2022 - one of the club’s most anticipated seasons in recent history.
IS KEVVIE’S GRACE PERIOD OVER?
Walters finally clinched the job he’d wanted for 15 years when he was appointed the Broncos head coach on September 30, 2020.
The Broncos great immediately went to work overhauling the roster and the following changes have transpired since he took the top job.
IN: Adam Reynolds (Rabbitohs), Kurt Capewell (Panthers), Brenko Lee (Storm), Corey Jensen (Cowboys), Logan Bayliss (Souths Logan), Jordan Pereira (Dragons), Ryan James (Raiders) and Albert Kelly (Hull).
OUT: Reece Walsh (Warriors), Tom Deardon (Cowboys) Jack Bird (Dragons), Matt Lodge (Warriors), Andrew McCullough (Dragons), Xavier Coates (Storm), Tevita Pangai Jr (Bulldogs), Brodie Croft (Salford), Anthony Milford (Rabbitohs), Joe Ofahengaue (Tigers), John Asiata (Bulldogs) and Ethan Bullemor (Sea Eagles).
In his first season at the helm, Walters handed NRL debuts to exciting young guns TC Robati, Selwyn Cobbo and Kobe Hetherington.
It means the coach’s DNA is all over the roster and he can no longer blame losses on underperforming players he didn’t sign.
Parker, who is the second-most capped Broncos player in history behind Darren Lockyer, was on the club’s coaching staff until he was let go last summer.
“Kevvie got rid of some players he wanted to rid of and bought players to the club that he wanted to and I think it’s fair to say his fingerprints are on the roster now,” Parker told foxsports.com.au.
“To be the head coach of the Brisbane Broncos carries an enormous amount of weight and particularly after the last couple of seasons they’ve had, all eyes will be on the Broncos.
“A lot of expectation and time will tell. It’s hard to sort of get a gauge on last year because at the end of the day you look at wins and losses and I think they only won seven games for the season.
“But there was definitely an improvement in regards to some of their application, particularly in the back end of the year.”
IS REYNOLDS THE SAVIOUR?
The man under the most pressure in Brisbane is always the Broncos halfback and things won’t be any different in 2022.
Reynolds was determined to finish his career as a one-club player but the Rabbitohs wouldn’t budge on a one-year extension, so he took a lucrative three-year deal at the Broncos.
Now the pressure is now on Reynolds to deliver on his $2 million contract.
Brisbane have lacked creativity in attack in recent years and Parker was quick to point out that was not Reynolds’ role at the Rabbitohs.
“A lot of pressure is going to be on Adam Reynolds,” Parker told foxsports.com.au.
“It’s a jersey that at the Broncos holds a lot of weight, the No. 7 jersey, and he’s going to turn up and I know that the Brisbane public, members and fans will certainly want him to deliver.
“Adam Reynolds’ game management is terrific, he’s got a great kicking game, in terms of creativity he probably this year had his best year in regards to that but he’s not the creator of Cody Walker or Luke Keary who has played in those roles before, so he needs some help.
“If you just think Adam Reynolds is going to turn up to the Broncos and all of a sudden turn things around, I don’t think that will be the case.
“Whilst he’s a diligent player and he brings that game management and kicking game etc which been a real downfall for the Broncos so they’ll certainly benefit in that area, but his creativity - he’ll need help in that area.
“If you purely look at stats, Cody Walker had over 30 try assists this year so he was the creator for Souths but certainly Reynolds steered them around.
“We’ll wait and see what unfolds there but Adam Reynolds will feel the weight of the No. 7 jersey at the Broncos.
“There’s plenty of other guys that need to carry their load but certainly Adam Reynolds is the key signing.”
WILL THE FORWARDS DO THEIR JOB FOR REYNOLDS?
Reynolds can do all the right things and march the team around the park, but it won’t mean much if his forwards aren’t doing their job.
Payne Haas is a superstar but he’ll need help in 2022 if the club are serious about playing finals.
Two key players will return from inury in prop Thomas Flegler and lock Patrick Carrigan and both will need to fire almost immediately.
Grand final winner Capewell will replace the retired Alex Glenn in the second-row and he’ll bring plenty of skill to the pack.
Veteran recruit Ryan James will bring invaluable experience, but Parker beleives the most important man in the pack is hooker Jake Turpin.
“I love everything about Jake Turpin but he needs to find a little bit more creativity out of dummy half,” Parker said.
“It just to give another dimension to the Broncos’ attack, everything else about his game is terrific, his passing, he’s a fierce competitor that just needs to find another dimension, so he needs to work really hard in and around that space.
“If Turpin can unlock some of the forwards and provide a little bit more time and space for the likes of Albert Kelly and Adam Reynolds so I see this as a really important season for Jake Turpin.”
WILL THE SPINE HOLD?
The Broncos have enough talent in their spine to compete against most sides next year but Parker said they’ll need to gel quickly.
Reynolds is expected to play halves alongside fellow veteran Albert Kelly, while Niu and Turpin will wear the No. 1 and No. 9 jerseys respectively.
Parker rates the spine but warned a serious injury to Turpin could cause the Broncos a major headache.
“Those combinations have still got to be formed and they’ve got to be formed quite quickly to get some consistency and to start to get some results,” Parker said.
“Niu played there last year and is a terrific young kid with a big future, but they need to gel quite quickly because the NRL is a different beast, it doesn’t stop to wait for anyone.
“You look at the individuals, Albert Kelly is experienced, he’s a tough competitor, Reynolds is experienced and Tesi Nui has a bit of X-factor about him.
“Then of course there’s Turpin.”
WILL STAGGS GET BACK TO HIS BEST?
Kotoni Staggs, when fit, has been the Broncos best player in recent years and has only been denied an NSW Blues debut through injury.
Back-to-back knee injuries have restricted him to 18 games in the past two years, including just four appearances last season.
Parker believes when Staggs is on the park, Brisbane’s attack can rely too heavily on the star centre’s individual brilliance.
He wants to see Farnworth share that load.
“I think we saw at times this year and last year, when all else fails, just give the ball to Kotoni and see what he can do,” Parker said.
“He’s one of the best centres in the game when he’s fit. How he’ll come back from rehab off his knee - they’re going to hope it’s a real positive recovery.
“He’s a super player, he’s strong, he’s got left foot right foot, he’s so strong the way he carries the ball, defensively he holds his hands up really well.
“Being able to just create time and space for him will be the key and Reynolds experience helps.”
THE BENNY IKIN FACTOR
Parker played alongside Ben Ikin at the Broncos and believes the “nerd of rugby league” has brought a breath of fresh air to the club.
Ikin was appointed the Broncos’ head of football in June and has been working closely with Walters to bring more senior players to the club.
Parker is hoping the arrival of veterans Reynolds and James will create a more professional culture.
“There needs to be a shift, something needs to change, whether it’s the approach, whether it’s the structure, whether it’s the system, because the definition of insanity is going the same thing over and over and expecting a different result,” Parker said.
“Benny Ikin bringing some of those older guys into the squad will certainly help in that regard.
“He brings an unbiased approach about where the club needs to go. He’s seen from afar for a long period of time in regards to what’s been going on, he’s played at the Broncos, he’s won comps at the Broncos, so he’s got the DNA of the place.
“More importantly he cares about the place and he’s motivated in his role. We’ve seen that from some of his messaging early on.
“It’s been refreshing to hear the transparency that’s he’s spoken about as opposed to keeping it in-house and under lock.
“He certainly knows what he’s doing, I played with Benny Ikin back in the day, he’s the nerd of rugby league isn’t he.”
But Parker emphasised a genuine cultural shift will come down to changes made by the players and coaching staff.
“We’ve seen some of the change he’s made since he’s been there already but Benny Ikin doesn’t go out on the footy field and train the lads, that’s not his role,” Parker said.
“All eyes are going to be on the Broncos next year and the heat will really start to come to the forefront when the Dolphins starting signing players.
“And the Broncos are unable to pick themselves up from 14th spot, it’s going to be a really interesting time.”
Story first published on Fox Sports Australia