‘Dead wood’ must be axed in brutal Broncos probe

The Broncos need to start an immediate investigation into their stunning fall from grace in 2024 – and not sugar-coat it.
The club that should have won last year’s grand final and has one of the best rosters in the NRL won’t even play finals footy this season after Saturday night’s embarrassing 40-6 capitulation to the Dolphins.
In a must-win game, the Broncos barely looked interested and were out-smarted and out-enthused by the league’s new chums.
READ MORE: ‘Out of order’ Robinson confronts Raiders captain after loss
READ MORE: Piastri devastated by ‘painful’ runner-up after blowing lead
READ MORE: Cheating saga sees Aussie rower elevated to bronze
A club that is chock full of Origin and Test players and some of the game’s biggest names, the Broncos are backed by a massive organisation and fan base and there is no excuse for them missing out on finals footy.
Coach Kevin Walters and his staff must come under the microscope, and the same goes for several players on big dollars who have failed to perform consistently.
If the review finds it necessary, management must make the hard calls, get rid of some dead wood and bring in fresh, hungry players who will restore the pride in the jumper in 2025.
Watch the 2024 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.
Broncos players. Getty
Newcastle’s dynamic duo Kalyn Ponga and Bradman Best warmed up for next weekend’s do-or-die clash with the Dolphins in impressive style in Sunday’s 36-14 thumping of the Titans.
The Knights will need both in tip-top form to overcome the dangerous Redcliffe team and the two outside backs shone in the defeat of the Gold Coast.
Ponga, who had only scored one try all season, bagged two in the first half and looked very sharp.
Classy centre Best ran for over 200 metres and had two try assists, creating havoc on the edges.
Wayne Bennett will have a plan to silence the pair – but it may well be easier said than done.
As fairytale career endings go, you would have to go a long way to find a better one than Shaun Johnson’s for the Warriors on Saturday night.
Playing against Cronulla – the only other team he represented during his long career – Johnson steered the Wahs to a come-from-behind win in a massive upset.
Johnson has been one of the best role models of the modern era, playing a massive role in the growth in popularity of rugby league in New Zealand.
After his match-winning role, Johnson was honoured with a haka by Kiwi players from both clubs before walking off the field for the final time with a broad grin on his face.
Herbie Farnworth handed in arguably the best performance by a centre in 2024 against the Broncos on Saturday night and heads into the finals as one of the most dangerous outside backs in the NRL.
The Englishman scored two tries, created two more and ran for nearly 300 metres, destroying his former club.
Farnworth is all class and has been a great signing for the Phins – and is set to terrorise rival teams in the finals if the team overcomes the Knights next weekend.
Clint Gutherson bleeds blue and gold and if incoming coach Jason Ryles wants him to move into the forwards next season, he will do it for the good of the team.
But there’s no doubt that Gutho prefers playing in his beloved No.1 jumper – and he gave Ryles plenty to think about in Saturday afternoon’s remarkable 44-40 win over the Dragons.
The veteran Eel turned the clock back, producing one of his vintage performances at the back.
He scored two tries, set up another and ran for 200 metres – clearly showing Ryles there is still plenty of life in those ‘old legs’.
While Penrith finished easy 34-12 winners over Souths on Friday night, the game will be most remembered for the courage and commitment of a teenager on the losing side.
Tyrone Munro’s mother and uncle both died in the two to three days leading up to the game and club officials expected the youngster would pull out of the game following the double tragedy.
But Munro opted to play – and scored both the Bunnies’ tries, paying tribute to his late relatives as he did so.
In his rookie season, Munro has made only a handful of appearances but has already shown he is something very special with his blinding pace.
On Friday night at Penrith, at the end of the hardest week of his life, he also showed he has the drive and dedication to make it to the top in the toughest game of all.
He’s only in his first season as a Bulldog – but Stephen Crichton shapes as the man the team can’t win without.
The Dogs went into Friday night’s clash against Manly as slight favourites – but were smashed 34-22 by the rampaging Sea Eagles.
It’s no coincidence that it was the first time all season that the Bulldogs had conceded more than 30 points, despite playing at home and being virtually at full strength apart from Crichton.
Cameron Ciraldo’s men were noticeably shaky out wide in defence, clearly missing Crichton’s ability to shut down rival backlines.
And they also struggled without his penetration in attack and his cool leadership.
For the Bulldogs to have a chance of progressing in the finals, they need Crichton back on the paddock – and fast!
Has a team ever played so poorly as the Cowboys on Thursday night – yet somehow clocked up 38 points and got the win?
It’s just as well for the Cowboys that the Storm rested 10 players and lost Ryan Papenhuyzen and Marin Seve in the space of 90 seconds in the first half because otherwise, they would have thumped a listless North Queensland team.
The Cowboys went into the game thinking they would win easily and were quickly brought back to earth by the ‘spare parts’ Storm outfit.
Coach Todd Payten is certain to give his troops a blast this week for their attitude – they conceded 30 points and had 46 missed tackles, with fullback Scott Drinkwater, half Jake Clifford and lock Reuben Cotter all missing six.
They do that in the finals and they will go straight out the back door.