December 3 2020 | Mike Colman

December 3 2020 | Mike Colman

3/12/2020

I reckon the theme for the Broncos 2021 season should be ‘Back To The Future’...

New coach Kevvie Walters has shown his hand early by recruiting some old heads to lead the way for Brisbane’s young guns as he tries to rebuild after the club’s worst-ever season. His reasoning is clear. He wants to bring back the combination of hard work, pride and skill that made the Broncos the team to beat when he was a key member of five premiership-winning sides.

To do that he has shied away from throwing big money at more promising youngsters and gone instead for proven professionals like Albert Kelly, David Mead, Dane Copley, John Asiata and Andrew McCullough. They might not be types to attract the headlines like the crop of potential superstars who have failed to deliver over the past few seasons, but Kevvie knows that it takes more than a fat scrapbook to win a premiership.

He wants players who have displayed the mental strength and commitment needed to succeed in the NRL in the past – and who see it as a privilege and not a right to wear a Broncos jersey. He also knows that the team has a lot of work to do to win back the confidence of their loyal supporters, and the NRL has played right into his hands in that regard. The side’s home draw could not have been much better for their supporters if Kevvie had put it together himself.

When the team’s popularity was at its absolute peak there was no better day out than an afternoon match at Suncorp Stadium. Those fixtures have been less frequent in recent years as the Broncos have become a mainstay of Friday Night Football, but the family-friendly home games at Suncorp Stadium will be back with a vengeance in 2021.

Starting with the Round 3 clash on March 27, there will be a 4.30pm and 5.30pm Saturday game (Bulldogs Round 3, Roosters Round 11) a 2pm Sunday game against the Sharks in Round 16, two Sunday afternoon games starting at 4.05pm (Tigers Round 18 and Warriors Round 23) and, to finish off the minor premiership, a 3pm Saturday blockbuster against the Knights in Round 25.

Right coach, right players, right draw - I reckon it’s all adding up to the first steps towards a return to the good old days.

What do YOU reckon?