Brisbane’s season is on life support prompting an NRL legend’s call for fans to be “shut out” as the Broncos grasp for a circuit breaker to end their current misery.
And it might well be the harpoon they need to revive their season after slumping to 13th on the ladder following Saturday’s 41-16 flogging to the Bulldogs.
The Broncos regularly get hundreds, sometimes thousands to their open training sessions as punters stack the sidelines to get a glimpse of superstars such as Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam.
But with Brisbane needing to win every one of their remaining five games to have any hope of making the finals, a former NRL hardman says it’s time for the team to go behind closed doors.
“For me, shut the open training sessions down, get rid of everybody that’s there cheering them on,” former NRL and Super League star James Graham said on the Bye Round podcast.
“It’s not against them (the fans) – there’s no advantage from having this fanfare that comes with the Brisbane Broncos at this moment and the way that they’re playing.
“They’re not winning.”
Fellow host and former Blues and Kangaroos prop Aaron Woods strongly disagreed.
“They pay for sponsorships and they’re at the games,” Woods said.
“You can’t fully cut the fans off. They’re the biggest part of our game.”
Graham doubled down adding the adulation Brisbane continued to receive from supporters was in stark contrast to their current measly on field exploits.
“I understand that Woodsy and I am a fan and grew up a fan and access to players is fantastic,” Graham said.
“But unfortunately at the moment that in my opinion is contributing to the fact that the Brisbane Broncos don’t seem to be playing together as a team.
“So I think they need to make a call and say, ‘we are going to forget these open training sessions. We are sorry to you and we will pay you back with victories and try to salvage this season.’
“It’s professional sport they need to win – there’s jobs on the line.”
Woods said shutting out the fans could cause more carnage.
“I’ll take you back to when you were a young James Graham and you’re going to a training session at St Helens when you supported them. What if you rocked up to training and they said ‘sorry mate, you’re getting waved away’,” he said.
“You would have said, ‘I can’t believe the club’s done that’. You’d be filthy on them. They’re a one-town team, Jimmy, you can’t do that.
“There’s distractions in every walk of life, Jimmy – if they’re going to blame it on the fans who are coming to support them.
“What if they run out to Suncorp packed with 35,000 and (then there are) no fans at the game. Isn’t that going to affect them as well?”
Graham said the constant reinforcement from supporters was having a negative impact on their mindset considering the current state of the club.
“It’s not blaming it on the fans. I think it’s affecting them psychologically,” he said.
“I understand your point. But when you’re being cheered and celebrated I don’t think it’s a true reflection of how they’re playing.
“I just think they need in the short-term to ignite them and get a response and need to close the fans off just for training.
“Do all the other commitments that you have to do as an NRL player but I just think this hype training that has come with the Brisbane Broncos and everybody turning up to training sessions is detrimental to the cause of the Broncos.
Woods arrived at a compromise that may be the answer to turning the ailing club’s season around.
“I think they need the fans there but maybe just allocate a certain time,” he said.
“They can watch the warm-up and then that’s when it’s time for the fans to move on.
“That’s what makes clubs great is the fanbase.”
