Brisbane Broncos need to focus on developing their halves

[Hogg]

ONE is a New Zealand international and the other is Anthony Milford.

So it may sound ridiculous to suggest that the Broncos’ halves pairing of Milford and Kodi Nikorima doesn’t have what it takes to clinch Brisbane’s first premiership since 2006.

But the club’s early finals exit in 2018 has done nothing but kick up more discontent over their selection.

The Broncos have one of the strongest forward packs in the competition and their halfback and five-eighth should be firing on the back of their go-forward.

Unfortunately, their impact on games was erratic to say the least.

Milford produces moments that only the very elite players can muster, and Nikorima is an electrifying ball-runner.

But as former Broncos great Justin Hodges — who played alongside both men in their 2015 grand final run — points out, they’re still young and need special attention to develop their games and find the consistency required at NRL level.

“I’d like a little work done with Anthony Milford. I think just to keep him involved in the game,” Hodges said.

“Sometimes he has such brilliant pieces of play and then he sort of goes missing for a little bit, he has lapses.

“I think 2015 was his best year, him and Ben Hunt. And that’s because Kevvie (Walters) worked with them everyday, whether it was video, whether it was out on the field, trying to develop their game.”

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga agreed, saying he’d be happy to stick with the combination if he was Wayne Bennett, but they certainly needed work.

“The seven and six need to keep on with their development,” he said.

“I thought they finished off the year really well. Nikorima attack-wise was excellent, but he can get exposed obviously defensively. And Milford… they’ve just got to keep on improving really.

“They’re 24 years of age, really important cogs in the wheel.”

Of course, there were other reasons the Broncos ran out of gas. Kangaroos veteran Matt Gillett has been one of their most important players for the past nine seasons, and his season ending neck fracture after just five games, was always going to be difficult to recover from.

Then all the hoopla over Bennett’s feud with CEO Paul White, and the speculation over his future no doubt distracted the team at a crucial stage of the season.

Still, they’ve retained most of their up and coming superstars. So, with more consistency from their international halves, they should be contenders in 2019.

BEST STATS
— Jamayne Isaako finished second behind Latrell Mitchell (248) for points with a whopping 239 in his first full season in the NRL.

— Corey Oates finished equal fourth in the NRL for tries scored with 18 four pointers. Only David Fusitu’a (23), Valentine Holmes (22) and Robert Jennings (19) had more.

— Darius Boyd had one of his most consistent season in terms of time on the park, playing 25 games and finishing 11th for total minute played with 2,008.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Josh McGuire
Jamaayne Issako was hands down the Broncos rookie of the year, but for pure leadership and consistency of performance, there were none better than Josh McGuire in 2018.

The Origin and Australian representative overcame some early injury troubles to carry the Broncos through parts of the back end of the season.

McGuire filled in at hooker in Andrew McCullough’s injury enforced absences and was able to produce his best for the team no matter what the role.

The uncompromising lock is one of the toughest players in the competition and his example is crucial to show the way forward for the boom youngsters that Wayne Bennett has in his forward pack.