Brisbane’s NRL premiership window could be open two years sooner than expected.
Super coach Wayne Bennett and his Broncos are threatening to do the highly unlikely after making a statement about their title credentials in Saturday’s rousing 22-8 win over the Sydney Roosters.
Following last round’s ambush victory of South Sydney, the Broncos have now knocked over two top-three teams in the space of 10 days.
With the competition having been turned on its head and the likes of the Rabbitohs and Penrith showing signs of slowing at the finish line, the Broncos suddenly look well in the hunt.
The Broncos’ undoubtedly boast the best young forward pack in the competition – the likes of David Fifita, Tevita Pangai Junior, Joe Ofahengaue and injured duo Jaydn Su’A and Payne Haas look like superstars in the making.
Even Bennett has said this is the best young crop of forwards he’s ever seen come through the club.
And the common conception within the club is that they are building towards a premiership window in 2020.
However with halves Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima showing vast improvement and Darius Boyd rebounding to form over the last fortnight, the Broncos could already be in contention.
“If we had to make a statement we had to make it soon cause we were running out of time,” Bennett said.
“The guys just came to the realisation we were a chance of missing out on the play-offs and stuff.”
The Broncos’ season looked dead in the water after their loss to Canterbury earlier in the month.
But the players have seemingly rallied behind Bennett after he locked horns with the club’s hierarchy over his future when they rebuffed his request for a one-year extension.
“They have been wonderful to me in that and they supported me but I don’t think that’s the reason,” Bennett said.
“We lost some quality players last year, everyone forgets very quickly but we lost Ben Hunt and we lost Adam Blair and we had a lot of injuries this year and a lot of kids coming into the team.
“It takes time to evolve and we’ve been hanging in and all of a sudden we’ve got a little bit of form and it looks like we could do something.
“It’s the right time of the year to be playing well. We just have to hope we can keep it going.”