Put down the phones. Don’t buy a newspaper. And stay away from social media.
That is NRL great Brad Fittler’s advice to battling Brisbane players who he believes must find a way to ignore the “outside noise” if they are to end a six-game losing streak.
Broncos legend and club director Darren Lockyer on Sunday admitted criticism from ex-players in the media had been a distraction for the current team which reached a new low when they suffered a shock loss to a homesick Warriors on Saturday.
Broncos captain Alex Glenn had revealed before the game players had even received death threats on social media.
Fittler said the Broncos could reverse their on-field fortunes by making a simple off-field change.
“Put your phone away, don’t buy a newspaper, turn the news off and go to training,” he told Nine Network’s Sunday Footy Show.
“There’s so much invested in this other life they have, the social media side and other people’s opinions of them that it’s just overriding what they’re doing wrong on the field.
“The first thing they’ve got to do is get rid of all that crap, because all they speak about is the public’s opinion of them and how everyone’s smashing them.
“I don’t hear much about the footy; I want to know why – the tactics – why they’re not playing good footy, why they’re letting in all the tries.”
Asked if that approach was realistic, Fittler said: “Of course.
“Not everyone does live online. For them to be even involved in that part of their life at the moment is just a sign of how sort of immature the group is.
“Seriously, as a coach, you’ve just got to be saying, ‘Mate, if I see any of you on that (social media), you’re not in the team. I can’t have any distractions at the moment.”
Lockyer conceded flak from Broncos greats who have queued up to slam the club had taken its toll on the players.
“I think it (ex-players’ criticism) becomes a distraction,” he told Nine Network.
“Particularly for the younger ones … but the only way to sort of silence people is to play well and win.
“It’s just a difficult time for them right now of their development. They’re learning. Distractions don’t help, but it’s no reason not to play well.”