Accidental hooker Sam Thaiday may be feeling the heat but it was Brisbane’s halves who copped the biggest spray from cranky Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett on Monday.
The Broncos’ experiment with back-rower Thaiday at rake appears over after Andrew McCullough confirmed he would wear No.9 in Friday night’s round-two clash with North Queensland at Suncorp Stadium.
However, under-fire halves Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Milford appeared under the most pressure at training after receiving a withering rant in front of media.
Bennett uncharacteristically dropped a few f-bombs as he complained about the pair’s intensity during a wrestling drill in front of waiting media, adding extra pressure on the pair.
Parramatta great Peter Sterling claimed Nikorima should be used as a bench utility not a halfback after Brisbane’s 34-12 opening-round loss to St George Illawarra.
Five-eighth Milford is also under pressure to step up this season as he starts a new $4 million, four-year Broncos deal.
They bore the brunt of Bennett’s frustration as the Broncos were flogged in a gruelling session featuring rare expletives from the master coach.
Captain Darius Boyd (hamstring) and back-rower Matt Gillett (neck) were on light duties but are not in doubt for Friday night.
“He’s just a bit angry because he knows what we can produce,” McCullough said of their cranky coach.
“When we don’t do that and play stupid football it doesn’t make for an enjoyable Monday.”
Winger Corey Oates said everyone at the Broncos was “a bit cranky” over their disappointing season start.
“It’s not the best start to the year,” he said. “We can move on.”
Bennett did not expect McCullough to start for another month in his return from a serious knee injury and had the rake on the bench in round one.
But McCullough said he would start against the Cowboys after Brisbane’s experiment with backrower Thaiday at rake backfired against the Dragons.
“Once I got into the game I got confidence out of it and put my hand up to start,” McCullough said.
Brisbane assistant Kevin Walters admitted Thaiday at hooker “didn’t work”.
“He (Thaiday) didn’t have one of his better nights,” Walters told Sky Sports Radio.
“It just didn’t work. Sometimes it doesn’t work the way you want it to and that was the case for the Broncos.
“Hopefully we can move on from that and McCullough will be better for the run.”