Brisbane will only win TWO of their first 10 games, says ex-Bronco Brent Tate

Former Broncos star Brent Tate has made the stunning prediction that Brisbane could only win two of their first 10 games of the 2022 season as he lashed out at the club’s spine, recruitment and retention policies.

Coach Kevin Walters’ team is coming off its second straight loss and faces the in-form Roosters this Friday night, beginning a challenging stretch of games that sees them up against powerhouse clubs including the Panthers, Sharks and Rabbitohs.

Brisbane have also been rocked by injuries and controversy, with stars Pat Carrigan and Albert Kelly out for extended periods, and the NRL investigating an alleged fight between Kelly and prop Payne Haas outside their Sydney hotel on March 20.

Tate told the Fox League podcast that the club isn’t producing and keeping enough young stars to be successful, and their weak spine is their Achilles’ heel.

Tate – who played 141 games with Brisbane and won a grand final with the club – believes they are on a hiding to nothing in the first 10 rounds of this season

Tesi Niu ‘isn’t a fullback at all’, according to Tate, who criticised the team’s decision to let their previous No.1, Jamayne Isaako, sign with the Titans

‘I would be really surprised if they aren’t 2-8 after 10 rounds,’ the 141-game Broncos veteran said.

‘I just think they are in huge trouble.’

Despite half Adam Reynolds taking over halfback duties in the team’s biggest signing for years, Tate believes the Broncos don’t have enough talent in their spine to compete with the top sides.

‘I don’t think they have an established No.9,’ he said of hooker Jake Turpin. 

‘I don’t think Tesi Niu is a fullback at all. They let (former fullback) Jamayne Isaako go to the Titans.

Big-name signing Adam Reynolds has taken over halfback duties for the Broncos this year but his addition hasn’t been enough to give Tate faith in the team’s spine

Hooker Jake Turpin ‘isn’t an established No.9′ according to Tate, who said he doesn’t see any dominant juniors coming through the Broncos’ system to fill holes in their roster

‘I’m just not real sure on the plan at the Broncos at the moment and where they are going.’

Tate explained the ‘red flags’ he sees at Red Hill revolve around the side’s inability to produce dominant junior stars, and their decision not to sign established players in the near future to fill holes in their roster.

Last month Broncos head of football Ben Ikin revealed the club said the club’s goal is not to ‘have to go to market at all’.

‘We’ve got a core group of players here that we can build our future around. We would only want to go to market in an extraordinary situation,’ he explained.

Tate was having none of that.

‘I don’t think I have seen those junior really come through and be really dominant players in the NRL,’ he said.