‘Fall from grace’: Grim Broncos warning issued amid selection stunner, dire 28-year low

It’s only Round 3, but this Friday’s blockbuster against the Storm is looming as a crucial crash for the winless Broncos, with one expert believing a loss would put them “a long way back” in their pursuit of back-to-back premierships.

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The Broncos have stooped to a record 28-year low by conceding 66 points across the first two games of the season.

That’s the most by any Broncos team in the history of the NRL.

Worryingly, it only gets tougher, as a date on the Storm awaits. Melbourne have scored a whopping 98 points in their two games this season so if the Broncos don’t tighten the screws, it has the potential to be a bloodbath.

What’s even more of a concern is the Broncos’ grim record in Melbourne. They’ve lost the last nine matches against the Storm at AAMI Park.

“It’s a long way back in all honesty from coneding 66 points to the first two rounds and now they have to go down to Melbourne so it has to start with their defence,” Code Sports’ Dave Riccio said on NRL360.

Broncos coach Michael Maguire has swiftly reacted to the slow start, dropping Test and Origin centre Gehamat Shibasaki to the bench.

The move is a shock given the centre’s golden year in 2025.

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“This is a fall from grace for him. He went on an Ashes tour and now he’s dropped back to the bench,” Riccio said.

“Madge was clearly upset about the way they leaked so many points down the left edge.

“In Round 2 to rip out a Test centre out of your team is a big change.

In a huge blow, Brisbane will be without star half Adam Reynolds, who hasn’t recovered enough from a rib injury suffered against Parramatta in Round 2.

Reynolds was one of three Broncos who injured their hamstring in a loss to the Storm in Melbourne last season and because of that chaos, Brisbane are changing tact for this year’s trip to Victoria as Riccio revealed.

“It’s an absolute by-product of the carnage that unfolded last year with the hamstring injuries to Ezra Mam, Selwyn Cobbo and Adam Reynolds against the Storm in Melbourne last year after the Broncos flew down after their captain’s run,” Riccio said.

“This year, they’re going down on Wednesday and do a final captain’s run in Melbourne before the game.”

With defence the focus for the Broncos, foxsports.com.au’s Paul Crawley wants to see improved efforts from Ezra Mam and Reece Walsh.

Often brilliant in attack, defence can let both down at times, particularly Mam.

Crawley pointed to last year’s grand final as proof that both players have it in them to excel in defence, which they’ll need to against a potent Storm attack.

“All the former footballers say that defence is about attitude and I pointed out in my column that their two flashiest players are Ezra Mam and Reece Walsh but if you go back to the grand final, and for all of the good things they did with ball in hand, Mam’s defence in that game was phenomenal and Walsh was out of this world. He saved three or four tries,” Crawley said.

“However, on the weekend, when Pezet put the kick through on that final try, as Cooper Cronk said in commentary, Walsh had clocked off for the night. That’s attitude.

“Then you have Ezra who was a turnstile last week so how is that not attitude and how is it not reflective of the whole team at the moment.

“I think for the Broncos, after their start to the season and all the drama, they can stop all this noise if they go and play to their potential. The way to stop this is for the real Broncos to turn up.”