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Brisbane icon Darren Lockyer has sent a stark message to his cherished Broncos following an unexpected defeat to Canberra.
After a dominant 50-14 victory over a weakened Roosters side in round one, the Broncos fell back to reality with a surprising 32-22 loss in the capital on Saturday, where they were clear favourites.
The team had already won this year’s pre-season challenge after displaying impressive form during the trial matches, leading many to label them serious premiership contenders.
Ironically, last year’s pre-season challenge win was followed by a complete collapse.
Finishing second on the ladder in 2023, the Broncos were just 15 minutes away from clinching the grand final, only to be thwarted by a brilliant 15-minute display from Nathan Cleary.
Broncos players look dejected after defeat. Getty
The following season, the Broncos experienced a dramatic decline, finishing in 12th place with a mere 10 wins from 24 matches.
This unfortunate performance led to the departure of coach Kevin Walters, while analysts raised concerns about the squad’s mentality, with some suggesting they were behaving more like celebrities than dedicated athletes.
After the recent loss to the Raiders, Lockyer expressed his worry that such a mindset might be resurfacing at Red Hill.
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“There’s always that risk,” Lockyer remarked to Wide World of Sports’ QLDER when asked if the Broncos may have become complacent after their match against the Roosters.
“With social media around, if you’re getting praised as a player or as a team, it’s hard to ignore it.”
“It’s reminiscent of the situation after 2023, where everyone thought breezing through 2024 would be a given—but each win has to be earned.”
“That serves as a reminder: you must put in the hard yards to secure victories.”
In the aftermath of the surprising defeat, Raiders legend Mal Meninga claimed the Broncos travelled to Canberra under the assumption of a straightforward win.
During his commentary on Fox League, Kieran Foran stated that the team “got their pants pulled down”.
Lockyer largely concurs with this sentiment.
“I believe this is a reality check,” he stated.
“There were many positive indicators in the trials, and the victory against the Roosters was encouraging, amidst all the discussions about the club and the team.”
“However, this loss highlights that every win must be fought for, and the Raiders brought more enthusiasm than the Broncos at the outset.”
“It definitely grounds them, without a doubt.”
The Broncos will have a chance to regroup in round three as they face the struggling Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium.
North Queensland is coming off two heavy defeats to Manly and Cronulla at the season’s start.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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