Sleeping giant\u2019s stunning surge has rivals on alert; clear No.1 emerges \u2014 Power Rankings<\/a><\/p>\n“Are they done the Broncos?” | 02:58<\/p>\n
\u201cBen Hunt goes to seven. I wouldn\u2019t move Billy Walters. I think he\u2019s doing OK at nine, he\u2019s a point of difference,\u201d Cronk said on Matty and Cronk.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know who is on their list in terms of their depth chart but I feel like if you got Reece Walsh and Ben Hunt, you almost need like a young, exciting number six.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if he hasn\u2019t played, even if he\u2019s inexperienced, I feel like with Ben Hunt getting back to the Nathan Cleary system and playing both sides of the field, let two athletic guys take advantage of what Ben Hunt does.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t move Kotoni Staggs (to five eighth), I wouldn\u2019t move any of their outside backs. It\u2019s pretty hard to do and I don\u2019t know what their depth chart looks like but they need to find someone who is fast and with footwork (to play five eighth).<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of responsibility will then go on Ben and Pat Carrigan can play as a ball-playing lock.\u201d<\/p>\n
Johns agreed with Cronk\u2019s assessment that the Broncos need a gamebreaker at six alongside Hunt.<\/p>\n
\u201cI agree with you. I think if they try and play a watered-down version of how they\u2019re trying to play now, it\u2019s not going to work,\u201d Johns said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they need a young, fast, athletic six. Who it is, I\u2019m not sure what Madge does, but I think that\u2019s the way to go.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019ll allow Ben to look after the bread and butter and push them around the park a bit and Reece to open up the field.<\/p>\n
Billy Walters and Michael MaguireSource: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n
So, which players on the Broncos\u2019 roster fit Cronk and Johns\u2019 criteria?<\/p>\n
Star winger Jesse Arthars is suddenly out of favour for a position, even with Cobbo out; Josiah Karapani was preferred for this weekend. Arthars certainly ticks the box for running power and spark. <\/p>\n
The uncapped Latrell Siegwalt also comes to mind. <\/p>\n
The speedy 24-year-old has been playing well of late for Souths Logan in the QLD Cup at fullback with that team on a three-match winning streak.<\/p>\n
Siegwalt also has experience in the halves. He\u2019s fleet-footed and quick off the mark and has a dynamic running game. <\/p>\n
He wouldn\u2019t look out of place if Maguire gives him a go and while there might be some growing pains, he would certainly provide a spark. <\/p>\n
Latrell Siegwalt is a tantalising prospect.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n
But the player who really needs to lift? Undoubtedly, Walsh in the No.1 jersey.<\/p>\n
Cronk said Walsh needed to throw caution to the wind despite criticism of his loose play \u2014 but it was time for him to get it right.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am really looking forward to seeing how Reece Walsh goes because there\u2019s a narrative that says he needs to tone down his performances when everyone was fit, but now it\u2019s almost like, \u2018Reece, this team needs you to get it right so go for it and play like the dominant player you are\u2019,\u201d Cronk said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe needs his passes to be on the money nine times out of 10 because if he starts missing the mark and goes AWOL, they\u2019re no chance. He\u2019s the key.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reece Walsh needs to lift for the Broncos.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Many believe after the crippling injuries to Mam and Reynolds last week are causing the Broncos\u2019 premiership hopes to be hanging by a thread. Johns said this Saturday\u2019s derby against the Dolphins would be telling.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to see them this week. Sometimes you just look and there\u2019s injuries in the side and you say, \u2018My god that\u2019s the worst thing that can happen\u2019 but suddenly it sparks a change of formula,\u201d Johns said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA couple of the players who have been playing within themselves might look at that injury and go, \u2018Well unless I elevate my game, we\u2019re gone\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt might just light a fire under a few of the players.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Broncos coach Michael Maguire is pulling the wrong rein by putting Billy Walters in the halves alongside Ben…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":63342,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[18743,64,63,21686,4428,11101,50755,50754,50760,50758,18196,21683,763,36272,50751,50757,50759,18656,6407,761,762,50753,158,26598,13391,50752,28420,85,3475,50761,50756],"class_list":{"0":"post-63341","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nrl","8":"tag-adam-reynolds","9":"tag-au","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-ben-hunt","12":"tag-brisbane-broncos","13":"tag-cooper-cronk","14":"tag-crippling-injuries","15":"tag-depth-chart","16":"tag-dominant-player","17":"tag-doomed-halves-move","18":"tag-dynamic-running-game","19":"tag-ezra-mam","20":"tag-fox-league","21":"tag-growing-pains","22":"tag-halves-injuries","23":"tag-injury-catastrophe","24":"tag-injury-disaster","25":"tag-matty-johns","26":"tag-michael-maguire","27":"tag-national-rugby-league","28":"tag-nationalrugbyleague","29":"tag-new-look-halves-pairing","30":"tag-nrl","31":"tag-pat-carrigan","32":"tag-reece-walsh","33":"tag-rugby-league-greats","34":"tag-safe-call","35":"tag-sports","36":"tag-tantalising-prospect","37":"tag-three-match-winning-streak","38":"tag-trainer-crackdown"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63341","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63341"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63341\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63342"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}