It has been a tough grind for the Brisbane Broncos since its last premiership success in 2006.
New coaches, new players, renewed hopes and dreams, only to be crushed year after year.
It all looks to set to change in 2022 and beyond.
NRL Premiership Prediction
brisbane broncos
The year of 2021, to an outsider, might have been deemed a failure for Brisbane.
Seven wins and 17 losses is not exactly an amazing season by any stretch of the imagination, but based off what new coach Kevin Walters was working with, the platform for a big 2022 were put in a place.
Walters has been tasked with turning the Broncos into an uncompetitive, disjointed unit, into the powerhouse it once was back in the early to mid 2000s.
The Broncos ended last season with three wins in their last seven matches to carry some sort of momentum into the pre-season.
And what a pre-season it was!
The signing of star recruit Adam Reynolds seems to have had an immediate impact on this young rebuilding group.
Even though he missed the first game due to COVID, the newly-appointed captain watched on as his troops knocked off his old squad South Sydney in Round 1.
It was the win of a team which clearly taken a step in the right direction and, more importantly, its defence proved it was almost impenetrable.
Reynolds returned to guide his squad to a 2-0 start to the season after despatching Canterbury in a gritty performance.
The Broncos have clearly improved in all areas of the park, especially in defence.
Brisbane leads the league for tackles heading into Round 3 and is equal first for intercepts.
Additionally, there has been a lot to like about the young fellas in and around the experience of Reynolds.
Namely, Payne Haas and Tesi Niu who both have the ability to charge at opposition defence and gain territory to put their team in dangerous spots on the field.
The rise of Herbie Farnworth is also one to watch throughout 2022.
He looked right at home alongside Reynolds in the win over Canterbury and managed to score two tries as well as gaining a game-high 262 metres.
Brisbane’s trouble, in its recent plights, has been the ability to move the ball around the field and gain meaningful territory.
It has been evident this team has been begging for a big figure and leader to help the young talent develop.
Someone who can relay the coaching message out onto the field in the best possible manner.
The Broncos have not had someone of that ilk since the halcyon days of Darryn Lockyer.
Reynolds could very well be the man to lead them on a fruitful journey in 2022.
There is a still a lot of work for Walters and Reynolds to do, but if early signs are anything to go by, Broncos fan will be in for a treat.
