Shocking: Brisbane Broncos attacking coach turns down the opportunity to take the helm in the Super League
Lee Briers of the Brisbane Broncos turns on the opportunity to take the helm in the Super League again.
WALKER CALLUM 06/05/2024
Lee Briers, the attacking coach for the Brisbane Broncos, has turned down the opportunity to take the helm in the Super League once more.
League Express has learned that Briers, who supported Matt Peet at the Wigan Warriors during the team’s 2022 Challenge Cup run, was being eyed by Hull FC, but he wants to stick with the Broncos.
Although Briers’ deal with the Queenslanc club expires at the end of the 2025 NRL season, he has already played a significant role in Brisbane’s successful offensive comebacks in 2023 and 2024.
The former halfback for Warrington Wolves had previously expressed his goal to become a head coach.
Briers previously stated on the BBC 5 Live podcast, “With coaching, there aren’t many jobs out there but my ambition is to be a head coach whether that be in the NRL or Super League.”
“All I can do is continue to gain experience and bide my time till that opportunity arises. I could spend the rest of my life working as an assistant; I’m not in a rush.
However, I’m prepared for the role of head coach right now, whether it’s in a few years or not. I’m learning how to manage and I adore my job at the Broncos.
“I won’t just stroll into any job; the job needs to fit me. I’m at the ideal place to learn right now, so it has to be the right one.
It’s unclear where Hull FC will go from here, as Paul Rowley, the head coach of Salford Red Devils, also declined to join the Black and Whites.
READ MORE:
NRL Round-Up: Reed Mahoney’s protection services, the Broncos’ mounting injuries, and the Souths’ ongoing struggles
While South Sydney and the Warriors are merely having problems after suffering further losses, the Brisbane Broncos are dealing with a serious injury problem.
Reed Mahoney, however, believes that everyone is misinterpreting him and that he is only providing cover for his forwards.
Here is the NRL Round-Up for this week.
1. An attempt to encapsulate South Sydney in 2024
On Thursday night, the Rabbitohs took the lead against Penrith after scoring two tries in a row, and an hour later, they were only marginally behind, 24-12.
Then it took place.
With only three Rabbitohs onside, Dylan Edwards tapped the ball after Cody Walker’s kick dribbled just over the dead-ball line. Looking left, he saw that Taylan May was completely unmarked. The man with the worst tattoo in the NRL then took care of the rest, showcasing neither cardinal nor myrtle.
This season, South Sydney has been like that—they have shown flashes of elite talent, but they have been completely unable to sustain it for longer than a half, let alone a whole game.
Despite having several injury concerns and using a 12-man lineup for a quarter of the game, former Penrith coach Matthew Elliott claimed on ABC Sport that the team’s conditioning is just lacking.
Voting for ABC Player of the Year:
3. Panthers’ Isaah Yeo
2. Panthers’ Dylan Edwards
1. Panthers player Mitch Kenny
(The ABC Sport radio commentary crew compiles the votes following every game.)
2. Yorkshire grit propels Raiders to victory
If the Raiders had lost 40-0 one week then 20-0 in less than 30 minutes the following, it would have been rather simple for them to give up.
Elliot Whitehead, their English import, is the reason they didn’t.
In a stunning display, the former Bradford second rower scored two tries and assisted on another, putting the team on his back.
“It was satisfying to score two tries,” Whitehead said on Saturday to the ABC Sport crew.
“Coach Ricky Stuart is incredibly passionate about the boys and wants the best for them every single week.” He was a little miffed over the last several shows. At the conclusion of the game, he broke down in tears, feeling overcome by our performance.”
Stuart, for his part, was really pleased with how his import performed.
Following the game, Stuart remarked, “I’ve seen Elliott play one of his best games.”
“It’s not just two tries; it’s leadership, his contributions in meetings this week, he was massive this week — and those boys grow around that.”
Voting for ABC Player of the Year:
3. Raiders’ Elliott Whitehead
2. Raiders’ Sebastian Kris
Tom Trbojevic of the Sea Eagles
3. Pain from injuries to gauge Broncos’ depth
Nobody is expecting too many good things to come out of a 40-18 thrashing, but the long-term harm caused by several injuries is considerably more detrimental than the Broncos’ fourth loss of the season.
The Broncos announced that Jesse Arthars will miss six weeks due to a broken jaw and Adam Reynolds will miss 12–14 weeks due to a ruptured bicep.
But according to Kevin Walters, Jock Madden, a former Tiger, has an opportunity to take the field because of the tragic injury.
Nobody is expecting too many good things to come out of a 40-18 thrashing, but the long-term harm caused by several injuries is considerably more detrimental than the Broncos’ fourth loss of the season.
The Broncos announced that Jesse Arthars will miss six weeks due to a broken jaw and Adam Reynolds will miss 12–14 weeks due to a ruptured bicep.
But according to Kevin Walters, Jock Madden, a former Tiger, has an opportunity to take the field because of the tragic injury.
4. The Bulldogs Reed Mahoney merely “defending” his friend
Bulldogs hooker Reed Mahoney is starting to get a name for himself.
The 26-year-old has been in altercations with Wests Tigers’ Alex Seyfarth and Newcastle’s Jack Hetherington in back-to-back weekends as the Bulldogs defeated them 22-14 this past weekend.
With his Canterbury teammate Viliame Kikau as the Tigers prop, Mahoney hurried to become engaged with Seyfarth.
“I was merely responding to the accusations that I was purposefully baiting opponents, simply running in there and protecting their mate,” Mahoney said.
“Big man syndrome makes people dislike small individuals who challenge them. Perhaps it’s not my fault after all.
“I engage in such kinds of fights because I’m there to defend my partner. Here, our goal is to protect one another till the end. I’m not there to start anything; all I’m there to do is defend and stand up for my boys.
“That’s how I see it.”
Voting for ABC Player of the Year:
The Bulldogs’ Jacob Kiraz third
2. Wests Tigers, Jahream Bula
1. Bulldogs (Viliame Kikau)
5. Storm’s Papenhuyzen faces further pain
All you can do is feel bad for Ryan Papenhuyzen.
The 25-year-old has suffered another setback to his career, which has been marred by a string of major injuries.
The fullback forced a goal line dropout by pursuing his opposite number, AJ Brimson, after he had shown excellent play in the first half of the game against the Titans on the Gold Coast, recording two try assists and a touchdown of his own.
But as soon as he attempted to stand up, it became evident that something was wrong; his right ankle, which had been shattered in the Broncos game of the previous year, was unable to support his weight.
This comes after Papenhuyzen’s broken kneecap caused him to miss 15 months of action and only make 22 appearances over the course of three years.
Coach Craig Bellamy said, “I don’t know how much bad luck you can have.”
Voting for ABC Player of the Year:
AJ Brimson, a Titan.
2. Storm’s Shawn Blore
Josh King, the Storm
6. Kodi Nikorima demonstrates his value
In part because of 30-year-old journeyman five-eighth Kodi Nikorima, the Dolphins were able to deny the Cowboys a fourth consecutive defeat on Saturday night in Townsville, even though they had to dig extremely deep to accomplish it.
With a direct hand in four of the five tries as the Dolphins overcame a deficit to win, including a beautifully weighted, almost carefree grubber for Jeremiah Nanai to score the game-winning try late in the battle, the seasoned playmaker was at the peak of his brilliance in Townsville.
However, Nikorima did not hesitate to commend Isaiya Katoa, his 20-year-old halfback teammate.
After the game, Nikorima told Fox, “Credit to Issy, he’s still learning his trade but he’s got an old head on his young shoulders.”
“He plays nice and square, which gives me time out the back, and he complements my game pretty well.
“I don’t reckon we’re where we want to be but we’re definitely building to it.”
Voting for ABC Player of the Year:
The Dolphins’ Jamayne Isaako 3.
2. Cowboys’ Reuben Cotter
Max Plath (Dolphins), first
7. The Warriors’ wobbles are still concerning
The Warriors seemed to have turned the wheel after suffering two close losses to the Sharks and Storm to start the season.
The New Zealand team turned the corner, sitting 3-2 and eyeing the top of the standings after three straight wins.
Since then, they’ve lost every game.
The Warriors are in serious trouble after losing three games in a row and drawing one.
“We deviated from our intended strategy,” stated Warriors head coach Andrew Webster.
“There were a lot of things this week that we wanted to work on which I thought were a lot better but we’re definitely not good enough and zapping ourself out of energy through our discipline.”
The Warriors’ lack of discipline was most evident early in the game, as they gave up five penalties in the first seventeen minutes, had Jackson Ford and Tohu Harris reported, and witnessed Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad fumble under the posts, allowing Newcastle to score the game’s first try.
Before they return home to New Zealand, they have games against the Roosters and Penrith, so things won’t get any easier.
Voting for ABC Player of the Year:
3. Knights’ Daniel Saifiti
2. The Knights of Dane Gagai
1. Warriors’ Addin Fonua-Blake
8. Sharks sink Dragons with their improbable strike weapon
Tom Hazelton is a player from a bygone era.
With a running average of 107 meters per game and head tape, the 25-year-old prop from Goulburn in the Southern Tablelands is a classic example of an old-school prop.
The diligent forward scored just three tries in his first 23 games, so it was clear that he was not a prolific scorer.
He did, however, score the game’s pivotal try against the Dragons to ensure the win—his third meat pie in as many games.
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan put it bluntly: “We were just awful.”
“Never completed sets, never got to our kick and when we did, we didn’t nail them down to the corners so it was a frustrating game for me.”
Voting for ABC Player of the Year:
3. Sharks’ Teig Wilton
2. Sharks’ Cameron McInnes
1. Sharks’ Daniel Atkinson
