The Brisbane Broncos’ season has hit a critical low, causing a notable NRL figure to suggest a drastic change—closing their training sessions to fans—as the team battles to rejuvenate their performance. Following a demoralizing 41-16 loss to the Bulldogs, the Broncos have sunk to 13th on the ladder, raising serious concerns about their chances of making it to the finals.
The Broncos, renowned for drawing large crowds to their open training sessions, offer fans a chance to see stars like Reece Walsh and Ezra Mam up close. However, with five crucial games remaining, the pressure is mounting, and former NRL and Super League player James Graham believes the team needs to change their approach by holding closed training sessions.
Graham expressed his views on the Bye Round podcast, emphasizing the need to eliminate the distractions that come with fan presence. “For me, shut the open training sessions down, get rid of everybody that’s there cheering them on,” he stated. “It’s not against them (the fans) – there’s no advantage from having this fanfare that comes with the Brisbane Broncos at this moment and the way that they’re playing. They’re not winning.”
This stance was met with strong opposition from Aaron Woods, a former Blues and Kangaroos prop, who argued that fans are integral to the game. “They pay for sponsorships and they’re at the games. You can’t fully cut the fans off. They’re the biggest part of our game,” Woods contended.
Despite Woods’ objections, Graham remained firm, pointing out that the continuous support from fans starkly contrasts with the team’s poor on-field performance. “I understand that Woodsy and I am a fan and grew up a fan and access to players is fantastic. But unfortunately at the moment that in my opinion is contributing to the fact that the Brisbane Broncos don’t seem to be playing together as a team,” Graham explained.
Graham proposed a temporary halt to open training sessions, assuring fans that victories would compensate for their temporary exclusion. “So I think they need to make a call and say, ‘we are going to forget these open training sessions. We are sorry to you and we will pay you back with victories and try to salvage this season.’ It’s professional sport they need to win – there’s jobs on the line,” he said.
Woods, however, argued that alienating the fans could backfire. Drawing on a personal anecdote, he reminded Graham of how disheartening it would have been for a young fan to be turned away from a training session. “I’ll take you back to when you were a young James Graham and you’re going to a training session at St Helens when you supported them. What if you rocked up to training and they said ‘sorry mate, you’re getting waved away,’” Woods argued. “You would have said, ‘I can’t believe the club’s done that’. You’d be filthy on them. They’re a one-town team, Jimmy, you can’t do that.”
Graham clarified that his suggestion wasn’t about blaming the fans but rather addressing the psychological impact of constant fan adulation on the team. “It’s not blaming it on the fans. I think it’s affecting them psychologically,” he explained. “I understand your point. But when you’re being cheered and celebrated I don’t think it’s a true reflection of how they’re playing.”
He suggested that the immediate need was to close off training sessions to fans to spark a short-term response from the team. “I just think they need in the short-term to ignite them and get a response and need to close the fans off just for training. Do all the other commitments that you have to do as an NRL player but I just think this hype training that has come with the Brisbane Broncos and everybody turning up to training sessions is detrimental to the cause of the Broncos,” Graham elaborated.
Seeking a middle ground, Woods proposed a compromise: allowing fans to watch part of the training session before asking them to leave. “I think they need the fans there but maybe just allocate a certain time,” Woods suggested. “They can watch the warm-up and then that’s when it’s time for the fans to move on. That’s what makes clubs great is the fanbase.”
The Broncos are in desperate need of a turnaround, with key players like Adam Reynolds and Reece Walsh under immense pressure to deliver. As the debate over fan access continues, the team’s immediate focus remains on securing victories in their remaining games to keep their finals hopes alive.
