Broncos legend Darren Lockyer says Brisbane’s thrashing at the hands of the Cowboys on Sunday was a sign the squad might be “getting ahead of themselves”.
After starting the season 2-0, Brisbane were dealt a crushing defeat at home, when the Cowboys ran riot in the Queensland derby with a 26-point win.
It was a miserable Sunday afternoon for the Broncos, who held just 44 per cent of possession and committed 12 errors compared to just three from the Cowboys.
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“There was a lot of optimism after the first two games,” Locker told Wide World of Sports’ QLDER.
“You felt a moment like this would come, whether it was this week or last week. It is a reality check.
“The Broncos didn’t do a hell of a lot wrong, the Cowboys were just very good.”
Lockyer said it was vital Brisbane quickly moves on from its promising start to the season and not become complacent.
“There are a few things the Broncos need to fix,” Lockyer added.
“They will have to readjust their attitude, maybe they were getting ahead of themselves. They were getting a lot of pats on the backs which they hadn’t got for quite a while.
“You go and play at home in front of 37,000 and there’s a chance of being complacent. You think the crowd is going to get you up for the game.
“I’m not saying they didn’t start well, but the Cowboys weathered the storm and ran over the top of them.”
While a 2-1 record is a promising sign for the club, which is coming off back-to-back seasons without finals football, their attack needs to improve, according to fellow club great Wally Lewis.
Through three games this season, the Broncos are yet to score more than three tries in a game.
“Their attack has got to increase a little bit,” Lewis added.
“It has to get more damaging for the opposition … I’m sure Kevvie (Walters) is going to work hard on it.
“I didn’t expect to see such a touch-up that the Broncos got in that game. That’s a hammering.
“He will sit back and adjust Brisbane’s game a little bit without altering it too much.
“Certainly the attack was missing on the day.”
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