Legend expects big-name Broncos axing

Queensland icon Darren Lockyer is confident Darius Boyd can salvage his career after being stripped of the Broncos captaincy, as the club looks toward a positional shake-up to kick start their season.

Lockyer conceded the Broncos' first year with coach Anthony Seibold ended on a "really poor note" when the club was whacked by 58-points in the first week of the finals.

The sobering chapter sparked a top-down end of season clean-out at Red Hill that saw Boyd stripped of the captaincy and Alex Glenn handed the reins.

Boyd copped a torrent of criticism in what was a transitional year for the franchise with claims of poor leadership on and off the field following the Broncos to their finals drubbing.

With the horror show behind them, Lockyer was buoyed by the clean slate the club was launching their 2020 campaign from and believed a positional switch for Boyd was just what the doctor ordered.

"There's been no distractions in the off season this year, a couple of new recruits and there's a good feeling at the moment," Lockyer told Wide World of Sports.

"There's a change in leadership based on a disappointing season last year.

"Darius is a quality player who for whatever reason, it wasn't just him, the club was inconsistent throughout 2019.

"I think he can (salvage his career). He works really hard at training and he's taken the disappointment of losing the leadership role very well.

"It's a new challenge for him playing left centre. He's got Anthony Milford inside of him. He's got Corey Oates and by all reports he's really enjoying playing that position and the new challenge."

Like Boyd, Anthony Milford often found himself in the firing line for a string of listless performances amid a stilted experiment at fullback.

With the playmaker now back in the halves, Lockyer said hot form was around the corner for Milford, who is enjoying his footy again.

"I think that's Milf's preferred position to play six," Lockyer said. "He's put in a lot of hard work in the off-season.

"He's got himself in really good physical shape and he's enjoying his footy.

"There will be times throughout the season where he'll struggle but he seems to be in a much better head space. The coaching staff and the players are really impressed with the way he's carried himself around the club so it's great."

The lack of a strong communicator in the Broncos' ranks was a glaring problem in a youthful side craving organisation.

Ambiguity on the field was driven by competing voices from Boyd, Milford and former Broncos playmaker Kodi Nikorima who were often lashed for their unwillingness to call the shots.

With the acquisition of former Melbourne Storm prodigy Brodie Croft, Lockyer didn't foresee that as a problem anymore.

"I think if you looked at the Broncos in the past couple of seasons and what they've lacked is a general, someone giving them direction on the field," Lockyer said.

"While Brodie might have been a bit on the outer at Melbourne, he is very good in that department, he's a good talker, a great communicator, defensively strong, a great kicking game.

Brisbane Broncos player Brodie Croft in action during a team training session

"If you look at Melbourne they probably didn't need a general, they have one of the best ever in Cameron Smith.

"Brodie coming to the Broncos was a good fit for him and good fit for the Broncos."

The club also had the exciting prospect of a changing of the guard in the hooker's role as youngster Jake Turpin looks to have edged out long-standing No.9 Andrew McCullough come round one.

"It's healthy to have competition in there and I think Jake is probably in front at the moment," Lockyer said.

"But I know Macca is a very good trainer and has a great work ethic, he does a lot of things right. So Macca knows he's in for a bit of competition in the No.9 position. That can only be a healthy thing for the Broncos."