Banished Broncos star's fate sealed by Reynolds

Andrew Johns has made a grim prediction for the future of Broncos halfback Brodie Croft, whose career is on a knife's edge after the club finally landed a big fish by signing Adam Reynolds.

Croft was thrust straight into the leadership group last season amid huge expectations after being signed by Anthony Seibold yet he has never nailed down his position in first grade and is now languishing in the Queensland Cup.

The 23-year-old is contracted until the end of next season but Johns doesn't see him as part of the Broncos' future.

While Anthony Milford has taken the first steps to rebuilding his reputation having been recalled to the first grade side in the No.6 jersey and Tom Dearden has secured his future at the Cowboys, Croft has become the NRL's forgotten half and may have to settle for a back-up role at another club or head to the Super League before getting another shot at the big time.

Asked about the future of Croft and Tyson Gamble, who has made a strong impression since taking the Broncos' No.7 jersey a fortnight ago, Johns told Wide World of Sports' Immortal Behaviour that they would likely both need to find a new home, before qualifying that Gamble could be their best option to wear the No.6 jersey alongside Reynolds next season.

"You'd think they're on the outer," Johns said.

"You've got to question whether Tyson Gamble and Brodie Croft can take the club to a top four and probably the answer is no. When you're at the club and in the hierarchy you've got to make those tough decisions.

"Tyson Gamble, he might play a bit of five-eighth. He's probably next in line to play five-eighth within the organisation at the moment."

Broncos coach Kevin Walters has previously said Milford had a lot of work to do this season to earn a new contract, and given he's still just 26 and is a top-end talent at his best, he is likely to be thrown an NRL lifeline elsewhere.

Reynolds' $750,000-a-season salary will chew up most of the savings the Broncos will inherit by showing the door to the $1 million-a-season Milford yet if they can scrape together enough money for a second big name half, Johns thinks off-contract Sharks star Shaun Johnson could fit the bill.

"I don't know whether within up there, whether they have a five-eighth that can take them to the top four," Johns said.

"Whether they have to go to market a buy a five-eighth, it'd be interesting. You've got Shaun Johnson, but whether they have the money to sign both Adam Reynolds and Shaun Johnson; I think they'd go together, depending on Shaun's injuries."

Yet long-term Johns says the Broncos should be focused on grooming their own talent to fill the marquee positions on their roster, arguing that Reynolds' signing shouldn't be seen as a ticket to buy their way back to relevance on the open market.

"Brisbane should never have to recruit players. They should only have to recruit the player who they're deficient in, in a certain position," Johns said.

"If you have a look at the junior base around Queensland, they've got to get that mystique back that every kid that grows up in Queensland wants to play for the Broncos.

"You look at the players that have left - David Fifita, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui was in the system, Sam Walker was in the system. They told Sam that they saw him more as a fullback than as a halfback. If you want to have a look where a club is broken - it's broken right there. You've got a 300-gamer, 15-year top-line halfback who is in your own backyard and you didn't recognise it. Honestly Stevie Wonder could see he was going to be a great player."

Johns concluded that after identifying the top talent the Broncos needed to follow a blueprint similar to Penrith's recruitment system, whereby senior players on good money are moved on when a junior with ability is ready to play first grade.

"Big pool but you can't keep all of them. Newcastle is similar, you know with the players that have left – Latrell [Mitchell], Greg Inglis, Boyd Cordner, Greg Bird - you can't keep them all, but you've got to identify early the special ones," Johns said.

"And you've got to keep them at the club, even if it means moving on an experienced player a year or two before they're finished."

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