Departing Broncos halfback Brodie Croft will never been seen in the NRL again according to Newcastle great Andrew Johns.
Croft signed with English Super League club Salford earlier this week on a two-year deal starting next season, with his exit the latest in a series of departures from Red Hill.
He was hooked with 20 minutes to go in the Broncos' narrow loss to the Knights last round, which was evidently the last straw for frustrated Brisbane coach Kevin Walters.
The playmaker is the latest in a huge player clean out from Red Hill with the likes of Dale Copley, Tom Dearden, Matthew Lodge, Tevita Pangai and Reece Walsh all gone mid-season, while Xavier Coates and Anthony Milford will also leave at the end of 2021.
Croft arrived at Red Hill with huge expectations after his debut at Melbourne drew comparisons to Cooper Cronk. Former coach Anthony Seibold was of the view that a change of scenery and more control of the attack could spark Croft into being a leader of the club.
Amid all the instability that engulfed the NRL's richest team in recent years, Croft failed to show the best version of himself consistently and is now tasked with trying revive his career in England having only reached 65 NRL games. Croft's poor season on the field has been met by difficulty off it, with his partner's mother fighting for her life after contracting Covid-19 in the UK, further complicating his time at Brisbane.
Speaking on Freddy and the Eighth, Johns and NSW coach Brad Fittler conceded that most players who leave the NRL for the Super League often finish they're careers overseas. Croft will be hoping to follow in Jackson Hastings' footsteps, after the former Manly half was exiled to England in 2018 before building up his stock and signing with Wests Tigers for next season.
Johns said "less pressure and open footy" are the advantages of playing in the Super League, which is favourable for Croft in his quest to build confidence and return to the NRL. However, Johns isn't optimistic about his chances.
"Hopefully it will help and he can develop his game. He left the Storm obviously in a great regime. Playing outside Cameron Smith helps.
"At the Broncos he didn't fire a shot. Looks down on confidence after getting hooked, he doesn't know what his job is.
"I think it's the last we've seen of Brodie in the NRL. I think he'll go to the Super League and stay there."
Speaking to reporters in the aftermath of Croft's exit, Walters said leaving the NRL is what's best for club and player, but wouldn't rule out to a return to the competition for the out of form halfback, who spent two years in and out of the Broncos' top side.
"I think it was the best move for Brodie," Walters said.
"There's been a lot of pressure unfairly on Brodie since his arrival here two years ago.
"He hasn't, for whatever reason, been able to play the football that he's capable of.
"We've seen it in the past with other players when they go to England they rejuvenate their career, and then come back in the NRL.
"So that's what I see in the future for Brodie."
Croft, 24, is still relatively young Fittler says, and time is on his side if he can get his game back on track.
While the NSW coach acknowledged several players had returned from England to carve out solid careers back home and even win premierships, those players who do find their way back to the NRL often don't play starring roles.
"Not many come back. Ben Murdoch-Masila recently. George Burgess has come back. Albert Kelly obviously come back," Fittler added.
"There's a few that come back and filter into teams but not many comeback and star."
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!
from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/nrl-news-brodie-croft-never-to-play-australia-again/0dd678ef-114f-4d48-a4df-d7aaf93de559
0 Comments