The Mole: Wild Walters question must be asked after 'bumbling, fumbling' Broncos performance

Are Broncos players trying to get coach Kevin Walters sacked?

After taking Brisbane to within a whisker of the premiership last year, Walters' men resembled a bumbling, fumbling shadow of a football team in the 50-point massacre by the Storm on Thursday night.

Knowing the Broncos were already out of finals contention before the game, Walters appealed for the one thing he could salvage - some pride in the jumper.

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The players responded by dishing up 80 minutes of ho-hum, missing 46 tackles and conceding 13 line breaks before a near full house in their final game of the year.

The fans were entitled to ask for a refund - and the performance is another nail in Walters' coaching coffin.

A team chock full of pace, power and talent, the Broncos lost 10 of their last 13 games to whimper out of the finals race.

Watch the 2024 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.

The club needs a complete reset - and the coach will be nervous about what the end of season review reveals.

The players let him down badly - but you can't sack 17 players. You can, however, move on one coach and that is often the quick fix that football club boards resort to when it all goes horribly wrong like the Broncos, 2024.

Burning Bulldogs questions

Has the Bulldogs' bubble burst?

Having conceded 78 points across back-to-back losses to the Sea Eagles and Cowboys, it's the question that has to be asked.

Cameron Ciraldo's men have had a marvellous season and there is no question they are the big improvers of 2024, but the Bulldogs will enter the finals with the wobbles after the last two weeks.

A Cowboys team that has had its own problems gave the Dogs a lesson on their home turf on Saturday night, and Ciraldo has a big job restoring the players' confidence before next weekend.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, are looking like a horse with an ideal Melbourne Cup-style preparation.

Thrashed 42-18 by the Broncos in round 23, they seemed in all sorts of trouble.

But they haven't lost since and enter the finals looking like a team capable of doing a lot of damage.

Kalyn returns to old haunt

Kalyn Ponga will return to North Queensland next weekend and could haunt his former club in the opening round of the finals.

The superstar fullback steered the Knights into the finals with a slick attacking performance in the shootout against the Dolphins on Sunday.

Now he will attempt to shatter the title dreams of the Cowboys, the team he debuted for as a teenager in 2016.

Ponga played just nine NRL games in his two seasons at Townsville before the Knights gambled - throwing a massive deal at the unproven youngster.

It proved the best money the Knights have ever spent, and Ponga's value could soar even higher if he brings down the Cowboys.

Watch the 2024 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.

Unsung trump card in Sharks' finals run

Is there a more dangerous wide-running back-rower in the finals race than Cronulla's in-form Briton Nikora?

Nikora has been in the best form of his career in 2024 and bagged a try double in the space of five minutes to seal the Sharks' 40-20 win over the Sea Eagles at Brookvale on Sunday afternoon.

Running off halves Nicho Hynes and Brayden Trindall, Nikora has scored nine tries this season - and is certain to break into double figures in the final series.

A fine athlete with strength and speed, he is one of the Sharks' real trump cards leading into the finals.

The 'nucleus' missing from Roosters win

Take these nine blokes and you have the nucleus of a premiership-winning team - Brandon Smith, Daniel Tupou, Dominic Young, Nat Butcher, Sam Walker, Victor Radley, Egan Butcher, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Lindsay Collins.

All nine were missing from the Roosters line-up last Friday night yet the team still managed to carve out a 36-28 win over old rivals Souths.

The win without so many stars shows what many believe - that the Roosters have the best depth in the NRL.

That will be crucial when the finals basically come down to a battle of the fittest, with injuries and suspensions likely to decide who takes the title.

And with such a powerful squad and many of these nine blokes set to return in coming weeks, the Roosters could be the team to beat.

Panthers' big Cleary hope

Nathan Cleary's return from injury for the finals can't come soon enough for the Panthers.

The club chasing its fourth straight title looked anything but grand final material in a scrappy 18-12 defeat of the Titans on Saturday night.

With nothing to play for, the Titans really took the game to the champions and almost came up with a win.

The Panthers made 15 errors in the 80 minutes and if they do that against the Roosters next weekend, they will be in all sorts of trouble.

The team lacked direction and spark in attack - but all that can be fixed with the return of superstar Cleary.

The man who salvaged the grand final last season will need to rescue a team that has been short of its best in recent weeks - but he is so good, he may just do it.

The front row regret facing Eels

Will the Eels live to regret letting Reagan Campbell-Gillard walk away for 2025?

After the disappointments of this year, there's no doubt that incoming coach Jason Ryles needs to make changes, but cutting cult hero Campbell-Gillard loose could come back to bite the club.

I think RCG offers far more than fellow big boppa Junior Paulo, who did little this season but looks likely to stay.

In the Spoon Bowl against the Tigers on Friday night, Campbell-Gillard was the most effective forward on the paddock.

He led the tackle count as Parra carved out a big win, ran with great power, scored a determined try and even kicked a farewell goal for good measure.

Changes are needed - but this big guy's presence will be missed.