Brisbane Broncos: 2019 preview, draw, squad changes, news, every player, odds and ticketing

A new era will begin at the Brisbane Broncos in 2019 as Anthony Seibold assumes the coaching reins from veteran Wayne Bennett .

And after Brisbane's mixed 2018, Seibold has work to do to ensure the club is a premiership contender.

The Broncos were exciting yet frustratingly unpredictable last season, doing enough to land in sixth place and earn a home qualifying final.

But their campaign ended in embarrassing fashion, belted 48-18 by a depleted St George Illawarra Dragons side in front of a packed Suncorp Stadium.

Still, there are reasons to believe that success is on the horizon.

Brisbane possess one of the competition's best young forward packs, featuring the damaging likes of Tevita Pangai Jnr, Matt Lodge, Joe Ofahengaue, Jaydn Su'A and Payne Haas.

Enigmatic halves Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima will benefit greatly from another pre-season together, and Corey Oates, Jamayne Isaako and James Roberts provide plenty of punch out wide.

International back-rower Matt Gillett returns following a serious neck injury , as does the gifted Jack Bird, whose year was ended after only eight games due to a sternum complaint .

Despite a turbulent off-season, Brisbane can challenge anyone in 2019 with a fresh coaching perspective and an enviable mix of battle-hardened experience and exuberant youth.

BRISBANE BRONCOS PRE-SEASON NEWS

Brisbane were thrown into chaos to begin the pre-season with the farcical Wayne Bennett–Anthony Seibold coaching saga, which concluded in December after more than a month of intense drama.

When Bennett agreed to a two-year deal with South Sydney  beginning in 2020 and S eibold then signed on as his long-term successor at the Broncos , an early switch for the 2019 season seemed logical.

But this is the NRL, where nothing is straightforward.

Bennett initially refused to trade posts with Seibold, instead  insisting he would see out the final year of his Brisbane deal .

The swap eventually went ahead as Brisbane terminated Bennett's contract through voicemail , ending his 25-year contribution to the club – and he c ost himself a $900,00 payout by contacting Souths players .

Seibold marked the start of his tenure as Brisbane coach by radically changing the squad's pre-season training , with music blaring and ball skills drills occurring in early December. Bennett was notorious for hosting nothing but fitness sessions in the early weeks after the break.

But the soap opera wasn't done with yet. Highly-rated assistant coach Jason Demetriou was punted from the Broncos and soon joined Souths to continue his standing as Bennett's right-hand man.

On the playing front, New Zealand-born prop Jaydn Su'A pledged his representative allegiance to the Queensland Maroons.

Brisbane hired former NSW and Australian five-eighth Matthew Johns to work with the side's playmakers ahead of the season.

Halves Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima, hooker Andrew McCullough, captain and fullback Darius Boyd and rookie halfback Sean O'Sullivan all flew to Sydney on multiple occasions to learn from Johns.

Monster teenage prop Payne Haas was sensationally stood down and fined $20,000 in February for not meeting the club's expectations during an NRL integrity unit investigation.

He will miss the first four matches of the premiership.

The integrity unit reportedly attempted to interview Haas about two separate violent incidents involving his family but the forward was less than helpful.

The club confirmed Haas himself was not violent, nor was he under police investigation.

Powerhouse forward Tevita Pangai Jnr sustained a hamstring injury in a trial against Wynnum Manly. He is expected to be fit for round one.

PRE-SEASON TRIALS

February 16 – Broncos 42 def. Souths Logan 0

February 23 – Broncos 26 vs Wynnum Manly 12

March 2 – Broncos 25 def. Gold Coast Titans 22

BRISBANE BRONCOS' 30-MAN NRL SQUAD

A slew of big names departed the Broncos over the off-season.

Following v eteran Sam Thaiday's retirement , Brisbane's forward experience took another knock when Test lock Josh McGuire was released to join the North Queensland Cowboys on a shock four-year deal.

Prop Korbin Sims also moved on from the club to link with brother Tariq at the St George Illawarra Dragons.

With cash freed up, the club embarked on a re-signing spree, headlined by Tevita Pangai Jnr (one-year deal), Corey Oates (one year) and  Matt Lodge (two years).

Promising front-rower Patrick Carrigan – a junior Kangaroo and Queensland under 20s captain – extended his stay as well, keeping him at Brisbane until 2022 .

Ex-Sydney Roosters halfback Sean O'Sullivan  and North Queensland second-rower Shaun Fensom are the only recruits so far.

One spot remains on Brisbane's 2019 roster.

Jordan Kahu left the Broncos after 10 years in February to take up a one-year deal at the North Queensland Cowboys.

The club signed former Souths winger Richie Kennar on a one-year contract to add depth to their outside backs ranks following Kahu's departure.

COACH:  Anthony Seibold

Additions (players who weren't in 2018 top 30 squad):  Sean O'Sullivan (Sydney Roosters), Kotoni Staggs, Myles Taueli, Patrick Carrigan, Thomas Flegler, Shaun Fensom (North Queensland Cowboys), Richie Kennar (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Izaia Perese (Queensland Reds – rugby union)

Losses:  Josh McGuire (North Queensland Cowboys), Corey Allan (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Sam Thaiday (retired), Thomas Opacic (North Queensland Cowboys), Korbin Sims (St George Illawarra Dragons), Jonus Pearson (St George Illawarra Dragons), Mosese Pangai (unsigned)

Re-signed:  Corey Oates (2019), Matt Lodge (2020), Sam Tagataese (2019), David Fifita (2020), Matt Gillett (2022), Payne Haas (2024), Jamayne Isaako (2022), Gehamat Shibasaki (2020), Jaydn Su'A (2020), Tevita Pangai Jnr (2019), Patrick Carrigan (2022)

Off-contract beyond 2019:  Corey Oates, Sam Tagataese, Alex Glenn, Joe Ofahengaue, Andre Savelio, Myles Taueli, George Fai, Thomas Flegler, Patrick Mago, Tevita Pangai Jnr

Development players:  Cory Paix, Ethan Bullemor, Herbie Farnworth, Ilikena Vudogo, Jake Turpin, Tanah Boyd

BRISBANE BRONCOS' BETTING ODDS

At $8 (via TAB as of 20/2/19), Brisbane are the second-favourite team to win the 2019 premiership. It would be their first title since 2006.

Pivot Anthony Milford is rated by the bookies as the Broncos' best chance of snaring the Dally M Medal, priced at a juicy $34. He is followed by Tevita Pangai Jnr ($51).

The Queensland club are $1.30 to make the top eight, $1.95 to finish in the top four and $151 to suffer the most losses.

BRISBANE BRONCOS' 2019 DRAW

Games played on 

Thursday:  7

Friday: 7

Saturday: 7

Sunday: 3

Teams they play twice 

Melbourne Storm, North Queensland Cowboys, Sydney Roosters, Cronulla Sharks, South Sydney Rabbitohs, New Zealand Warriors, Gold Coast Titans, Parramatta Eels, Canterbury Bulldogs

It's a big year for...

Jack Bird.

Recruited on large coin from the Cronulla Sharks at the end of 2017 , Bird was plagued by injury last season and struggled for match fitness, playing eight games in total.

He was underwhelming in the handful of matches he featured in, though his performances weren't helped by constant positional switches.

Bird is expected to start at centre in 2019 and will need to prove his worth all over again, with a crop of talented backs vying for limited spots.

It is make-or-break for the 23-year-old.

Can the former NSW Blue and 2016 premiership-winner regain top form under Anthony Seibold? Time will tell.

MEMBERSHIP AND TICKETING

As of 16 February, the Broncos had the highest amount of members across the NRL with 28,295.

Brisbane finished with 36,420 members last season – the most in the league – and are on track to better that in 2019.

Membership packages can be viewed  here .

General tickets for the season are available here.