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Brisbane great Shane Webcke admits the Broncos' pack is lacking experience but refuses to blame Josh McGuire's exit for the NRL club's dire plight.
Brisbane great Shane Webcke admits the Broncos pack is lacking an "old hard head" but refuses to blame Josh McGuire's exit for the NRL club's poor start.
The battling Broncos would have been forgiven for ruing their decision to release McGuire after the Test lock produced his best game for new club North Queensland, inspiring in a 17-10 win over the Warriors last round.
Former Bronco McGuire celebrated his 200th game by running 214m and making four busts and 39 tackles.
In contrast, the young Broncos pack has failed to live up to their pre-season hype while the glamour club has stumbled to their worst start in 20 years - a 1-5 record - to slump to third-last.
Former Broncos warhorse Webcke admitted Brisbane were missing an experienced forward but baulked at using McGuire's off-season exit as an excuse for their current woes.
"That's a pointless thing to talk about, to think if he was here (Broncos) he would make all the difference," Webcke told AAP.
"Maybe he would have the same crisis of confidence that the team appears to have. It becomes a bit of an infection when confidence is down."
Webcke said it was "up for debate" whether Brisbane had made the right call to release McGuire from the final two years of his contract so the Queensland lock could take up a lucrative four-season Cowboys deal.
But the former Test prop said it was silly to wonder what might have been if McGuire had stayed at Brisbane.
"Whether that was the right decision (to release him) is up for debate," he said.
"But comparing what he is doing up there and thinking he would do the exact same thing at Brisbane is a folly.
"There are lots of reasons for that, it's not just that he shouldn't have been let go.
"Put any player in someone else's side and there are so many different variables."
Webcke still backed the Broncos' pack, which will be bolstered by the return of Tevita Pangai from suspension, for Saturday's home clash with Cronulla.
"They are lacking an old hard head who has a hit up and starts the momentum of a set," he said.
"But there is so much potential in that forward pack. You look at Tevita (Pangai), Payne Haas - they are giants.
"Guys like them and Thomas Flegler, they are going to be special. But you can't put old heads on young shoulders."
