Veteran Brisbane captain Darren Lockyer senses his young NRL team are on the verge of something special.

It seems a strange thing to suggest after you've watched your club's longtime chief executive depart, your coach get dumped and your chairman quit in protest.

But Lockyer is extremely optimistic as the proud club looks to rebound from missing the finals for the first time in 19 years.

And the vibe from players at the Red Hill training base is strong, certainly not one of a club deep in crisis.

Brisbane still have Lockyer, fit-again Justin Hodges, returning Ben Hannant, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker, Peter Wallace, 2010 rookie of the year Matt Gillett and club player of 2010 Josh Hoffman as the core of their team.

It's a healthy roster for incoming coach Anthony "Hook" Griffin who already has the respect of Lockyer and the senior players, making it a little less daunting to take the reins of the NRL's most watched side.

Griffin also has a good rapport with exciting youngsters like Corey Norman, Ben Hunt, Hoffman and Jharal Yow Yeh, who he coached to the NRL under 20 grand final in 2008 and who have developed into fine first graders with stardom beckoning.

Onlookers may think recent events have divided the NRL's most successful club of the modern era.

But the players have forged a strong bond through two seasons of adversity.

Operations manager and ex-Broncos stalwart Andrew Gee says their mateship reminds him of past great Broncos sides.

They again rely heavily on Lockyer's leadership while the importance of centre Hodges, returning from long-term injury, should not be underestimated.

Should one of them go down with a serious injury, Brisbane's NRL campaign would be in big trouble.

The spotlight though will be firmly on Griffin, a likeable 44-year-old first grade rookie coach.

He'll have constant reminders that he's seen by many as a caretaker coach until 2012 when Wayne Bennett is touted to return or another high profile coach is found.

But Griffin, a career coach with a smart football mind and little public ego, could prove a surprise packet even as many critics tip the Broncos to again struggle to make the top eight.

"One thing I know is the coaching game, it's what I've done for the last 17 or 18 years," says Griffin.

"I haven't got a profile, I'm not a former player and I don't take myself too seriously so the only reason I'm here is because I know the coaching game.

"My career will live and die by how the team performs in the next 12 weeks."

People will ultimately form their own opinions about Griffin and the club's wisdom in sacking Ivan Henjak so close to the season.

But the evidence on show suggests the players have not let the boardroom dramas affect them and they have prepared better for 2011 than they have for a few years.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP