Michael Maguire’s focus on putting defensive steel back into the Broncos, a fit Reece Walsh and a fast Allianz Stadium track all spell trouble for the Roosters.

And points for Brisbane.

We all know “Madge” has cracked the whip in Brisbane. That’s no knock on Kevvy Walters at all, it’s just an attitude readjustment. Maguire is putting more effort and attitude into their defence.

Madge’s coaching breaks down to 60 per cent focus on defence, 40 per cent focus on attack, whereas Kevvy is more of an attack-oriented coach. Madge graduated from the Storm under Craig Bellamy, where it’s all about ruck defence, wrestling and suffocating your opposition.

The Broncos looked really fit and powerful in the trial matches, the best of any side. Their forward pack and their bench look very, very strong. And on the back of that power they’ve got the most experienced halves combination in the NRL in Adam Reynolds and Ben Hunt.

Their kicking game is first class, but just as importantly, they know when and where to pull the trigger on big plays and when, where and how to guide the team around. On paper, Brisbane look nearly impossible to stop.

Especially when you throw in Walsh, swinging around on those sweep plays off his halves, Brisbane are going to be very hard to contain.

The Roosters, meanwhile, have lost so many world-class players and the only signing they’ve made is Chad Townsend to cover their halves. They’re backing their young players to aim up.

I wouldn’t say it’s a rebuilding phase so much, more of a transition to their next generation of players, which do have a lot of promise.

But those long-term injuries to Sam Walker and Brandon Smith make things really tough. It was the last thing coach Trent Robinson needed, to lose two of his main playmakers while they’re in that transition phase with new combinations being worked out.

Their spine just hasn’t had a chance to play any footy together. Even James Tedesco and Connor Watson, their most settled playmakers, haven’t had too many games together with Watson at hooker.

So how do they combine and attack? That’s something that typically takes time to get right.

And out wide, those defensive combinations are already in the crosshairs. Their right edge of Townsend, rookie Robert Toia and Dominic Young really struggled against Newcastle in their second trial.

I think that’s an area the Broncos will target with Deine Marine on their right edge inside Selwyn Cobbo.

The worrying thing for me again is if there’s a long-term injury in the spine, there’s no obvious replacement waiting in the wings for the Roosters. Townsend has gone from that role to their starting halfback.

They’ve lost their alpha male up front with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves moving to Super League, while Terrell May has been let go and there’s no Spencer Leniu either through suspension. So, I don’t know who’s going to put their hand up to take on Payne Haas.

The match-up

It’s the old bull against the young bull at the back. Tedesco will really try to inspire his teammates: he’ll be getting into first receiver, he’ll be taking hit-ups, he’ll try to play like a halfback and a fullback, and he’s so energetic and skillful. But he’s got to be careful that he doesn’t overplay his hand doing that.

On the other side, Walsh is injury-free and he’s in for a huge year. He’s my early tip for the Dally M Medal and I think we’ll see it on Thursday night. I can see him having space to move on the back of that Broncos forward pack and when he’s got time and space, he’s impossible to stop.

The rain in Sydney has held off, but there’s a lot of wind, so that’s going to keep the dew off the Allianz Stadium surface.

This will make for a really fast track and, without a doubt, that suits the Broncos with their speed out wide and Walsh swinging around the back to really target the Roosters’ new centres Toia and Mark Nawaqanitawase.

Joey’s tip: Broncos 13 plus.

First try-scorer: Selwyn Cobbo

Man of the match: Reece Walsh