The Broncos sat third on the ladder before round seven kicked off, not a bad start by any means but they are also playing well below their capabilities.
Their 26-16 loss to the Sydney Roosters last week was slammed by coach Michael Maguire for a shortage of physicality. Broncos great Darren Lockyer told Channel Nine the side was lacking a killer instinct.
The Broncos have internal battles for starting spots and for contracts funnelling into a situation that leaves no room for complacency.
Second-rower Jack Gosiewski will miss eight weeks with a broken arm but the off-contract journeyman started the season in the run-on side, ahead of rising star Brendan Piakura, currently suspended, who is signed until 2027.
Former St George-Illawarra forward Jaiyden Hunt, also off-contract, will have his second NRL match of the season in Auckland on Saturday night.
New Zealand international Jordan Riki will return from a two-week suspension and is considered the club's leading back-rower, but he is not resting on his laurels.
Asked if it was a given that he would be picked, Riki said: "No, no way."
"I think there's a beauty about this club too," he said. "There's so many positions up for grabs and Madge (Maguire) has just told myself and a lot of the boys that no one's safe. Every position is up for grabs.
"We can all learn and push each other and see who needs to work on this and work on that.
"There's quite a few back-rowers, but we're such a tight unit and such a tight bunch. We always like to give banter but we man up with each other and say, 'Hey bro, I reckon you can work on this and work on that'."
Three hookers were named in the 17 to play the Warriors. Starting No.9 Cory Paix is off-contract and yet to ink a new deal, although he is expected to.
Bench utility Billy Walters has a deal for 2026 and fellow utility Tyson Smoothy is off to the Super League at season's end.
Compounding the intrigue is the fact 21-year-old rake Blake Mozer, named at No.22 this week, has been re-signed until the end of 2027.
In picking and sticking with Paix, coach Maguire has persevered with the one hooker in his top 30 who does not yet have a deal for 2026.
He has also preferred 30-year-old unheralded development list centre Gehamat Shibasaki to 21-year-old speed demon Deine Mariner, who is also on the books until 2027.
It makes Riki's statement that "no-one is safe" a very fair reflection of life at the Broncos.
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