MARK ‘SPUDD’ CARROLL: Broncos coach Michael Maguire will drive Brisbane hard with NRL title defence in tatters

Boy, I’d hate to be a Brisbane Broncos player right now.

Michael Maguire would be absolutely filthy at how their premiership defence is going.

The shock loss to St George IIlawarra on Sunday was their fourth defeat in a row and leaves them 11th on the table as we hit the halfway mark of the season.

Just what the hell is going on up there?

They look flat, distracted and disinterested.

They have given up 30 points or more per match over the past month.

Where’s the heart and desire?

When the going gets tough, Madge just gets tougher.

I could almost read Madge’s mind as he prowled the Suncorp Stadium sideline overseeing the Dragons debacle.

He very rarely leaves the coaching box – if at all – but that was proof of how concerned he is over how things were going.

He felt he needed to see and hear it for himself from close range.

I know his side made a game of it late and threatened to pull off a miracle win, but they won’t have fooled Madge.

He is fully aware of how bad things are and won’t paper over the cracks.

And knowing him as I do, this loss will only mean one thing – a doubling down in intensity on the training paddock.

When the going gets tough, Madge just gets tougher.

He won’t cop Origin or injuries as an excuse because Brisbane’s problem isn’t a physical one.

No, this is totally mental.

The Broncos’ intensity is nowhere near where it needs to be, especially when you’re the defending premiers and the opposition are coming for you every single week.

Some of their rock stars better snap out of their funk soon otherwise they might just join that infamous list of teams who fail to make the finals the year after winning the comp.

As for the Dragons, about bloody time.

I was beginning to think they’d go an entire season without a win, but that performance showed something is still beating under that emblem of theirs.

This was a win built on courage and determination.

The Saints simply wanted it more than their opposition.

They drew a line in the sand and said we’re not putting up with this crap anymore.

I’m not expecting a full-blown revival, but this will give the Red V belief they can match it with anyone in the comp.

It won’t be their last upset.

AND DON’T GET ME STARTED

It’s not often I admit something coming out of Queensland is a good thing.

But an idea floated by my two headed friends in the Sunshine State over rugby league’s send-off rule - in the wake of Kalyn Ponga’s dismissal - caught my attention and earned my approval.

There’s been a call for players to be placed on report instead of being sent off for foul play.

It would then be left up to the NRL judiciary to decide whether the player should be sanctioned for his act and suspended or fined.

It’s the same policy the AFL uses and ensures a team isn’t left a man down for any part of a game.

In Ponga’s case, he would have seen out the last 23 minutes of Origin and been dealt with the next day.

And as it turned out, the match review committee decided the send-off was excessive and only fined Ponga instead of banning him for a few games.

For what’s it’s worth – and this is coming from someone who bleeds blue – I thought the Queensland fullback should have been binned for 10 and allowed to complete the game.

But Ashley Klein has a tendency to make himself an Origin talking point.

Seven players have been sent off in Origin football and “Calvin” has pointed the finger on four of them.

I know times have changed and we must protect the head at all costs.

But there’s no doubt Ponga’s exit changed the course of the game - not that I give a rat’s because the Maroons have had plenty of calls go their way over the years.

And how many times have they snatched victory from right under our noses?

So boo bloody hoo.

Regardless, the game is now way too fast for a team to play with less than their full 13.

Last Wednesday night was a great finish for us Blues fans, but what about when the shoe was on the other foot two years ago and Joseph Suaalii was marched after 10 minutes.

That killed the game dead and Queensland went on to win easily.

Not that I heard too much moaning from north of the border on that occasion.

Peter V’landys has already poo-pooed a change to the send-off rule, saying: “If we scrap it or allow replacement players, what’s the deterrent?”.

I don’t think it would lead to open slather.

I know some players from my era - and those before me - would have seen it as licence to go on a violent rampage and take out as many players as they could.

But the players are too professional nowadays and a lengthy suspension from club footy is too heavy a price to pay.

They just wouldn’t risk it.

PVL has changed course before to tweak the game and improve it and he can do so again here.

As for the match itself, while I was naturally happy the Blues won, that first half an hour was torturous to watch.

I can’t believe how badly we played. At 20-0 I was fearing an embarrassment.

The comeback saved a few blokes from the axe, but I’d still make a number of changes to our starting line-up.

I’d bring Cameron Murray in and start Isaah Yeo alongside Payne Haas in the front-row, with Mitch Barnett and Addin Fonua-Blake to come off the bench.

Casey McLean did a great job when he came on for the concussed Tolu Koula, but I think the Manly star deserves to retain his place if fit.

And as good as Ethan Strange was on debut, I think Mitchell Moses will return at five-eighth with the young fella filling the No.14.

Queensland?

Reece Walsh must return to their line-up if they are to level the series in Melbourne.

But I hope they leave him out and the Blues wrap up the series.