KEY POINTS:
I spent last Thursday morning in Brisbane looking for the good oil. You know, the type that is used in reconditioned engines.
Red Hill is the nerve centre of the Broncos and where the club's players are, in the modern parlance, reconditioned. It is a suburban training ground
that unlike most workshops is covered with sun-burned dry grass.
All players entering this area are expected to front up no matter what condition they may be in.
Broncos skipper Darren Lockyer is an example of this. It is unkind to compare his engine to that of a diesel but that is what it's like. He is amazing and watching him reminds me of the reliability that is expected and given in an old 300 horsepower Cummins diesel engine.
Ruben Wiki and Steve Price are powered by the same reliability. They just keep going.
Last week Lockyer played a massive part in the State of Origin match against NSW but there he was at 9.30am the next morning training with his teammates and preparing for last Friday night's clash between the Titans and the Broncos.
Queensland lost that final Origin game but the inspiration of Lockyer and Price ensured that they never gave in and, even with their ranks depleted by injury, they fought to the last moment.
That Lockyer was able to complete that training session on Thursday morning is quite remarkable.
Obviously there are occasions when players simply cannot back up for training the next day because of injury.
But suggest to these blokes they need "reconditioning" and you will get a sharp reaction.
As I said, it is unkind to compare Lockyer to a diesel. He's much more like a finely tuned racing car that just happens to enter the stock car track each week - and if he has to, twice a week.
Looking around the Broncos training ground it is not too hard to picture some of their former stars like Michael Hancock, Allan Langer, Wally Lewis and co. This is where they prepared, out on a dusty field and in full view of anyone who cares to stop and watch.
There is no great secret to what these Broncos do. They just work hard.
But so do all the NRL clubs and that is why they can keep fronting up each week not only to games but also to the tough grind of training.
Talking of tough, that's how it was for the Warriors last week against the Cowboys. They did it tough and unfortunately were robbed by a crook decision.
But they will just have to cop it. Unfortunately, they have no other choice. Saying sorry, as referees' boss Robert Finch had to do, doesn't put two points on the Warriors' table. Last week's loss just puts extra emphasis on this Sunday's match against the Dragons. The Warriors must win.
It's easy when watching these NRL games to overlook what the players are putting themselves through.
Wander down to any of their training grounds and the reality of it all hits you square on. The players are modern day gladiators and certainly deserve their money.
So it is a measure of the man that Lockyer not only accepted the invitation to play for the All Golds for their one-off commemorative match against the Northern Union at Warrington in October but explained how much he was looking forward to the experience of playing alongside Kiwis who had previously only been opponents.
Both he and Broncos' coach Wayne Bennett, who will also coach the All Golds, immediately recognised the historical significance of this 100 year commemoration of the All Golds tour of Great Britain.
It is particularly fitting that Bennett, who has been instrumental in reviving international rugby league in recent years, should lead the 2007 All Golds. He is undoubtedly the world's premier coach, and his record speaks for itself.
It was interesting to see Bennett's role in the Broncos' post-Origin training session. There was no need for the master-coach to set his star captain to work at the start of the training. Lockyer was instantly into his stride on the training field, throwing deadly accurate passes, and executing precision kicks throughout the 90 minutes.
Bennett was a close but initially passive observer, stepping in when the team focused on attacking drills. It was total concentration for the Brisbane side which was stacked with youngsters, filling in for their injured stars.
Sure enough, as the following night's game against the Gold Coast Titans rolled out, the training field disciplines came to the fore, with the youngsters stepping up in a tight encounter, to put Lockyer into position for a golden point field goal.
Bennett allowed himself a rare smile of satisfaction after the game, knowing that the dynasty he is building is right on track.
The Auckland Lions had a hard-fought but vital victory last weekend at Leichart Oval against Balmain. Second-rower Sonny Fai was again in outstanding form with two tries, and the performance of stand-off Jerome Ropati augured well for a pending return to the Warriors. This week the Lions will endeavour to make it two from two against the St George Dragons, and at home, they should start favourites.
