No coach in the National Rugby League deflects attention from his players quite like Brisbane Broncos mentor Wayne Bennett. Call it a smokescreen, curveball or a red herring – Bennett is undoubtedly the master.

It is all well and good when it works. Time and time again Bennett has taken one for his team and it usually ends with his players going out and performing exactly how he wanted them to. Bennett consumes the pressure so his players can do their job. Why? Because it’s a part of his.

Lately though things haven’t been going to script for Bennett or his Broncos. In the last two weeks Brisbane has been hammered by an alarming 88-20 after defeats at the hands of Melbourne and Canterbury respectively. On Friday, at home against a depleted Storm, Brisbane were thrashed and looked like a shadow of the side that went within a whisker of winning the 2015 Grand Final before a Johnathan Thurston field goal sunk them in golden point.

It would be easy for Brisbane to blame State of Origin if only they didn’t still boast star halves Ben Hunt, Anthony Milford and depth other clubs would kill for.

It would be easier still to blame the NRL and scheduling if only the Broncos didn’t play the majority of their matches on Friday nights.

The easiest solution for Brisbane would have been for them to come out on Saturday morning and say there’s no excuse for the blowouts and will learn from such heavy defeats. That all NRL sides go through rough patches and it’s difficult to stay up for a full season.

Instead, veteran forward Corey Parker blamed injuries to outside backs on the team’s sudden fall from grace.

“It’s just a tough period for us,” Parker told Sky Sports Radio on Monday.

“We’ve been hit pretty hard with injuries in the outside back area.”

Come on, Corey.

Both the Bulldogs and Storm ran over and through you and your halves have been outgunned and outplayed for months.

“We were going into that game not worrying about a result but more worrying about some performances in certain areas,” he said.

“At times, we were in front from the week before.”

By the final siren, the Broncos were even further away from where they started.

Brisbane’s problem now is that they’ve deflected responsibility on their performances so often that they don’t know a lie even when they’re telling it.

Just tell us you’re struggling.

Bennett was heavily criticised for questioning golden point on the same night his side lost to first-time premiers North Queensland. This was the Cowboys’ time in the sun. Brisbane lost the match fair and square after Hunt dropped a kick which eventually led to Thurston’s field goal. Bennett made the post-match press conference about the Broncos’ loss instead of North Queensland’s maiden title.

“I’ve never been a fan of golden point,” Bennett said.

“It was introduced because we had a draw in a game of State of Origin. It’s a lottery. It’s unfair on everybody and it was most unfair here tonight. I would’ve been happy to come back here next week.

“I still don’t see what’s wrong with the draw. You’re talking about a grand final here. It’s personally not the way I want it decided … I’m not bitter. Do I sound bitter and twisted?”

The Broncos haven’t taken responsibility for anything since. Since Round eleven Brisbane have lost five, won one and will receive their second bye this weekend. They’re now 9-7 in 7th position.

While the Storm were without a host of stars including Billy Slater, Cameron Munster and Will Chambers, Brisbane welcomed back Andrew McCullough and Alex Glenn.

Parker came to the defence of his side after the Friday night drubbing saying immediately after the match, “They picked apart at that left edge when Oatesy (Corey Oates) went off.”

If the Broncos want to hide their head in the sand and blame the injury of Corey Oates for their shocker than they may be in for a few more canings in the weeks ahead.

Or, Bennett can realise how quickly the season is getting away from his team and put the responsibility back on himself and his players.

@woodward_curtis