WHAT the hell are the Broncos doing in Warrington?

Brisbane will be taking on the Wolves on Sunday morning in another instalment of the expanded World Club Series which makes no sense. No sense at all. None. Zero.

It is fair enough that the NRL premiers take on the English Super League titleholders every year.

That makes some sense. There’s a trophy and the mantle of the world’s best club side at stake.

But the extra games outside of that are ridiculous. Pointless.

Brisbane is playing in one of those ludicrous matches for the third-straight year.

Sure, it grows the Broncos brand, it promotes the game in the north of England with the most recognisable organisation in the sport. And they would get some coin.

But outside of that, it’s downright silly. It is a waste of time, a waste of money and puts needless strain on players who are already stretched to the limit.

media_camera James Roberts and Wayne Bennett prepare to fly out to England.

Especially when you consider that a big chunk of the Broncos squad played in the Auckland Nines less than two weeks ago.

It is a huge amount of travel with the Round 1 blockbuster against Cronulla just around the corner on March 2 in Sydney.

The Broncos should be in the much friendlier climes of a Brisbane club ground like Kougari Oval or a regional venue this weekend — not a freezing snow-covered field in England — with their full-strength side having a hitout against another NRL side.

It makes much more sense.

You play in the same weather against a team in the same competition and the players get to sleep in their own beds with their passports and winter woollies safely stored away.

media_camera Wayne Bennett and Sam Thaiday. Picture Annette Dew

Wayne Bennett will blow up about five-day turnarounds, player burnout and whatever else this year. He does love a blow up to divert attention away from the woes of his team. It is a classic veteran coach move.

But it will be a bit rich if he starts complaining about burnout.

The players themselves cannot complain about workloads either.

You cannot put your hand up to travel to England for a meaningless trial then complain about getting tired later in the season.

They would have brought that drama on themselves.

Remember that a host of clubs knocked back the chance to go to the UK as organisers scrambled to find a club willing to put themselves out to such an extent.

With the taxing State of Origin period in among 24 home-and-away matches and then finals after an early start at the Auckland Nines, the expanded World Club series is the first thing that should go.

Pronto.