Why did Broos snub red-hot Grobler and Lorch? Bafana coach lets out

Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos has defended his team selection amid questions over the exclusion of Bradley Grobler and Thembinkosi Lorch.

Grobler and Lorch have been in scintillating form this season for their clubs, the former scoring eight goals and providing one assist in 12 goals for Sekhukhune United, while the latter has weighed in with two goals and an assist in four outings, for Wydad Athletic Club.

However, that has still not been enough to convince Broos to hand them national team call-ups for the upcoming matches against Zimbabwe and Rwanda.

Broos gets techy over Grobler and Lorch question

The Bafana Bafana coach had to deal with questions regarding the omission of the in-form players when his team must win the two matches but he did not take it kindly.

“Look, I will not answer these questions [about players’ omissions] anymore, not because I don’t want to, but because every selection you can mention players that are not there,” Broos responded.

“I don’t like to give an explanation every time on why they are not there. You know that I make choices; I have to make choices. We have many good players now, and I can make two or three teams, so I have to make choices.

“So I’m very sorry, I’m not going to explain every time why Grobler is not there, and the other one. This is the selection and that’s it,” he added.

Why were the two in-form forwards not selected?

𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗟𝗘𝗬 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗡 𝗕𝗔𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗦𝗡𝗨𝗕

Sekhukhune United veteran frontman Bradley Grobler has expressed his feelings regarding his exclusion from the Bafana Bafana squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, describing the decision as “frustrating,” given his… pic.twitter.com/a09syDRL22

— FARPost_ZA (@FARPostZA) October 3, 2025

Broos is known to shun players who are over 30 no matter their form and this could be the reason for the omission of 37-year-old Grobler and Lorch, now aged 32.

It was the main reason he had initially snubbed Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Themba Zwane when he became Bafana Bafana coach, terming him ‘old’ but had a change of heart in September 2022.

‘Mshishi’ delivered on his return to the national team and since then, only injuries have kept him out of Broos’ squad, and maybe Grobler and Lorch still have hope.