The Wayne Bennett Super thread!

[Anonymous person]

So what is the barometer for a successful season now?

We finished 8th this year, and were it not for about 20 minutes of brain explosions and sheer stupidity over 3-4 games, we would have finished around 4th (Sharks, Titans, one or 2 others that we lost from unloseable positions). Now we have Milford and Hunt in his second full year, I personally think anything less than a top 4 finish is a failure. Disagree?

 

[Renegade]

top 4 and/or at least second week of the finals (losing by less than a try if we don't progress into the third).

a multi-faceted criteria :D

 

[Harry Sack]

So what is the barometer for a successful season now?

We finished 8th this year, and were it not for about 20 minutes of brain explosions and sheer stupidity over 3-4 games, we would have finished around 4th (Sharks, Titans, one or 2 others that we lost from unloseable positions). Now we have Milford and Hunt in his second full year, I personally think anything less than a top 4 finish is a failure. Disagree?

What I expect is that those 3-4 20minute brain fades will disappear. Top 4 isn't out of the question but a convincing bottom of the 8 (ie: 5th or 6th) is absolute minimum IMO.

 

[Unbreakable]

So what is the barometer for a successful season now?

We finished 8th this year, and were it not for about 20 minutes of brain explosions and sheer stupidity over 3-4 games, we would have finished around 4th (Sharks, Titans, one or 2 others that we lost from unloseable positions). Now we have Milford and Hunt in his second full year, I personally think anything less than a top 4 finish is a failure. Disagree?

Yeah absolutely.

I think we have a far better roster than last year and a far better coaching staff.

Anything less than a top 4 finish I would consider disappointing, unless we get super unlucky with injuries or something.

 

[GCBRONCO]

Bennett will be held accountable, there's enough heat on him here for him to deliver and I'll make it clear on my own part, I have far higher expectations of Bennett then I ever would have on Henjak or Griffin who have failed to deliver and the fans on either side of the fence want success that can't be denied so I'm looking for a top 6 finish personally, position on the table is only part of the package of improvement though we need, defense, forward rotation/balance, mental toughness are other key area's that need to be addressed.

 

[Unbreakable]

Re: Broncos - 2015 Discussion

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...ncos-engine-room/story-fnp0lyn6-1227126059208

WAYNE Bennett thought it would take him a year or two to sort out the mess otherwise known as Brisbane’s roster.

It has taken him 57 days.

In what must surely rank as the most brutal, calculating and decisive roster clean-out in rugby league history, Bennett has managed to shed five players deemed surplus to requirements and secure two Test veterans along with some handy depth players.

Bennett and his recruitment chief Peter Nolan have almost completely remodelled the face of the team, with Brisbane set to start 2015 with a new fullback, new halves combination and a new front row rotation.

Blair will likely form a starting front row combination with Josh McGuire, finally ridding Corey Parker and Sam Thaiday of the onerous tasks of playing prop when they both clearly prefer the back row.

It means that Kangaroos Test stars Parker, Thaiday and Matt Gillett, who missed the Four Nations with injury, are battling the club’s “most consistent” award-winner Alex Glenn for a spot in the starting back row.

One of them is likely to start 2015 on the bench.

Then there are the likes of hulking new recruits James Gavet and Mitch Garbutt, plus emerging props Jarrod Wallace, Mitchell Dodds, Francis Molo and Jo Ofahengaue all fighting for bench forward positions.

In the back row, Brisbane will have Corey Oates, Todd Lowrie and David Stagg to challenge for positions on the interchange.

No wonder people are talking about the Broncos as potential premiership contenders. They’ve been the most active and successful club in recruitment this off-season.

 

[Unbreakable]

Re: Broncos - 2015 Discussion

I wouldn't jump the gun and call the off-season SUCCESSFUL just yet, but I'm moderately pleased with what Wayne has done, I know for a fact that Hoffman and Barba weren't playing like premiership winning players, so I'm fine with what he did there, I'm still not sure on deciding against re-signing Hannant and virtually swapping Kennedy for Blair were in the clubs best interests, we'll look back on this thread this time next year and deem whether he made the correct calls or not.

 

[theshed]

Re: Broncos - 2015 Discussion

I agree with you but again I must bring up that looking at it as a "swap" for Kennedy isn't the right way to do it.

You have to look at the team balance. Much like Barba wasn't "swapped" for Boyd, our spine of Macca, Hunt, Hoffman, and Barba was replaced with a spine of Macca, Hunt, Milfird, and Boyd. A huge win in my books (but that's just an example to shiw point and I'm not trying to bring up that redundant debate again. Some peole disagree that's a better spine and that's ok).

Kennedy wasn't swapped for Blair. Our prop rotation of Hannant, McGuire, Parker, and Kennedy has been replaced with what will likely be McGuire, Blair, Gavet, and Garbutt. For me personally I don't see this as much of a clear improvement but the potential is there, and the fact that it should allow Parker to play lock makes it fairly appealing. I will have to wait and see how this pans out because I don't have strong feelings either way on this decision from Bennett.

 

[Porthoz]

Badel either typed that article one handed, while wanking to Bennett's effigy, or he was just handed the article ready to print by WB's PR team.

From the comment on "inheriting a squad he cannot do a great deal about", passing by the new halves pairing WB had absolutely nothing to do with, the bad maths that from having 5 FB's, getting rid of 2 and recruiting 1, results in a team with... 2 FB's, the idea that having Blair on the books is what is going to return Parker and Thaiday to the second row, while ignoring he actually got rid of 2 props who could also achieve that, and finalising it with the "most successful club in recruitment this season", is an offense to journalistic integrity... but who are we kidding? This is sports journalism in Australia 101.

 

[Unbreakable]

I'm also pretty sure that Hannant and Kennedy weren't "Surplus to our needs", they were just players that Bennett deemed too soft to bring us a premiership.

I suppose you can't really deny the fact that Blair & Gavet offer a lot more mongrel than Hannant & Kennedy.

 

[Splinter]

Badel either typed that article one handed, while wanking to Bennett's effigy, or he was just handed the article ready to print by WB's PR team.

From the comment on "inheriting a squad he cannot do a great deal about", passing by the new halves pairing WB had absolutely nothing to do with, the bad maths that from having 5 FB's, getting rid of 2 and recruiting 1, results in a team with... 2 FB's, the idea that having Blair on the books is what is going to return Parker and Thaiday to the second row, while ignoring he actually got rid of 2 props who could also achieve that, and finalising it with the "most successful club in recruitment this season", is an offense to journalistic integrity... but who are we kidding? This is sports journalism in Australia 101.

I thought Balym wrote the article.

Hannant was a pillow and Kennedy never performed, both had to go, whether Blair was the right replacement, well that's another story.

 

[Splinter]

While not entirely happy with the recruitment drive, I am more happy with the potential team than I have been under Griffins watch

 

[Bucking Beads]

Badel either typed that article one handed, while wanking to Bennett's effigy, or he was just handed the article ready to print by WB's PR team.

From the comment on "inheriting a squad he cannot do a great deal about", passing by the new halves pairing WB had absolutely nothing to do with, the bad maths that from having 5 FB's, getting rid of 2 and recruiting 1, results in a team with... 2 FB's, the idea that having Blair on the books is what is going to return Parker and Thaiday to the second row, while ignoring he actually got rid of 2 props who could also achieve that, and finalising it with the "most successful club in recruitment this season", is an offense to journalistic integrity... but who are we kidding? This is sports journalism in Australia 101.

You'll find the Courier Mail will not say a bad word about Wayne. He will shut them out if he does.

 

[Anonymous person]

Bennett already getting the credit for things he had nothing to do with I see lol. It has already started, and a ball hasn't even been kicked in the season.

How does signing Blair free up parker to play lock? Blair isn't a prop despite what people are saying in the other thread lol. He has played there for a handful of games out of injury to other players. He is a second row/lock, so if anything it means parker will play prop unless Bennett is going to play the worst signing of the last decade out of position.

Hes getting credit for adding a second rower to the prop rotation after cutting 2 actual props.
Hes getting credit for bringing Milford when he was signed before Bennett even signed.
Hes getting credit for getting us a fullback we didn't need.
And to top it off they have the nerve to already label it successful lol. Dropping Barba for Boyd is in no way successful yet. Neither had a great 2014, but one of them had a dreadful 2014 and didn't turn up to play in the 3 years with Wayne at his last club. Signing Blair, whose west tigers signing is often criticised as the worst signing in NRL history, in place of 2 actual props isn't successful yet.

Oh and unlike what has been thrown around, Blair wasn't off contract. He was signed until 2016, which means we actively chased him and fought to get him released. If we did that for him, why couldn't we have done it for a better player? Or an actual prop?

All of these changes couldve been done with the squad he inherited. Like with Newcastle, to me it just shows bennetts inability to get the best out of what he's got. His refusal to even think about working on some clearly very talented players at both clubs, rather just ship them out, doesn't make him look like a good coach.

 

[Porthoz]

I thought Balym wrote the article.

Hannant was a pillow and Kennedy never performed, both had to go, whether Blair was the right replacement, well that's another story.

Haha, that is hilarious.
When I read the article, Peter Badel was the author. Now it's suddenly Todd Balym! :shocked:

The point about Blair is that his recruitment apparently will be returning Parker and Thaiday to the backrow... and to assume he will perform so much better than Hannant or Kennedy, after his performances at the Tigers, is just ridiculous.

The whole article is just a Bennett wankfest.

 

[Sproj]

I'm also pretty sure that Hannant and Kennedy weren't "Surplus to our needs", they were just players that Bennett deemed too soft to bring us a premiership.

I suppose you can't really deny the fact that Blair & Gavet offer a lot more mongrel than Hannant & Kennedy.

Fair points for sure but Hannant has won the comp at prop, Fairy Blairy has not.

 

[Splinter]

Haha, that is hilarious.
When I read the article, Peter Badel was the author. Now it's suddenly Todd Balym! :shocked:

The point about Blair is that his recruitment apparently will be returning Parker and Thaiday to the backrow... and to assume he will perform so much better than Hannant or Kennedy, after his performances at the Tigers, is just ridiculous.

The whole article is just a Bennett wankfest.

CM has Balym listed as the author, maybe they both wrote it with a hand on each others

 

[subsbligh]

I'll give Bennett this.

He is going fucking balls out, all on black hard with this appointment. This is no golden parachute. He is not going to die wondering.

He's putting his glorious reputation on the line. He could have sailed into St George or the Titans or god where ever else on squillions, and left his legendary status at the Broncos untouched.

He pulls off a 7th premiership - the man will be absolutely lauded as the greatest NRL (if not the sporting world) coach in history. Fairytale ending, music hasn't died inside all that stuff.

He doesn't win a premiership (and I think it is that grave) - the knives will be out, wrecked the club all that jazz.

That's a bloody ballsy thing to do and reflecting on it, I think his heart and mind have to be in the right place for him to do that.

As a Broncos support perhaps we've been missing that kind of courage and passion.