2026 NRL General Discussion Thread

1910 said:
Matt Cameron aligned all their pathways and started the Built from Within program- a Gus recruit and worked out if we have a kid at 16 what do we want him to do at 18, 20 at 21. What's a Panther front rower do? What's a Panther half do? So, Jim Jones can go and watch a 16-year-old and know exactly what a Panther winger looks like. Cameron is now CEO, so he's gone up the chain and understands all the parts.

Jim Jones knows exactly what Cleary wants and how he wants a player to pass, kick, walk, run, make a sandwich. He can find a 17-year-old and they are learning that from day one. He's their Cyril, been doing it since 91 he's that old school drive to watch a carnival, meet mum type.
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This is what we seem to be missing IMHO. We seem to end up with biggest, strongest, most physically talented kids. But are they also smart, which cogs in the team are they. How does a Broncos back rower play, and are our recruitment team looking for this? Are our Cup teams aligned as well?

It's easy when you have had a coach for a long time, we were probably the same with Bennett until he left the first time around I guess and I think it's the major issue with a revolving coach door. But for me, and I'm sure plenty here will agree, this is the critical part we seem to be missing and everything else flows from it. I don't believe the club has a clear idea of what the finished puzzle looks like, so we're just grabbing pieces and making them fit even if they don't - when we all know that a good team is more than the sum of its parts individually.

Second part is recruitment - if we don't know how a Broncos centre is supposed to play, how can we recruit one? What does a Broncos 2RF do? Are we actually looking for the right kids? Again this comes back to the above - without a clear picture, recruitment becomes 'pick the best of the carnival' and it's just about sheer talent. I'd argue that attitude and drive is more important, or at the very least on par. Cronk vs Milford for example.

This also flows through to patching roster holes as well. What type of player do we look for in a certain position, if there's no certainty around what that role's job actually is? Do we sign a hulking prop or a leaner, smaller, faster mover? What's the game's meta, what does the club need for the way we want to play?

The third part is the pathways - once you've got the above sorted out, then the pathways need to be training the kids in "the way we play". Academy through Cup to NRL, all on the same page. I'm not sure if it is, but that also comes back to not knowing what the Broncos puzzle is supposed to look like. Role clarity is so important.
 
LittleDavey said:
This is what we seem to be missing IMHO. We seem to end up with biggest, strongest, most physically talented kids. But are they also smart, which cogs in the team are they. How does a Broncos back rower play, and are our recruitment team looking for this? Are our Cup teams aligned as well?

It's easy when you have had a coach for a long time, we were probably the same with Bennett until he left the first time around I guess and I think it's the major issue with a revolving coach door. But for me, and I'm sure plenty here will agree, this is the critical part we seem to be missing and everything else flows from it. I don't believe the club has a clear idea of what the finished puzzle looks like, so we're just grabbing pieces and making them fit even if they don't - when we all know that a good team is more than the sum of its parts individually.

Second part is recruitment - if we don't know how a Broncos centre is supposed to play, how can we recruit one? What does a Broncos 2RF do? Are we actually looking for the right kids? Again this comes back to the above - without a clear picture, recruitment becomes 'pick the best of the carnival' and it's just about sheer talent. I'd argue that attitude and drive is more important, or at the very least on par. Cronk vs Milford for example.

This also flows through to patching roster holes as well. What type of player do we look for in a certain position, if there's no certainty around what that role's job actually is? Do we sign a hulking prop or a leaner, smaller, faster mover? What's the game's meta, what does the club need for the way we want to play?

The third part is the pathways - once you've got the above sorted out, then the pathways need to be training the kids in "the way we play". Academy through Cup to NRL, all on the same page. I'm not sure if it is, but that also comes back to not knowing what the Broncos puzzle is supposed to look like. Role clarity is so important.
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Absolutely agree....
But when the rules change ...
Broncos don't adapt quick enough...
 
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