2018 Bronco season review.

[broncsgoat]

Of all places they can go they go to the Duporth Tavern lol

 

[mitch222]

If we get our full squad on the park for once (we never had it this year), I'm fairly confident we are right to go. Nikorima and Milford was starting to work really well at the end of the year. Milford has developed tremendously over the year and another off season with Kodi will give them the world of confidence (they didn't have the off season together this year because Niko was hurt for most of it) I know we lost to a few teams we shouldn't have but that's more of an attitude problem than a player personnel problem. We line up like this next year and there is no reason to doubt why we wont be there about in September.

1. Boyd
2. Isaako
3. Roberts
4. Bird
5. Oates
6. Milford
7. Nikorima
8. Lodge
9. McCullough
10. TPJ
11. Glenn
12. Gillett
13. McGuire

14. Offa
15. Sua
16. Fifita
17. Haas

18. Staggs
19. Kahu - personally I think he is leaving
20. Sullivan
21. Turpin - don't think he has re-signed yet
22. Pearson
23. Mago
24. Carrigan
25. Opacic - has he been released?
26. Shibasaki
27. Fai

Personally on that front, we are a bit skinny on depth for front row. We have plenty of second rowers and if Sullivan unseats Kodi in the halves (I don't think he will) then we lose absolutely nothing with Kodi on the bench. This is all assuming Oates and TPJ re sign which the signs at the moment point to but things happen but if it doesn't then we need to go to the market and get another front rower and secondary winger.
Its not all doom and gloom. There is absolutely plenty of talent in that squad. Getting them fit and on the park (notice pretty much every team left has full strength rosters and not 3-4 influential players out) is the key. They say the best teams always win the comp but you need just as much luck to get there as well with injuries. Put it this way, if Matt Gillett's on the field yesterday, Sims isn't getting those tries so easy or at all. We don't have to reinvent the wheel here, just some minor changes and people back on the park and we are right back into contention immediately.

 

[Foordy]

If we get our full squad on the park for once (we never had it this year), I'm fairly confident we are right to go. Nikorima and Milford was starting to work really well at the end of the year. Milford has developed tremendously over the year and another off season with Kodi will give them the world of confidence (they didn't have the off season together this year because Niko was hurt for most of it) I know we lost to a few teams we shouldn't have but that's more of an attitude problem than a player personnel problem. We line up like this next year and there is no reason to doubt why we wont be there about in September.

1. Boyd
2. Isaako
3. Roberts
4. Bird
5. Oates
6. Milford
7. Nikorima
8. Lodge
9. McCullough
10. TPJ
11. Glenn
12. Gillett
13. McGuire

14. Offa
15. Sua
16. Fifita
17. Haas

18. Staggs
19. Kahu - personally I think he is leaving
20. Sullivan
21. Turpin - don't think he has re-signed yet
22. Pearson
23. Mago
24. Carrigan
25. Opacic - has he been released?
26. Shibasaki
27. Fai

Personally on that front, we are a bit skinny on depth for front row. We have plenty of second rowers and if Sullivan unseats Kodi in the halves (I don't think he will) then we lose absolutely nothing with Kodi on the bench. This is all assuming Oates and TPJ re sign which the signs at the moment point to but things happen but if it doesn't then we need to go to the market and get another front rower and secondary winger.
Its not all doom and gloom. There is absolutely plenty of talent in that squad. Getting them fit and on the park (notice pretty much every team left has full strength rosters and not 3-4 influential players out) is the key. They say the best teams always win the comp but you need just as much luck to get there as well with injuries. Put it this way, if Matt Gillett's on the field yesterday, Sims isn't getting those tries so easy or at all. We don't have to reinvent the wheel here, just some minor changes and people back on the park and we are right back into contention immediately.

I agree with most of that ... although:

I don't think Nikorima has done enough to guarantee a starting spot next year, and i see him fighting it out with O'Sullivan for the right to partner Milford in the halves. Bird back to full fitness could be an outside chance in the halves, especially given the development in Milford as the dominant half.

I would also personally start Su'A, as i think he is more your work horse style player, moving either TPJ, Lodge or even McGuire back to the bench. despite what many believe, the bench is vitally important (and shouldn't be viewed as a demotion), IMO getting it right, can go a long way to being the difference between winning and losing. not sure who said it on Sunday, but they were exactly right when they said the bench needs to continue the momentum when their team has it, or try to get it when their team doesn't (or words to that effect)

 

[heartly87]

Not a good year in all. Consistency was never there, the last few weeks looked good and we had momentum, i was working but i got to see enough of the game to know it was pathetic. There was a few good moments throughout the year and few good players put their hands up. I have to say the spine let us down. Boyd, knick and Macca for me had fairly poor years. Milfords kicking game was his best improvement. I want that with his running game next year. Interested to see what our roster looks like next year.

 

[Super Freak]

I would like to see this next year.

1. Darius Boyd
2. Corey Oates
3. James Roberts
4. Jack Bird
5. Jamayne Isaako
6. Anthony Milford
7. Sean O'Sullivan
8. Matthew Lodge
9. Jake Turpin
10. Josh McGuire
11. Jaydn Su'A
12. Matt Gillett
13. Tevita Pangai Junior

14. Kodi Nikorima
15. Joe Ofahengaue
16. David Fifita
17. Payne Haas/Kotoni Staggs/Andre Savelio

Macca can go back to QLD cup until he learns how to improve his service out of dummy half. Turpin and Kodi will share the hooker duties.

It's unlikely Glenn and Kahu are going to be here next year.

This Bird to lock nonsense needs to stop. Now. Right now. TPJ can't be stuck on one side of the field and we would have more use for him at lock. Locks generally take the hit-ups late in the set which is when we need to be offloading and he has the best offload of them all. Bird can play at left centre or **** off somewhere else.

Haas, Staggs and Savelio can fight it out for the remaining bench spot. I would likely switch them around during the year to give them some game time.

I like what I see from O'Sullivan. I would give him first crack at halfback.

But, unfortunately, it's not going to happen. Because Wayne will not make the tough calls. He just doesn't have it in him anymore.

Kodi will remain at halfback, McGuire will remain at lock, Macca will remain at hooker.

 

[Alec]

I would like to see this next year.

1. Darius Boyd
2. Corey Oates
3. James Roberts
4. Jack Bird
5. Jamayne Isaako
6. Anthony Milford
7. Sean O'Sullivan
8. Matthew Lodge
9. Jake Turpin
10. Josh McGuire
11. Jaydn Su'A
12. Matt Gillett
13. Tevita Pangai Junior

14. Kodi Nikorima
15. Joe Ofahengaue
16. David Fifita
17. Payne Haas/Kotoni Staggs/Andre Savelio

Macca can go back to QLD cup until he learns how to improve his service out of dummy half. Turpin and Kodi will share the hooker duties.

It's unlikely Glenn and Kahu are going to be here next year.

This Bird to lock nonsense needs to stop. Now. Right now. TPJ can't be stuck on one side of the field and we would have more use for him at lock. Locks generally take the hit-ups late in the set which is when we need to be offloading and he has the best offload of them all. Bird can play at left centre or **** off somewhere else.

Haas, Staggs and Savelio can fight it out for the remaining bench spot. I would likely switch them around during the year to give them some game time.

I like what I see from O'Sullivan. I would give him first crack at halfback.

But, unfortunately, it's not going to happen. Because Wayne will not make the tough calls. He just doesn't have it in him anymore.

Kodi will remain at halfback, McGuire will remain at lock, Macca will remain at hooker.

Agreed with most of his.

 

[Kyall]

Agreed with most of his.

Macca is still the Qlds 1st choice hooker no way should he be dropped.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Yes way he should.

Ben Hunt will replace him until a good dummy half can be found.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Also, if Bennett is not going to be re-signed past 2019, I would be wary of keeping him around next year. He left the Dragons and Knights in an absolute mess...

Good point Stevo. He white anted the **** out of us the first time he left. We ended up with Henjack as a coach FFS

 

[Fitzy]

Good at stages but how can you beat the best team in the league and then the next your fucking losing to the titans inconsistent year
although I have plenty of respect for Wayne he needs to go its time to bring in Kevvie
time to sell McCullough or put him in reserve grade teach him a lesson, I reckon Nikorima has enough experience and has proved he can play hooker for the Broncos and then we pay money for a quality halfback or play sean o'sullivan or Corey Paix in the 7 jumper next year
overall consistency put all our hopes of winning the comp down the drain but on a positive ok season and only 2 points off top spot

 

[Foordy]

Macca is still the Qlds 1st choice hooker no way should he be dropped.

who gives a shit about whether he is the incumbent QLD hooker (especially given we LOST the series) that shouldn't play a part in the decision at all ...

the only thing that should play a part in the decision is whether he is our best option at hooker.

FTR, I'm not sold on Turpin yet ... he has played reasonably well in his 2 games in the top grade, but lets get some perspective here ... it was against 2 very poor opposition sides

 

[Number6]

Macca is still the Qlds 1st choice hooker no way should he be dropped.

For me that’s an additional reason for him to be dropped...

Shaun Berrigan was QLDs halfback at one point doesn’t mean he was an NRL standard halfback....

 

[Jedhead]

who gives a shit about whether he is the incumbent QLD hooker (especially given we LOST the series) that shouldn't play a part in the decision at all ...

the only thing that should play a part in the decision is whether he is our best option at hooker.

FTR, I'm not sold on Turpin yet ... he has played reasonably well in his 2 games in the top grade, but lets get some perspective here ... it was against 2 very poor opposition sides

From what I've seen of Turpin he's worth starting in the trial games and see if he continues his good form. His tackling was real angry ant stuff for such a wee bloke. Also his pass off the deck goes directly in front of the man at chest height not somewhere behind his frikkin ears. Macca bleeds Broncos but it's not enough if he can't improve year on year. I know he had a setback with the ACL but it wasn't like he was killing it before then. He'd be great captain in one of our feeder clubs instilling some sense of discipline in the up and coming colts and getting them mentally tuned for NRL. So he still has an important job to do for us.

 

[winslow_wong]

Macca is still the Qlds 1st choice hooker no way should he be dropped.

I'd be really shocked if he gets picked for origin again.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Macca is still the Qlds 1st choice hooker no way should he be dropped.

All Granville has to do is find even a sneeze of good form and McC will be turfed out in a real hurry, and that's assuming Hunt isn't shifted to 9 to make way for DCE and Munster

 

[Lebbo73]

I love how fans single out a player. It was Hunt till he left, now Macca ( Who was one of our better players in the loss )

Our biggest issue this year was experience. We got exposed in certain areas where we had injuries and lacked experience. It was very smart of the Dragons to attack our edges like that. When you consider that we had Gillett, Glenn and Sua, our best edge defenders by a long way all sitting on the sidelines watching from the stands you have to give some credit to the opposition for exploiting it like that.

I know many want TPJ in the backrow... no, hell no. His defense isn't up for it, he is a middle forward and most of his best games were in the front row.

My verdict on Bennett is still a fence sitting one. We need to fix our defense and attitude when playing teams we should beat easily. Is he the man for the job moving forward, I don't know. What I do know is if we are going to replace him, we need to make it happen sooner rather than later.

I'm happy with our roster for next year provided we keep Oates and TPJ. I think Kahu's days are numbered, especially in the centres, he either plays wing or moves on. We have Staggs and the Shib whom I would like to see there.

Our side I would like to see next year is

Boyd
Oates
Shibasaki
Roberts
Isaako
Milford
Nikorima
Lodge
McCullough
TPJ
Sua
Gillett
McGuire

Offa
Hass
Fafita
Glenn

I think guys like Turpin, Staggs and Sulivan will get game time based on injuries and rep call ups.

What are you doing with Bird?

 

[Wolfie]

I would like to see this next year.

1. Darius Boyd
2. Corey Oates
3. James Roberts
4. Jack Bird
5. Jamayne Isaako
6. Anthony Milford
7. Sean O'Sullivan
8. Matthew Lodge
9. Jake Turpin
10. Josh McGuire
11. Jaydn Su'A
12. Matt Gillett
13. Tevita Pangai Junior

14. Kodi Nikorima
15. Joe Ofahengaue
16. David Fifita
17. Payne Haas/Kotoni Staggs/Andre Savelio

Macca can go back to QLD cup until he learns how to improve his service out of dummy half. Turpin and Kodi will share the hooker duties.

It's unlikely Glenn and Kahu are going to be here next year.

This Bird to lock nonsense needs to stop. Now. Right now. TPJ can't be stuck on one side of the field and we would have more use for him at lock. Locks generally take the hit-ups late in the set which is when we need to be offloading and he has the best offload of them all. Bird can play at left centre or **** off somewhere else.

Haas, Staggs and Savelio can fight it out for the remaining bench spot. I would likely switch them around during the year to give them some game time.

I like what I see from O'Sullivan. I would give him first crack at halfback.

But, unfortunately, it's not going to happen. Because Wayne will not make the tough calls. He just doesn't have it in him anymore.

Kodi will remain at halfback, McGuire will remain at lock, Macca will remain at hooker.

Considering in a couple of interviews with Wayne the first position he mentioned for Bird was lock I'd say the talk doesn't have to stop. Pretty sure Locky has said it as well.

 

[Aldo]

McCullough really looks wasted in that first one.

He always looks like that