2019 Broncos Line-up

[Pub Steak]

Both Friend and Luke outweigh him by 10kg and that's a massive amount. Those guys can get knocked out of the way and Niko would provide even less resistance. Unless he steps up and becomes a very good halfback there'll be no place for him in the team.

True and I can't see him adding more than 3 or 4 without sacrificing speed. He is good for coming in when the opposition forwards are tired though to wreak havoc through the middle and whilst defending in the centre only really needs to be either a speed bump out an anchor. I still see him as a good sub for Macca in the 14. If a winner or centre gets injured he should be going to fullback with Boyd moving to wing or centre for injury cover.

 

[Allo]

An untried just turned 18 year old who has never played against men and hasn’t played any footy for weeks has four weeks to improve the team?

It’s bold.

He doesn’t necessarily have to improve the team himself, but purely by playing his game, the team may improve if that makes sense. I did mention SoS as well, but the Eels debuted an 18 (to be 19) yo today. Not suggesting we’re in as dire straits as the Eels, but maybe bold is what we need.

SoS is my preference as he has more experience, but I’d like to exhaust all options if necessary before going back to Kodi.

I fully understand the team is trying to play catch-up a bit adjusting to a new system, but we need to pull the trigger if nothing changes.

 

[Kimlo]

It's a position where it seems as though there is a correct size, a goldilocks size. They all seem similar or am I just imagining that?

I'm not going to search the stats but they almost all seem to be short and fairly skinny. None of them look like sculpted athletes that you see in the backline or powerhouse forwards.

Maybe being short (relative to the giants in other positions) and skinny is a natural advantage.

Berrigan was a pretty small guy and he's the best no.9 I've ever seen play for the Broncos, although I was too young to remember Priddis so I don't know how he compares.

 

[1910]

Good point BP. I have been trying to track a current reference for the age rule for a couple of weeks and all I could find was a proposal put forward by Shane Richardson in 2015/16 but no confirmation.
I'm pretty sure I heard on the 4BC morning sports show someone mention Dearden couldn't play for age reasons which is why I went looking in the first place.

Souths had to get special permission for Boyd to play ISC last year before he turned 18. He was only a few weeks away and Souths had 17 guys out injured or with Residents so QRL let him play early.

 

[Huge]

I'm not going to search the stats but they almost all seem to be short and fairly skinny. None of them look like sculpted athletes that you see in the backline or powerhouse forwards.

Maybe being short (relative to the giants in other positions) and skinny is a natural advantage.

Berrigan was a pretty small guy and he's the best no.9 I've ever seen play for the Broncos, although I was too young to remember Priddis so I don't know how he compares.

No, Priddis was similar in stature to Ennis, Farrah, Smith, Friend, McCullough, Luke.I wouldn't say they were skinny, stocky would be my choice. Of course I may be mistaken but my memory tells me they're similar.

 

[Big Pete]

I just did a quick calculation and the average dummy half stands at 179cm and weighs in at 90kg.

Kodi currently stands at 174cm and weighs 83kg.

Maybe you guys have it all wrong. Instead of throwing the NZ halfback into 9, what if you move the 177cm 91kg Milford into 9?

 

[Morkel]

Yep, short enough to be able to scoop the ball off the ground easy enough, solid enough to handle 30-40 tackles in the middle, but not so rotund as to be a plodder (all credit to Piggy Riddell though).

 

[winslow_wong]

He doesn’t necessarily have to improve the team himself, but purely by playing his game, the team may improve if that makes sense. I did mention SoS as well, but the Eels debuted an 18 (to be 19) yo today. Not suggesting we’re in as dire straits as the Eels, but maybe bold is what we need.

SoS is my preference as he has more experience, but I’d like to exhaust all options if necessary before going back to Kodi.

I fully understand the team is trying to play catch-up a bit adjusting to a new system, but we need to pull the trigger if nothing changes.

We just need another Shane perry. Is it that hard to find...

 

[Huge]

I just did a quick calculation and the average dummy half stands at 179cm and weighs in at 90kg.

Kodi currently stands at 174cm and weighs 83kg.

Maybe you guys have it all wrong. Instead of throwing the NZ halfback into 9, what if you move the 177cm 91kg Milford into 9?

Maybe we don't. Maybe KNik is a limited halfback. Maybe we want a dynamic hooker. Maybe moving Milford still wouldn't solve any problems. Maybe no one suggested it because of the last maybe. Milford would be fabulous at 9 but we'd still have an ineffectual 7, a vacancy at 6 and Macca might cry.

 

[Big Pete]

Wait I've got it.

Sean O'Sullivan 179cm 86kg

'Ahhhh, this dummy half is just right.'

 

[Huge]

My earlier Goldilocks reference has spawned.

 

[Big Pete]

The most concerning thing of all is that McCullough must be aware of this because he's lost 6cm of height in the off-season. From 186cm his entire playing career down to 180cm under the new coach.

 

[Alec]

Haha, how much have you had to drink Pete?

 

[Unbreakable]

Haha, how much have you had to drink Pete?

Judging by his latest post in the SuperCoach thread, I'm going to say, all of the alcohols.

 

[Old Mate]

Can confirm this. This peanut has been raving about him for years.

Yep, it started off with Wallace and will end with Macca.

 

[1910]

Manly are in the same boat as the Broncos with Albert Hopoate. The latest Hopoate to hit the scene turned 18 in February but has yet to play a trial, an SG Ball or a Canterbury Cup game.

It's strange because Thomas Dearden and Fanitesi Niu are in the same boat. Unless all three are injured, I wonder if the clubs are trying to negotiate with the NRL where their young stars can develop. I'd imagine there's some trepadation behind having both Dearden and Niu play Mal Meninga Cup again.

No injury just sitting out first month.

 

[Foordy]

No injury just sitting out first month.

why? whats the point of him sitting out the first month instead of getting game time under his belt somewhere

 

[1910]

why? whats the point of him sitting out the first month instead of getting game time under his belt somewhere

They had a big year last season, tour of England with school boys for a month in December and then came back and played an NRL trial and Emerging camps too they're not flogging them it's their first year out of school.