2024 pre-season discussion: Pre-season Premiers

[Renegade]

So we already accept he hasn't had the discipline up until now, that's why he's in this boat.

So why can we expect that he will have the discipline to at the very least, maintain the fitness level required to play NRL when he's off doing another sport? Or is he going to join in June, spend the next 2 months getting up to speed and being thrown in after being out for close to 12 months?

none of this sounds like good planning.

 

[BroncsFan]

I think he's just been given too many chances with us as it is to be given another one and the talent that he has isn't worth it either.

He was given another chance during covid when he was literally trying to get himself sacked and it was Lockyer that talked the club into keeping him... only for him to be sacked in 2021 and costing us salary cap.

I also just don't think his talent is good enough anymore... he can no longer live off potential in my eyes. Everyone keeps looking back to the game he had against Cows when he owned Lolo, but that's basically all he's got.

People also talk about his time at panthers, but it wasn't even that impressive. He played 6 games for the following averages
26.6 min
8 hitups
74 meters
1 offload
16 tackles
0.8 missed tackles

Compare that to Marty Taupau last year
27 min
8.4 hitups
84 meters
1 offload per game
17 tackles
1.25 missed tackles

TPJ's apparently good period at Penrith playing a part time role was basically the exact same that we just got out of Marty Taupau last year.

The only way teams have been able to get value out of him is by using him in short stints... sometimes needing 3 stints to just get 40-45mins play time total.

Also any talk that he can play on the edge should absolutely be shut down... he might be able to cause some havoc with ball in hand, but he is an absolute liability in defence when he's out there.

It's a big no from me... he's just not worth it given the amount of crap he comes with just to get mediocre returns.

 

[McHunt]

Billy has been PUT ON NOTICE by daddy:

Kevvie puts Billy on notice at Broncos; Origin star set for $2m payday

Kevvie puts Billy on notice at Broncos as four-way shootout ignites

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[Mustafur]

Billy has been PUT ON NOTICE by daddy:

Kevvie puts Billy on notice at Broncos; Origin star set for $2m payday

Kevvie puts Billy on notice at Broncos as four-way shootout ignites

www.foxsports.com.au

It feels weird because Billy is better than Smoothy from everything I have seen, but it's good to see from his dad.

On TPJ I think if any team can keep him on his toes it's us, this is the team he wants to be at the most and it was Kevvie that sacked him last time, Kevvie has enough runs on the board for me to trust him with his judgement on this even if I disagree with him joining(and I'm a big TPJ fan atleast when he was with us).

There is no denying he is the most talented off-loader/Ball playing forward in the game when he is primed, but the question is if he is near his prime.

 

[007]

It feels weird because Billy is better than Smoothy from everything I have seen, but it's good to see from his dad.

On TPJ I think if any team can keep him on his toes it's us, this is the team he wants to be at the most and it was Kevvie that sacked him last time, Kevvie has enough runs on the board for me to trust him with his judgement on this even if I disagree with him joining(and I'm a big TPJ fan atleast when he was with us).

There is no denying he is the most talented off-loader/Ball playing forward in the game when he is primed, but the question is if he is near his prime.

Or if he be disciplined to buy in and play his part.

 

[Mustafur]

Or if he id disciplined to buy in and play his part.

If he joins I trust Kevvie on it is all I will say.

Kev has earned our trust he has transformed our team and has earned his runs with that on any questionable choices.

 

[NSW stables]

Real question, would he be keen to return if we weren't contenders?

My strong suspicion is no.

He wants the glory but not the hard work to get there. I would much rather a less talented player who has bought in and is willing to bleed for the club.

 

[mstreet]

TPJ will be one of those players that looks back over his career when he hits 40, and thinks about how he squandered his talents.

I suspect he is just missing the comradery of football. Being around the boys.

Would consider if it's minimum wage...and playing from the bench. But his attitude sucks. Lazy footballer with an outsized ego.

 

[McHunt]

Meyn says the Broncos have Mam's signature. Announcement next week.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Meyn says the Broncos have Mam's signature. Announcement next week.

Heard this before though.... I'll be stoked and not sure it's anyone's fault but if true the 3.5 month delay means it's more of a relief flavour to it rather then just pure excitement....

 

[Big Pete]

Fans need to remember that Mam wasn't the biggest free agent coming off contract. It was Payne Haas and the Broncos got that deal done well ahead of time.

Whatever progress Mam and the club would have made heading into free agency would have completely changed after the GF. Ezra would have just about doubled his value in that one performance alone.

 

[McHunt]

The gift that keeps on taking.

 

[Sproj]

Plus he isn't even fit when he has a full preseason, this does not bode well for him.

 

[Thelmus]

You set him some fitness targets and tell him the real talk happens when he meets them.
Tpj needs the broncos more than they need him so, they leave the ball in his court. If he does reach them then he has shown improvement, and if he doesnt, nothing is lost.
In the meantime if he shops himself around, the door can close as quickly as it opened.

 

[McHunt]

Billy Walters:

​

“Xavier is a big young lad. He has had a tough run with injuries. If he can stay on the field he will have a big year. Blake is keeping me on my toes. Everyone is keen to get him in the side to see how he goes. I am doing my best to keep him at bay. Deine will hopefully come in and fill the spot that Herbie left. He is very fast and very raw. If he gets a couple of games in a row he will start to find his mojo. He is filling into his body too. I’ve noticed he is putting on size. I can’t wait to see him in the open field a couple of times.”​

​

“You look at 12 months ago and you see where Walsh and Ezra were and what last year did for them. It’s exciting to think, ‘If that’s what they did in 12 months what they will be like in another 12 months?’ It’s exciting that they can go to another level.”​

​

“The Grand Final loss was hard. I don’t know. I always think about it. You have to try and use it as motivation and make yourself work harder and be better for next year so you don’t have to have that feeling again. “It was tough for a couple of weeks. You know you don’t get too many chances. It felt like we had the game there which makes it an even harder pill to swallow.”​

​

“80 minutes is pretty tough for a hooker. I remember six or seven minutes into the grand final I was absolutely cooked. The best hookers in the game play 80 minutes. I want to improve my running game. I don’t have to be the superstar. We have plenty of boys in our team who can do that. I just need to tackle well and get them some nice clean ball. I thought like I did at the back end of the year.”​

 

[ozzball]

I just saw a fan-comment on Facebook saying that Fletcher Baker reminds them of Dave "Coal Train" Taylor, the blood drained from my brain and heard myself screaming "Oh dear god ... NOOOO!!!" .... He has a K and an F and a C in his name ... is this some kind of sign? Guys, I'm gonna have trouble sleeping after this.

 

[BroncosFever]

The gift that keeps on taking.

Origin star does Hamstring at Dolphins training, set to undergo scans which will inevitably rule him out of their opening trial, a hammer blow no doubt.

Why wasn't that the headline?

Oh yeah, nobody gives a shit about Milford. It's almost discrimination.

 

[BroncosFever]

Real question, would he be keen to return if we weren't contenders?

My strong suspicion is no.

He wants the glory but not the hard work to get there. I would much rather a less talented player who has bought in and is willing to bleed for the club.

He did that at Penrith.

Anyway TPJ has a fight in March, he won't be playing any footy leading up to that, is he's half serious about his Boxing career.