2025 Pre-season discussion. The Madge dynasty begins.

[KateBroncos1812]

If the broncos take on the Tigers at home you know i will be there and ring my mum after the game and tease her

 

[McHunt]

Madge says Te'o's and Barrett's contracts will be honoured.

 

[Gaz]

Madge says Te'o's and Barrett's contracts will be honoured.

Why wouldn’t they. He more than likely picked them.

 

[McHunt]

Congratulations to Broncos rejects, BFF's Tommy Dearden and Xavier Coates for making the Kangaroos:

Kangaroos v Tonga XIII

Australia versus Tonga XIII match centre includes live scores and updates. Includes official live player and team stats. Run metres, fantasy points scoring.

www.nrl.com

 

[kman]

I keep reading we'll be lucky to keep such and such or it will be difficult to re-sign so and so. I've honestly had it, if a player doesn't want to take a little bit less for the club and commit to make Brisbane Broncos a force again, then don't let the door hit you on the way out.

 

[tommy]

Former $1m star in fight for NRL lifeline; Broncos beast’s big pay day: Free agents in shop window

Former $1m star in fight for NRL lifeline; Broncos beast’s big pay day: Free agents in shop window

www.foxsports.com.au

All 3 of our hookers apart from Billy off contract next season. Follows a pattern. Kev had a plan to thin the competition again if need be. Glad he's gone now.

 

[Broncapz]

The Frank Pensini poaching rumors got me excited.

Then I realized that Matt Trip will give him shares in an eternally profitable sport sbet company and he's going nowhere.

 

[McHunt]

Good grief, we are missing some depth

1. Cobbo
2. Arthars
3. Mariner
4. Staggs
5. Hoeter
6. Walsh
7. Reynolds
8. Willison
9. Mozer
10. Haas
11. Piakura
12. Riki
13. Carrigan

14. Madden
15. Jensen
16. Hetherington
17. Te Kura

 

[McHunt]

Madge's first day at work.

 

[Sproj]

Madge's first day at work.

He has a pretty important first item of business doesn't he.

 

[McHunt]

He has a pretty important first item of business doesn't he.

I've been thinking about this: I don't think Ezra's car accident itself is his biggest concern, and it might even be the turning point that derails the swollen adolescent head trip Ezra's been on.

It's out of his hands in the short term, but he, and the club will have to confront it from two angles, the first being most important:

1. The PR: fans will demand blood. He will have to be "punished" in some way over and above what the courts hand down as a verdict.​

The NRL need not "stand him down" as his charges aren't serious enough. Ideally, he will have to serve some kind of penance that humiliates him in fan's eyes, and brings him down a notch. Some kind of showy rehab stunt. He might get some kind of suspension, but that's not in the best interest of the Broncos. He's by far our best option at 6, and maybe one day, 7. Well, he has the potential to be, anyway.​

​

2. Returning him to form. Madge will need to determine whether his pimp daddy routine is part of a larger malaise within the club, and nip it in the bud. Never mind being busted taking drugs on his holidays. Why did his form plummet in 2024, and did his off field lifestyle or rockstar ego play a part?​

Breaking down the infractions:

1. The accident: no sanction required.​

2. Drugs: this is where showy rehab and contrition does the heavy lifting. Walsh got busted for coke. So have many other players. There's enough precedent not to have to write a new script.​

3. Driving unlicenced: Cobbo was busted for the same. Got a rap on the knuckles.​

​

Ezra will be expected to turn up at work, as per usual. Nothing has changed.

 

[McHunt]

He has a pretty important first item of business doesn't he.

Madge's first priority is to keep himself in a job. His first item of business is to win over the dressing room.

He will need to observe the playing group. Determine the factions, whether there's a serious split that's causing dysfunction on the field. Notably, between Reynolds and Carrigan.

The "rockstar" behaviour will look after itself if it's earned. The club wants its players to be stars. Just not to act like they're more important than the coach.

Fairly early on he'll need to weed down his hookers, if for no other reason than to free up some cap space.

He poached Billy from Melbourne, so there should be no bad blood there. But he's still a potential problem. At first sight, Billy is either grossly underpaid, or did not deserve to be the number one pick every week. Something is wrong in that picture, and if, as many suspect, money was being laundered through his father, say through performance bonuses, that must end. And then there's the bad blood from sacking his father. He could do without being whiteanted in another Darius Boyd situation.

I would honour Billy's contract but allow him to speak to other clubs. Benji is a fan. He might take him. That would be better all round. Preferably before he's dropped to Cup.

But Mozer is a bigger priority. He needs to be escalated rapidly to an 80 minute NRL grade hooker, who can tacklebot as required. He's not in that class yet.

Neither Smoothy nor Paix are safe, but he should keep one.

 

[Fernando]

1. The accident: no sanction required.​

Huh?

 

[Xzei]

and if, as many suspect, money was being laundered through his father, say through performance bonuses, that must end.

thats a new one for me lol

 

[McHunt]

Huh?

It was an accident. You don't get penalized for having an accident. Any penalty would be related to intoxication (the extent to which has not been established), drugs possession (hasn't been raised), driving without a licence.

Here's what Selwyn got for the latter:

Broncos Statement: Selwyn Cobbo

Broncos player Selwyn Cobbo has been disqualified from driving for six months and fined $700 with no conviction recorded after appearing in Nanango court today on road offences.

www.broncos.com.au

Walsh got a 2 match suspension for drug possession, and making a dick of himself while intoxicated:

‘Ashamed’ Walsh fined, placed on good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to drug charge

‘Ashamed’ Walsh fined, placed on good behaviour bond after pleading guilty to drug charge

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[McHunt]

thats a new one for me lol

Pure baseless speculation, but doesn't 240k seem a bit cheap for the first player picked every week, starting in the spine, grand finalist? It's below market value.

Madden is on $280k, Paix on $320k, Hetherington $450k

 

[Xzei]

Pure baseless speculation, but doesn't 240k seem a bit cheap for the first player picked every week, starting in the spine, grand finalist? It's below market value.

Madden is on $280k, Paix on $320k, Hetherington $450k

would be interested on what the 2 year extension was worth per year i know he came cheap initially which is probably the 240k price imo