22/23 Off season - what must be done?

FOCUS 1: Line speed in defence

- No personnel changes required
- All attitude, commitment and effort
- Fundamental baseline of being eligible to play first grade... if you do not move up quickly in the defensive line for 80 minutes you are sent to QCup until you are capable / willing ... Applies to every player on the park. No excuses.

FOCUS 2: Second rowers supporting halves in defensive line

- The most basic and fundamental job of our second rowers should be to support their halves in defence
- Every second rower who wants first grade game time has to prove that they can sit in the pocket of the half on their side of the field and prevent 1-on-1 situations... That's their singular most important KPI and first priority at all times
- Running metres and attacking contributions null and void if you allow a half to be singled out (especially close to the line)
- Have a stats person watching the games recording '1 on 1s allowed' as a stat to judge second rowers

FOCUS 3: Wrapping up the ball in the tackle

- Develop a 3 man system... First man is tasked with initiating contact in whichever way possible to prevent a line break... Second man in automatically goes to lock up the ball... third man in can take legs only if ball is secure. Extremely simple but effective
- Non adherence to your responsibility as a tackler should be counted as an 'ineffective tackle' and counted against the player in question
- Have a stats person watching the games recording 'offloads allowed' as a stat to judge players

FOCUS 4: Quick PTB Speed

- Have a stats person watching the games recording 'slow PTBs' as a stat to judge players, measure individual PTB speeds and use it as a key metric for first grade selection
- Barring injury or playing for penalty, every PTB should be as quick as possible at all stages of the game
- Players should be encouraged to look for quick PTB opportunities FIRST, and opportunity to make metres SECOND... A short run with lightning quick PTB is better for the team than a long slow run with a slow PTB
- Players should be trained to run into contact as low as possible, with weight leaning forward... Increased chance of finding your front quickly or drawing an accidental penalty for high shot
- When called by a playmaker, a player should execute a 'pre-emptive' PTB (Melbourne and Penrith do this all the time)... they don't wait for 'held' to be called before playing the ball.. they initiate contact and then almost immediately play the ball without waiting for the call... usually it coincides with the ball being played right as the ref calls 'held' and it NEVER gets called back. It can't be done all the time, but it should be practiced for us in opportune moments.

FOCUS 5: Attacking shapes from dummy half

- The only focus area which may require additional player resources.
- Focus on moving the ball laterally (directly from the ground) post PTB - without picking it up, taking a few slow steps before passing it on, while picking effective moments to run (on the back of a fast PTB or line break)
- Focus on always making sure the ball is in the playmaker's hands when they want it

Roster Changes (Release or demote):
- Haas (Release)
- Staggs
- Riki

Roster Changes (Sign):
+ Experienced Front Rower
+ ANY Available Hooker

Coaching Changes:
+ Any experienced QLD assistant coaches to oversee strategy and attack (Hannay, Hagan, Henry) with a view to taking over the top job
Absolutely nailed it mate. Can’t be put any other way. Very well said!

Not sure if anyone here at BHQ have access to DD & Ikin but this should be conveyed to them. Not that they do not know these but they need to hear these points aloud from the fans.

What has happened to the defensive structures with line speed since 2018 is a mystery. We need them back every game to be a contender at the back end of season. If we don’t, we get flogged cricket scores each round.
 
Are there are ESL hookers that can be picked up? Surly there is somebody available who'd be better than Walters/Paix?
Yeah easy, the one we let go last year Levi.
 
Well I'm feeling everyone's pain with how the Broncos have fallen off a cliff in the last 5 weeks or so.
How to fix this rabble is the million dollar question..
# let's start with the coaching staff..
After some of Kevs strange team selections over the last month or so have , I'm having serious doubts on his coaching ability. It just hasn't made sense.
* putting Jensen back to the bench and starting Flegs, just hasn't worked.
* Turpin and Walter's as the hooking rotation gives us next to nothing in attack,especially when Turpin has been told he's not wanted for next year and beyond. Don't get me wrong, Paix is no star but at least he seems to get the forwards moving in the right direction.
* not having Hethrington starting at lock is crazy, especially when Carrigan has been suspended .
* having James anywhere near this footy team is another head scratcher, he's so far past it that it's ridiculous.
Kev an Co what the **** are you doing!!?
I think whoever the defensive coach is , it's time to go.
I know Flanagan is not popular on here but I think he would have a positive impact on our young players and if Kev doesn't aim up next year, we'll he could take over.
The interchange throughout the game needs to be so much better as certain players are left on the field way too long. I'm not sure if Kev is in charge of that or if all the coaching staff have a say,but it needs to really improve.

Now for the players:
I think Haa$ had become a cancer in the player ranks and needs to be cut out and let go.
We really need some mongrel in our pack, so a hardened front rower needs to be found. There must be one out there somewhere we can get.
A hardened second rower like Spencer Leniu from Penrith would be good because he takes no shit and gives his all every game.
I think Riki had been given plenty of time to shape up but I don't think he's what we need as he's just too soft and has bad hands.
Maybe Piakura is the answer but unfortunately he hasn't played enough to form an opinion.
Hooker..
Well it's obvious that all the top teams have a top line hooker, whereas we have a pair of spuds in Walters and Turpin. We need a hooker with speed and some playing skills to put opposition teams in two minds and get our forwards space and give quality ball to our backs.
I have a really out there solution which will probably be laughed off this forum but anyway hear it out..
I would like to give Mam a go at hooker..He has lightning speed which would trouble other teams around the ruck. He also has a good passing game which we badly need. His front on defence could be a worry but he has shown enough to give me hope that he'd handle it. He'd certainly give opposition teams something to worry about.
5/8.. Here's another one that won't go down well,but I'd like to see Reece Walsh in there. He has plenty of speed and a good passing game and his kicking game would take the pressure off Reyno. His defence is probably a problem but we've had Locky as a champion 5/8 and his defence was pretty average as well. We would just have to have a good minder like Tunza was for Locky.
Fullback.. he's probably not ready for it but I would love to see Cobbo get a pre-season there and given a chance. Or Herbie or Tesi can also be given a chance and let the best man win the spot.
Centre.. if Cobbo goes to fullback we have Staggs( who really needs to aim up) and Herbie and Mariner to take the two spots.
The odd one out can join Oatsy on the other wing.
Well that's my take on how the Broncos can go with next year because I think we need a shake up in attack and defence.
Let the attack on my ideas begin but be kind.. lol
 
Indeed - current off contract hookers:
View attachment 19673

....

Fainu will be in jail next season .
Stabbing a man with a steak knife and puncturing their lung usually leads to time in custody . Especially when it`s at a church function . The judiciary take a dim view of such antics .
 
5/8.. Here's another one that won't go down well,but I'd like to see Reece Walsh in there. He has plenty of speed and a good passing game and his kicking game would take the pressure off Reyno. His defence is probably a problem but we've had Locky as a champion 5/8 and his defence was pretty average as well. We would just have to have a good minder like Tunza was for Locky.


Two words - block play .
Hard for the 2nd rower to be a minder when he is busy marking up on the opposition 2nd rower running a dummy line .
 
The problem is our middles don't work hard enough on the inside to release the second rowers to slide in defence. Our second rowers are constantly having to turn in to cover. Once they do that, it puts the halves and centres under pressure.
 
IMO I think you can pretty much lock in the backs, Walsh at fullback, Mam at 6 and Reynolds at 7, Staggs and Herbie at Centre which leaves Cobbo and Oates on the wing. I think Cobbo just needs to stay on the wing and continue to build on his power and running game for now.

I think the backs are looking fine, it's Hooker/forward pack where the club needs to have a good hard think over the off season.

The way we have been dominated through the middle in both attack and defense has been very concerning.
 
IMO I think you can pretty much lock in the backs, Walsh at fullback, Mam at 6 and Reynolds at 7, Staggs and Herbie at Centre which leaves Cobbo and Oates on the wing. I think Cobbo just needs to stay on the wing and continue to build on his power and running game for now.

I think the backs are looking fine, it's Hooker/forward pack where the club needs to have a good hard think over the off season.

The way we have been dominated through the middle in both attack and defense has been very concerning.

Staggs is a concern as well, still very, very inconsistent.
 
I think Staggs could work at 9. I could see him being closer to Radley or C. Smith in the position. He isn't doing anything at centre, and no one is giving him the ball in space much either. Then have Paix coming off the bench.

That would then give us Cobbo and Farnworth as the centre pairing, meaning we just need a winger for the time being.

Then if it completely fails look at another dummy half at the end of next season.
 
I think Staggs could work at 9. I could see him being closer to Radley or C. Smith in the position. He isn't doing anything at centre, and no one is giving him the ball in space much either. Then have Paix coming off the bench.

That would then give us Cobbo and Farnworth as the centre pairing, meaning we just need a winger for the time being.

Then if it completely fails look at another dummy half at the end of next season.
Staggs @9? Mmm….. playing center, he doesn’t go for the Hodgo play rather expects the ball to come to him with plenty of space in front of him to be able to do his fending. Do you reckon he would be any different @9? It would be a nice idea if he had that instinct in him but he doesn’t in my view.
 
Acknowledge how hard it is to find a professional 9 and how difficult to develop- taking years and years...........

Maybe we could convert a 23 year old centre who played a few games of second row to be a 9.

Makes sense.
 
We should stop giving out contracts to coaches and just employ a coach with PAYG compensation. Just keep rotating the coaches until we find a diamond in the rough then offer a multi-year contract. Speed up the process of landing a super coach .... sort of like gain of function research.
 
Acknowledge how hard it is to find a professional 9 and how difficult to develop- taking years and years...........

Maybe we could convert a 23 year old centre who played a few games of second row to be a 9.

Makes sense.

worked with Berrigan 😝
 
Staggs @9? Mmm….. playing center, he doesn’t go for the Hodgo play rather expects the ball to come to him with plenty of space in front of him to be able to do his fending. Do you reckon he would be any different @9? It would be a nice idea if he had that instinct in him but he doesn’t in my view.
That's fair enough, but we can't say with any certainty if he is being told to stay out there or not either.

It's not the greatest option, but with the lack of quality 9s available for next season and having some depth in the backline it's at least worth trying for mine.
 
Acknowledge how hard it is to find a professional 9 and how difficult to develop- taking years and years...........

Maybe we could convert a 23 year old centre who played a few games of second row to be a 9.

Makes sense.
If we are sticking with the idea that the 9 needs to defend and wear them out for the first 20 or so minutes, the best option in that regard is probably actually Hetherington, but I don't know what he is like at Hooker offensively.

Staggs can come up with something out of nothing on offence, but again it's still more about lack of stand out options to bring in more than anything.
 

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