Ash Taylor granted permission to look elsewhere

This was inevitable really. What's the point in keeping him here for a year languishing in ISC on the off chance that Hunt or Milf pick up an injury and he may get a run?
Would love to see him stay but the cash is going to be needed to top up and keep others, I would imagine.
 
Tears were always going to be shed over this situation one way or another but you don't show a talent like him the door.

Give him another pre-season, monitor his progress and reassess at a more appropriate time.

Post-Origin is not that time.

All that time and development spent just so we can send him to the Gold Coast or Manly. Something isn't right about that situation.
 
I just hope he gets to debut with us. I like when that happens.

I hope he goes to the Titans (if/when he goes). Because **** Manly.
 
Big Pete said:
Tears were always going to be shed over this situation one way or another but you don't show a talent like him the door.

Give him another pre-season, monitor his progress and reassess at a more appropriate time.

Post-Origin is not that time.

All that time and development spent just so we can send him to the Gold Coast or Manly. Something isn't right about that situation.
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All that time and money spent? You can't seriously think the Broncos, or any team, expect to retain all the players they put through the ranks? We are always going to lose out on some juniors, it's just the way it is.


This is a good thing for the kid IMO. His spot is filled here, so anything other than granting a release is cruel. If he's as good as everyone says, he deserves to be playing football for a club that needs him.
 
Nashy said:
All that time and money spent? You can't seriously think the Broncos, or any team, expect to retain all the players they put through the ranks? We are always going to lose out on some juniors, it's just the way it is.


This is a good thing for the kid IMO. His spot is filled here, so anything other than granting a release is cruel. If he's as good as everyone says, he deserves to be playing football for a club that needs him.
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No I don't expect them to retain all their talent but with clubs like Canberra and such I wish there was some form of compensation. The way the Broncos signed Milford was unfair on them but even they had the sense not to show the kid the door right away.

For his sake, I hope those clubs know how to use him...

...no good rushing a talent like him if all he's going to learn is how to stand behind the try line.
 
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Big Pete said:
Just as this season was beginning to feel too good to be true...

This is a terrible decision by Bennett. Why would you release one of the best juniors in Rugby League when he's still got another year on his contract? How does it benefit the club?

It isn't in Taylor's best interests either. He isn't ready for a full season of NRL just yet and requires more seasoning at a good club. Sending him off to Manly or the Gold Coast will simply hinder his development and prevent him from becoming the player he's destined to be.

Oh well, can't get every decision right.
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He'll be showing DCE how to play at Manly.

I'm also worried about his development. eg Manly: I'm not sure DCE is getting the right coaching down there.
 
You're right [MENTION=1976]Nashy[/MENTION], you certainly can't retain all your juniors... But you would certainly hope to retain your best. Otherwise, why spend all that money on development.

IMO along with J.Nikorima, Taylor is our best junior to come through in years.
 
It is a bit disappointing that we've had to release the best young Halfback in the NYC, but realistically, the only scenario in which he was going to crack first grade within the next 3-5 seasons was a major injury to Hunt or Milford.

We've still got plenty of injury cover though, I'm not too worried, the only person we can't afford to lose is probably Hunt, if Milford went down we could survive with one of the Nikorima brothers at Five-Eighth and our game wouldn't change much at all, because they all have similar games.
 
The only worse than losing him, would be for him to go to Manly. **** that!

Saw that coming as soon as Boyd was confirmed.
I understand the decision, but completely disagree with it. You don't let go of one of the hottest properties on the market.
I think it will come back to bite us, but that's life though...
 
Fact, Hunt and Milford are our halves for at least the next five years.

Fact, the Nikorima brothers are our preferred utility options.

I'm pretty sure Taylor doesn't want to hang around the way Hunt did, in fact its a miracle Hunt stuck it out playing backup hooker for so long.
 
Vertigo is right. It is really unfair on Taylor to play injury coverage for 2 young halves who happen to be killing it in the NRL for a year. If Milf had been a failure in the halves, I would dare say Taylor would be playing first grade right now.

But the reality is he isn't, because Milf has taken to the halves like a duck to water. You can debate the need to sign Boyd until the sun rises in the west, but the fact is he is playing great footy as well, and will probably play a major part in keeping us at the top of the ladder going forward.

I sympathize with Bennett in that sense that decisions like this can never be easy, and I'm sure Taylor himself would rather stay and play with us, but we simply have no room for him in a side that is steamrolling everything in its path. The reality isn't fair on anyone but that's footy.
 
I'm not going to stick my neck out too far just yet since Taylor hasn't signed anything and could still remain here (doubtful but stranger things have happened) I'll just say I'm no where near convinced that Hunt is good enough to deserve the halfback spot for the next five years.

Once he learns how to control a game, I'll be convinced but right now he's a contract by contract prospect...at best.

What bugs me is that Bennett was all gung-ho about holding onto talent and not letting talent walk out the door. I thought he was full of it then, but to grant the best half coming through a release is just absurd.

If that extends to losing Jayden Nikorima I may have to join in the pile.
 
Big Pete said:
I'm not going to stick my neck out too far just yet since Taylor hasn't signed anything and could still remain here (doubtful but stranger things have happened) I'll just say I'm no where near convinced that Hunt is good enough to deserve the halfback spot for the next five years.

Once he learns how to control a game, I'll be convinced but right now he's a contract by contract prospect...at best.

What bugs me is that Bennett was all gung-ho about holding onto talent and not letting talent walk out the door. I thought he was full of it then, but to grant the best half coming through a release is just absurd.

If that extends to losing Jayden Nikorima I may have to join in the pile.
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There may be more to it, we will never know Pete
 
Generally when a player asks for a release, it's because they already have another club lined up. We don't know if Taylor's the one that instigated this, but it won't surprise me if he signs for Club X in the next week or so, so I'm preparing for further angst in these pages.

Either way, this really doesn't bother me. At the moment we have what looks like the two future Qld halves. Plus two potential dynamite brothers waiting in the wings. There's "holding on to your talent", and then there's "hoarding too many players in case plans A, B & C fail".
 
IMO he may be the next Cooper Cronk but our current halves and the rest of the team have us at the top of the ladder so it's hard for anyone to say what we have isn't working. We have the Xfactor we have been missing. The one thing we need is for Hunt to improve his kicking game then the argument is null and void IMO. .Also he is unproven at Nrl level.
 
Hunt has played for Australia, Milford is a freak, and Boyd is an incumbent representative and premiership winner. I don't see how you can throw any one of those players to the trash heap in favour of an untested rookie half. JNik is also an amazing prospect, so I think Bennett cut his losses on this one.
 
Well the recent rumours of Jiko looking to re-sign along with this tells me Bennett has chosen to place his faith in Jiko. Interesting times ahead.
 
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