BHQ Poll Results - Broncos

[Ari Gold]

And the winner by a shade was...

The pro-McCullough camp.

The poll answers probably weren't the best constructed as there are many reasons to consider him average and desires on what to do with him as a result. I voted C, sometimes I wish I voted D but never do I think I should have gone B.

The reason I am/was okay with keeping him around is that he's still relatively young and theoretically can improve. The problem is, outside of making less stupid decisions, his actual skills and service have gone nowhere in 3 years. He'll look good at times but lacks the service and quickness out of dummy half to ever be anything more than average IMO.

Depending on his salary that may be enough with Hunt and Milford around, but how anyone views him as captain material is beyond me.

 

[Ari Gold]

One more for the night and one to ponder. I wonder how many people are now cautiously pessimistic instead of optimistic?

 

[Porthoz]

You don't have to be the best player in the team to become the captain. There are other qualities I look for in a captain, and I think Macca is probably the closest to fulfil them in the current roster.

I'm still cautiously optimistic, albeit excited about the future...

 

[Big Pete]

There really aren't any good candidates for the captaincy.

Hodgo - Has the most up-side but is closer to the end of his career than the beginning and still has the odd quirk like trying far too hard or spraying his team-mates.

Parker - Is the best but by default and is guilty of trying too hard and setting a bad example for others.

Thaiday - Just doesn't have enough involvement to be a captain.

Glenn - Basically the same deal as Sam.

With Macca, I think people have been impressed with the way he's stood up with his team mates during a scuffle and the amount of work he gets through in the middle. I still think his defence is criminally underrated.

Strike me down as cautiously optimistic. I don't think we've signed Bennett circa 1987 but I'd much rather a legend in the twilight of his career than roll the dice on some rookie coach hoping to make a name for himself. He's got a good roster to work with and I expect a more consistent Broncos outfit.

 

[Ari Gold]

You don't have to be the best player in the team to become the captain.

No, but you do need to be in the team to captain it. IMO the last thing McCullough should be given is a guaranteed spot. . Of course, this poll was done before the co-captaincy stripping, so I'm sure some people would have voted differently knowing the time frame.

There really aren't any good candidates for the captaincy.

Hodgo - Has the most up-side but is closer to the end of his career than the beginning and still has the odd quirk like trying far too hard or spraying his team-mates.

His age is a positive. He won't be around too long but it means that younger players like Glenn, Hunt, McGuire et al. can either develop their leadership qualities and/or improve their games to be in a position to warrant it. Appoint a guy like McCullough now and we have a guy who could play another 6-7 more years and never truly become a great leader or player. If Hodges is the wrong choice it'll be much easier to move on than if you appoint a younger wrong choice who is less qualified.

I don't mind the occasional spraying of team-mates. Hodges always shows more passion to me than anyone else and whilst he can try too hard, he's always looking to get the ball in his hands and stand up to the challenge. Sometimes he falls on his ass like against the Storm, but at least he tries to be counted when it matters.

I agree though that Macca's defence is under-rated. Just a shame about his dummy half service.

 

[Big Pete]

I don't think anybody is calling for McCullough to be appointed right now, the question was who (outside of Hodgo & Parker) could handle the long term captaincy duties. I'd imagine that knocked out most peoples first and second choices. I was just pointing out we don't have any ideal options - there isn't a Wally Lewis putting his hand up at the club right now.

McCullough still has to step his game up but I don't think he's as much as a lost cause as others seem to make him out to be either.

 

[Porthoz]

The captaincy could take Macca to another level, as he seems to be the type that performs better under pressure, and very little jobs in the NRL are higher pressure than the Broncos captaincy, right Thaiday?

It should of course never be a guarantee of a starting spot, and unless the captain was Boyd, I believe Wayne would sack anyone's arse if he didn't perform adequately.

 

[Harry Sack]

I'm on the fence when it comes to captaincy, but remember how well Macca performed when he felt his position was under pressure? Giving him the captaincy could have a similar effect.

 

[Mr Fourex]

You don't have to be the best player in the team to become the captain. There are other qualities I look for in a captain, and I think Macca is probably the closest to fulfil them in the current roster.

and you're basing this on what exactly ....?

 

[Mr Fourex]

Parker - Is the best but by default and is guilty of trying too hard and setting a bad example for others.

Please explain...?

 

[ningnangnong]

I'm on the fence when it comes to captaincy, but remember how well Macca performed when he felt his position was under pressure? Giving him the captaincy could have a similar effect.

Nah, he shouldn't need to be enticed by the captaincy to play well for us - if he can't play well for us when his position isn't under threat or he hasn't got the captaincy, then he needs to take a look at his mentality.

No way would I be giving Macca the captaincy. As [MENTION=1917]Ari Gold[/MENTION] said, he's been pretty much stagnant for three years now. Showed some positive glimpses at the start of the season, but went back to type eventually.

 

[Porthoz]

and you're basing this on what exactly ....?

Besides thinking that the captaincy might take him to the next level on the park, he's extrovert, has a good footy brain, keeps a cool head at almost any time, well spoken and has a fair few years in the Broncos system. How many players in the squad do you know with all of the above qualities?

 

[Mr Fourex]

I stopped at "has a good footy brain" ......I disagree. I think he's as dumb as a post.

It took him almost 2 seasons to realise that he had to stop waving the ball out in front of him from dummy half, after the markers were constantly "stealing it off him"

I won't even go into his repeated failed attempts at trying to score from dummy half....and a great deal of those come at the sacrifice of more enterprising play.

This make him captain idea to entice him to play at a higher level is a fool's errand.

 

[Porthoz]

I don't think we view a good footy brain the same way. Football ability and vision =/= good footy brain. Although highly debatable, I like to think I actually have half a brain when it comes to footy, yet I can't play for shit.

Bad habits are hard to break, and his ball carrying was certainly one of them... he has also been much smarter about his footy, even if he doesn't execute as well or as fast as we'd like.

I don't want to make him a captain to entice him to play at a higher level. I only think it would be an added bonus!

 

[Ari Gold]

McCullough often has excellent vision. His kicking game out of dummy half is actually amongst the Top 5. The problem is if he does see something from dummy half he often doesn't have the skills and speed to execute it. And there were those many times where his vision thought the show and go from dummy half or attempted kick into the in goal were good ideas.

There was a try that our under 20's scored last week, I think it was Ofahengaue's. The lead up was a result of fast, sharp play from Nikorima at dummy half. Nothing in terms of running from dummy half but just quick and well delivered balls to his front rowers. I really can't remember Macca doing something like that which is criminal for a dummy half.

 

[Big Pete]

Please explain...?

In relation to trying too hard.

Throwing dumb offloads/passes that don't need to be made, kicking out on the full at inopportune times, giving away dumb penalties etc. etc.

There was a try that our under 20's scored last week, I think it was Ofahengaue's. The lead up was a result of fast, sharp play from Nikorima at dummy half.

It was the right option from Nikorima but it was off the back of a half-break and quick play the ball from McBryde that really put the try in motion.

Let's be honest too, if that play was worked the exact same way in the NRL, 9/10 it's stopped. St. George had the numbers, they were just fatigued and NYC defence will always struggle against the big boppers.

 

[Ari Gold]

The McBryde run also came off quick and accurate work from dummy half if I recall correctly. Whenever we have fast play the balls with Macca at dummy half it seems like more often than not he only ever takes advantage with a run rather than a pass. I can think of a couple of exceptions, the try to Hannant in the Warriors game being one, but it's not frequent enough for a player of his reputed excellence. And his runs don't take advantage in the same way Segeyaro does either.

 

[Mr Fourex]

In relation to trying too hard.

Throwing dumb offloads/passes that don't need to be made, kicking out on the full at inopportune times, giving away dumb penalties etc. etc.

Are we talking about the same Corey Parker?