PLAYER Billy Walters

[Skathen]

Still baffling how he managed to fail up from 3rd choice hooker here to starting 9 at Roosters lmao, reminds me of when we gave them Copley who couldn't get a game and went there for starting left centre.

Watching him today it was same old turps. Like that 2 stroke old mower - you get it going eventually - it does the job - but it's nothing flash and it's "fine". Unfortunately - fine just doesn't cut it at the top level.

 

[Sproj]

Watson is injured, that’s how he got in there.

 

[McHunt]

@McHunt
Remember that`s what I was calling for ? Back up through the middle and link up with Bill when he runs . It`s not fcken rocket surgery . Maybe Walsh will be the guy to do it ?

Yeah, after rewatching the game it looks Billy had intended to kick, got thwarted and then tried his luck beating his man, which paid off with the offload to Ezra. Wouldn't count on that happening too often.

Meanwhile Jeremy Marshall King managed 72 minutes for the Dolphins yesterday. He's clearly a rung above what we're making do with.

 

[McHunt]

We’ll win the premiership when we score a class hooker. Until then, no way. After watching Reed Mahoney, and then our muppets,, um, no. We wait for things to happen. Hookers like Mahoney make things happen

Well, we'll at least stand a chance. I got dumped on yesterday for pointing out JMK was just one of many other options we could've signed. In response to the excuse we had no choice.

 

[Big Del]

Yeah, after rewatching the game it looks Billy had intended to kick, got thwarted and then tried his luck beating his man, which paid off with the offload to Ezra. Wouldn't count on that happening too often.

Meanwhile Jeremy Marshall King managed 72 minutes for the Dolphins yesterday. He's clearly a rung above what we're making do with.

JMK did some good things yesterday .
He has the Api / Harry speed off the mark to slip past tired big men .

It`s all about trying to leave tacklers on the ground . Get one marker and scoot ATM . Hence the Panthers grubbiness in the ruck . Trying too hard to make it happen .

Ezra has good awareness of when the markers aren`t set . He wins a lot of penalties by running from dummy half catching markers not square / off side and getting a penalty awarded to the Broncos .

 

[BroncsFan]

Yeah, after rewatching the game it looks Billy had intended to kick, got thwarted and then tried his luck beating his man, which paid off with the offload to Ezra. Wouldn't count on that happening too often.

Meanwhile Jeremy Marshall King managed 72 minutes for the Dolphins yesterday. He's clearly a rung above what we're making do with.

The only thing I would say about going after one of the younger hooking option is how it fits into the recruitment and retention's plans for the hooking position.

It would seem the ultimate plan is Mozer... how we get to that point is up for debate... at this stage the plan appears to be Paix and Billy for 12-18 months until he's ready.

Is there room in the ultimate plan to play two marquee hookers (assuming Mozer becomes marquee) or will whoever we have playing the position become a stopgap / supplement to Mozer taking the majority of the minutes. I think if you go for a younger marquee signing like JMK or Mahoney, then you are kind of committing yourself to that plan for however many years.

JMK had a breakout year last year... so is it worthwhile blowing up a potential plan to recruit a hooker we may not have scouted all that much and may be a flash in the pan... would the plan be to potentially partner Mozer in the future or are we thinking of dumping the Mozer plan, because we can't afford both moving forward.

JMK has been showing some potential for probably 18 months now, but I'm pretty sure he came through as a half and failed there before being converted into a hooker.

That's basically Paix in regards to manufacturing a hooker, except JMK appears to have taken to hooker better/quicker... but is it worth paying for that risk and any potential flow on that has with other contracts we want to sort out; Haas, Patty, Mam, Mozer, etc. and Herbie and Flegler previously.

My preference from recent off contract hookers probably would've been Api.. he's experienced and talented, comes from a successful system and provides something different to our attack. He can play long minutes if needed, but is also over 30 and therefore has an expiry date on his career that won't stand in Mozer's way. The question would be whether we were ever actually a chance OR if he was always going to stay in Sydney.

He would come at a premium as well, and wanting a minimum 3yr deal, so I'm not sure where our salary cap sits in regards to taking on a marquee contract like that.

An alternative for me was Hodgson, but then he went and done his ACL... His expiry date is closer, but he was also able to play long minutes if required. He wasn't all that hot on the free agent market (reducing his contract value and contract length requirements). He was also a top tier hooker in the mold of what we want Mozer to become, i.e. a game manager/schemer at hooker.

I didn't necessarily want to go for one of the younger hookers like JMK, Mahoney, etc. because I think that would require a complete overhaul of our plans for the position versus spending short term money on an experienced stop gap, but knowing you are getting that salary cap back when they retire in a few years time.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Well, we'll at least stand a chance. I got dumped on yesterday for pointing out JMK was just one of many other options we could've signed. In response to the excuse we had no choice.

Dunno...thought I read that JMK had a Wayne Bennett connection.......
I think we would have still struggled to sign him.

 

[Cult]

Dunno...thought I read that JMK had a Wayne Bennett connection.......
I think we would have still struggled to sign him.

Bennett is real close with his step-brother, Benjamin. A good point raised Mr Fourex. Is our friend McHunt able to provide evidence that we were even able to sign him?

 

[Mr Fourex]

@McHunt

 

[Big Pete]

The way that I see it, Marshall-King was unwanted at the Bulldogs and was free to negotiate with other clubs. The Dolphins obviously wanted Brandon Smith but they missed out on him and had to settle on Marshall-King who was still available. If the Broncos saw something in him, they had an opportunity to sign him and missed out.

The only players I'm willing to give them a pass on are:

Reed Mahoney - Bulldogs junior and a key piece in Gus' vision of turning the Bulldogs into a development club.

Brandon Smith - Even with the Dolphins throwing the kitchen sink at them he still went to the Roosters for the 'culture'.

Api Koroisau, Josh Hodgson, Sam Verrills, Jeremy Marshall-King, Danny Levi, Jacob Liddle etc. were all fair game. Admittedly a player like Api would have blown the budget out and players like Selwyn Cobbo may have been lost to the Dolphins but clearly he was happy to entertain offers.

I thought Marshall-King put in one of the best performances of his career. However he wasn't going to have the opportunity to play in the Broncos first ever game and we need to see how he backs that up.

Of all those dummy halves, Mahoney was the one player I was jealous of watching and I'm sure Doggies fans are upset they don't have a fullback the quality of a Reece Walsh or a halfback the quality of an Adam Reynolds.

 

[Dexter]

The way that I see it, Marshall-King was unwanted at the Bulldogs and was free to negotiate with other clubs. The Dolphins obviously wanted Brandon Smith but they missed out on him and had to settle on Marshall-King who was still available. If the Broncos saw something in him, they had an opportunity to sign him and missed out.

The only players I'm willing to give them a pass on are:

Reed Mahoney - Bulldogs junior and a key piece in Gus' vision of turning the Bulldogs into a development club.

Brandon Smith - Even with the Dolphins throwing the kitchen sink at them he still went to the Roosters for the 'culture'.

Api Koroisau, Josh Hodgson, Sam Verrills, Jeremy Marshall-King, Danny Levi, Jacob Liddle etc. were all fair game. Admittedly a player like Api would have blown the budget out and players like Selwyn Cobbo may have been lost to the Dolphins but clearly he was happy to entertain offers.

I thought Marshall-King put in one of the best performances of his career. However he wasn't going to have the opportunity to play in the Broncos first ever game and we need to see how he backs that up.

Of all those dummy halves, Mahoney was the one player I was jealous of watching and I'm sure Doggies fans are upset they don't have a fullback the quality of a Reece Walsh or a halfback the quality of an Adam Reynolds.

It will be interesting to see how a few of them back up.
JMK is 27 and just ticked over the 100 games so won't be a surprise to see him put a few really good seasons together .

 

[Mister Wright]

What is all the whinging and complaining about not getting a 9? We clearly see Mozer as our future and he has committed to us and understands he needs to still work on his game. He doesn’t appear to want to do ‘A Walsh’ and piss off just to get first grade time.
I see it as a good thing that Marshall-King & Verills are doing well for Dolphins & Titans. It will mean that they won’t be looking to poach Mozer and unlikely the kid wants to move to Sydney. It plays out well for us.
Let the kid develop in our system and bring him on when he is ready. We haven’t broken the bank to keep Paix or Walters, so no harm done there.

 

[Kimlo]

What is all the whinging and complaining about not getting a 9? We clearly see Mozer as our future and he has committed to us and understands he needs to still work on his game. He doesn’t appear to want to do ‘A Walsh’ and piss off just to get first grade time.
I see it as a good thing that Marshall-King & Verills are doing well for Dolphins & Titans. It will mean that they won’t be looking to poach Mozer and unlikely the kid wants to move to Sydney. It plays out well for us.
Let the kid develop in our system and bring him on when he is ready. We haven’t broken the bank to keep Paix or Walters, so no harm done there.

We need to learn from Melbourne and extend him before he plays first grade.

 

[Dexter]

What is all the whinging and complaining about not getting a 9? We clearly see Mozer as our future and he has committed to us and understands he needs to still work on his game. He doesn’t appear to want to do ‘A Walsh’ and piss off just to get first grade time.
I see it as a good thing that Marshall-King & Verills are doing well for Dolphins & Titans. It will mean that they won’t be looking to poach Mozer and unlikely the kid wants to move to Sydney. It plays out well for us.
Let the kid develop in our system and bring him on when he is ready. We haven’t broken the bank to keep Paix or Walters, so no harm done there.

My gripe is if we had a really good 9 we def finish top 4 and are a chance.
Next year no flegler or herbie we are starting again to a degree.

 

[Sproj]

We need to learn from Melbourne and extend him before he plays first grade.

Mozer?

He is signed until 2025.

 

[Mustafur]

We need to learn from Melbourne and extend him before he plays first grade.

We did, that's why we had to put him in our top 30 before he was ready, so we could give him an extended big boy contract.

 

[Manofoneway]

Yeah, We have two serviceable hookers with different and complimenting strengths with how they rotate. I liked the mentality of Billy putting in some kicks last week, I think he should do it more often and not try and replicate the likes of Harry Grant. Ultimately the club has shown us their strategy for the hooker role going forward and it's all around Blake Mozer. I would suggest he gets some game-time later in the year, similar to Ezra Maam last year.

 

[Kimlo]

Mozer?

He is signed until 2025.

Make it 2026 before he plays IMO. Easier said than done but he might not be a regular until 2024 and then he's free to sign elsewhere Nov 1 2024.