Brisbane Broncos strongman David Hala looks to repay the club following injury

[GCBRONCO]

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BOASTING a club-record bench press of 195kg, David Hala has a fair claim to being the strongest man in the NRL.
Now the Broncos hulk admits the heavy weight of expectation is resting on his shoulders as Hala fights to secure his future at Red Hill.
The 24-year-old has impressed Broncos teammates with his prowess in the gym, but Hala concedes it is time to make a statement where it matters most on the field.
Off-contract at the end of next season, Hala is playing for his future as he makes his way back from a shoulder reconstruction remarkably the 10th operation of his career.
"I'm off-contract so I want to pay them back," said Hala, who enters his sixth season of NRL in 2014.
"I really want to stay at the Broncos, this is home and it's where I want to be.
"After everything I've been through, it makes me hungry to succeed. The Broncos have helped me through all these injuries and they have always told me I can always get back.
"That's the reason why I keep going, they just give me motivation and have done so much for me.
"It's time I paid them back."


Ask Hala to recount his injuries and it reads like a Who's Who of the human anatomy. He has had surgery on his left and right shoulders. A knee operation. Compartment syndrome in both calves. A lower-back problem, not to mention additional surgery to his hip and foot.
The slew of setbacks have restricted Hala to just 30 NRL games since his debut in 2009, but it has only fuelled his desire to succeed at the Broncos.
"I've had some dark times. I've had about 10 operations and it is never a good time, trying to fight your way back," he said.
"To be honest, I haven't rolled off a good pre-season of training and gone through the year injury-free.
"Every year at the Broncos I have had a niggling injury and played half of what I can do.
"I want to show people this year that I'm more than just an impact player off the bench."


Hala played 13 games for the Broncos last season but the arrival of 118kg former Roosters prop Martin Kennedy has intensified competition for forward berths in 2014.
Hala has begun pre-season weighing 116kg, the heaviest of his career, but is determined to shed some kilos in time for the premiership kick-off.
"I want to play at 113kg," he said.
"A lot of the front-rowers these days are around that size and really fit. They can play good minutes, we probably don't have the size to match it with the bigger teams and I want to be that guy for us.
"I want to play more minutes, I want to make sure I'm playing consistent footy and getting the job done."

 

[Alec]

Fitness is the main thing stopping him from being a regular. Well, that and injuries. Or at least that's what we think, could be just Griffin not wanting to give him more than a few minutes.

 

[jarro65]

I'm really hoping he has an injury free run from now on, so we can see just what he can do.

He should be fitter next season under Corvo, so that should help him stay on the field longer.

 

[Hoffdog]

Really looking forward to seeing the best of Hala in 2014, hope he has an injury free year.

 

[redbur95]

Welcome, [MENTION=8492]Hoffdog[/MENTION], it's great to see another Broncos fan joining this great site.

I think Hala has the potential to become a bench weapon similar to Andrew Fifita, but he has to stay fit and injury-free for that to happen.

 

[Kimlo]

I love the Hala, will be cheering him on all the way.

 

[vertigo]

Good to hear he wants to lose some weight, he ruptured his patella tendon bringing all his weight down on it in a tackle after he smashed through the line in that Storm game.

 

[Allo]

Good to hear he wants to lose some weight, he ruptured his patella tendon bringing all his weight down on it in a tackle after he smashed through the line in that Storm game.

Billy The Grub and the rubbish AAMI stadium surface didn't help.

Beside that, I really hope he can play a full season and prove his worth. I fear the club won't bother re-signing him if he can't stay injury-free, because as the article says, 30 games out of a possible 60-70+ over four years. I love the guy and hopefully Hook can use him properly when he's fit. A rotation of McGuire, Hannant, Kennedy and a 100% fit Hala would be easily in the top 5 in the comp

 

[Art Vandelay]

Having a fully fit Hala would be a massive boost for the team. No other player in our roster is as uniquely built to go nuts in the 20-25 minutes of prop time left over after McGuire, Hannant and Kennedy get theirs.

 

[Jason Simmons]

Hope he makes good on the promise, but because of our persistence with him and the likes of Sanderson we've been a decent prop or two short for years now.

It's reaching the same point as Norman etc. Potential only lasts so long. When you've been playing top grade for 3-4 years and everyone is still saying 'he is yet to reach his potential' pretty soon you have to start re-considering whether that potential was over-assessed.

Broncs have been clearly guilty of that in recent years. Hopefully Hala isn't another example of that.

 

[broncos4life]

Hope he makes good on the promise, but because of our persistence with him and the likes of Sanderson we've been a decent prop or two short for years now.

It's reaching the same point as Norman etc. Potential only lasts so long. When you've been playing top grade for 3-4 years and everyone is still saying 'he is yet to reach his potential' pretty soon you have to start re-considering whether that potential was over-assessed.

Broncs have been clearly guilty of that in recent years. Hopefully Hala isn't another example of that.

Yeah, how dare he keep purposely injuring himself just so we can't seem him reach his potential

 

[Jason Simmons]

Yeah, how dare he keep purposely injuring himself just so we can't seem him reach his potential

That's not what I'm saying at all mate. I'm saying the point is drawing near where the Broncs have to ask themselves where their money is best spent. They've had to for other players and Hala for all his hype hasn't in reality delivered.

No-one is suggesting he is purposely injuring himself, but how many more years can a professional football team continue to carry a bloke who is eating salary cap and delivering only 30 games in 5 seasons and little impact in most of those games?

From recollection he has managed two standout things in his playing career so far. A blockbusting try and that run against the Storm. That's it.

I hope he becomes the form forward of the whole competition next year and steamrolls everyone, I really do. But even he admits he has to do that sooner rather than later...

 

[Sproj]

Hala sounds like Halo, connection?

 

[subsbligh]

A few of his kick-off returns have been literally the most damaging runs I have ever seen.

If Hala could CONSISTENTLY pump out an explosive 10-15 minutes from around the 25 minute mark and again around the 55 minute mark, like George Burgess style, he could be a huge asset to the prop rotation.

McGuire - 60 minutes
Hannant - 50 minutes
Kennedy - 50 minutes
Hala - 20 minutes

He has a few inherent skill issues - for a big man he tackles around the legs way too often, meaning he is up and down of the ground more than most other props and he loses the wrestle just about every tackle. He needs to hit hard and up high and use that 194kg of bench press strength.

Give him a role, don't expect more than that, and train and condition him so he can be explosive for 10 minutes. You'd probably only expect 10 sets in that time. Push him and set a goal of 10 tackles and say 5 hitups in that 10 minutes. When he's done that he can come off.

 

[Sproj]

The pinch hitting forward. He really became a go-to hit up prop straight after half time before he got injured and he was doing it so well too.

 

[Rabbir]

Doesn't this article get written every year?

 

[Allo]

Doesn't this article get written every year?

LOLZ

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[h=1]Injury-free Brisbane Broncos forward David Hala repaying the faith[/h]

BRONCOS prop David Hala is stringing together the best run of games in his career so good times should be on the way.

Hala has endured an injury-plagued run at the Broncos in recent years but believes some good health has him finally poised to reward the faith shown in him by Brisbane coaches.
The 114kg prop has played five NRL games this year, taking his tally to 35 since his 2009 debut, but a consistent run with Redcliffe in the Intrust Super Cup has also helped Hala grow in confidence this year.

“It is my longest run of games, usually I don’t play the back end of the season because of injury,” Hala said.
“Hopefully I can get through the season playing some good footy.
“All my injuries are all under control. I’m just looking to string some games together and make sure I’m doing the best for the team.”
Only two weeks ago Hala committed to the Broncos for another season, turning down interest from rival clubs because he felt he owed Brisbane for maintaining their faith in him during his lean years.
While the new one-year deal meant a pay cut, Hala believes his injury-free run and motivation to reach his potential will soon pay dividends.

“I didn’t want to go to another club and play a great season and for it not to be with the Broncos,” Hala said.
“I really want to repay that loyalty they’ve showed me. I want to play to my best for the rest of the year.
“I’m really focusing on finishing this year well but at the same time I know I’m going to have the best year of my life next year.
“There were other options but I really wanted to stay in Brisbane. I haven’t had that breakout year just yet (but) I feel it is coming and all my injuries are behind me.
“If I can get another good preseason it will go from there.”

I love big Dave. I want him to reach that potential but the next 18 months has to be his last chance surely

 

[Foordy]

at the moment Hala is only good for about 5 minute stints ... if we can get him to be good for 15-20 minute stints, he would be the ideal bench prop for us. especially given our others can all play 60+ minutes each.