Broncos - 2015 Discussion

[coreyh88]

Imo Macca is arguably the best defensive 9 in the game.
Or at least on par with smith, farah and nathan friend.

He also in my opinion has the third best kicking game after farah and smith.


Although he has good games occasional his running game, decision making and playmaking around the ruck is not much better than the bare minimum for first grade. Reliable but doesn't add much to the team.

 

[talanoa]

Imo Macca is arguably the best defensive 9 in the game.
Or at least on par with smith, farah and nathan friend.

He also in my opinion has the third best kicking game after farah and smith.


Although he has good games occasional his running game, decision making and playmaking around the ruck is not much better than the bare minimum for first grade. Reliable but doesn't add much to the team.

I think your comments about macca arguably being the best defensive 9 in the game are a bit short, The likes of cam smith, jake friend, matt ballin, michael ennis, nathan friend and isaac luke just to name a few are better defensivley than macca. I agree his numbers are good in reference to tackles made however a lot of these are not dominating and he allows a lot of quick play the balls.
In regards to kicking he is also well down the list Imo, we have smith, farah, j friend, luke, ennis, segeyaro and so on again who are all better kickers than macca.

I have commented previously beofre on his lack of pace and vision out of dummy half and we all know that every play and positional gain is started by the 9. If all falls in to line this may be his last year starting anyway, as the plans are for jayden to fill the 9 jersey permanently ( im a big fan of jayden no doubt and there is no denying his attacking ability, however he will need to improve out of sight on his defense to handle NRL also)

 

[Alec]

I think your comments about macca arguably being the best defensive 9 in the game are a bit short, The likes of cam smith, jake friend, matt ballin, michael ennis, nathan friend and isaac luke just to name a few are better defensivley than macca. I agree his numbers are good in reference to tackles made however a lot of these are not dominating and he allows a lot of quick play the balls.
In regards to kicking he is also well down the list Imo, we have smith, farah, j friend, luke, ennis, segeyaro and so on again who are all better kickers than macca.

I have commented previously beofre on his lack of pace and vision out of dummy half and we all know that every play and positional gain is started by the 9. If all falls in to line this may be his last year starting anyway, as the plans are for jayden to fill the 9 jersey permanently ( im a big fan of jayden no doubt and there is no denying his attacking ability, however he will need to improve out of sight on his defense to handle NRL also)

There's no way Ennis and definitely no way Luke are better defenders than McCullough these days. They are pretty awful.

McCullough is mostly a good defender, but there isn't much separating him, Friend, Smith etc though.

 

[Morkel]

There's no way Ennis and definitely no way Luke are better defenders than McCullough these days. They are pretty awful.

McCullough is mostly a good defender, but there isn't much separating him, Friend, Smith etc though.

Luke's missed tackle count is embarrassing IIRC.

 

[Old Mate]

Maccas long kicking is gun, easily better than Hunts. Shame he doesn't kick often enough.

 

[Porthoz]

Macca is in the top 3 defenders, no doubt about it. Ennis or Luke don't even come close, let's not joke about it.

In the kicking dept, only Smith is better imo. Do Luke or Segs even know that to kick, they need their feet? :laugh:

Most importantly, he needs to service faster and more accurately.
His decision making needs to improve, and he can improve his leadership of the forwards as well, but he really is nowhere near as bad as some people are trying to imply.

As to Jayden becoming a hooker... maybe in 2020.

 

[Mr Fourex]

In the kicking dept, only Smith is better imo.

I can remember an McC 40/20....once.

I think it was in 2012.

He needs to kick more than once or twice a season to be even considered as a kicker in general play.

 

[Alec]

Yeah, kicking half a dozen times a season isn't what I'd call a strength.

To be honest though, no one besides Smith and Farah really kick much (or well) either.

 

[CaptainHook]

They both came into a roster that needed somebody to step up and take over the dummy half role. Andrew McCullough made the most of his opportunities and ended up pushing Gorrell/Marsh out quicker than most expected where as Waddell never developed beyond his days in the NYC line up.

Although essentially that is what happened it's not exactly how I would describe events. There are other factors to consider. For example, Gorrell was signed for a one year deal - they're always boom or bust and is an indication he probably wasn't in the club's long term plans regardless of form. Marsh had serious injuries which he was returning from and injuries really derailed his time with the club from 2008 onwards. With those factors in mind, it was not exactly stiff competition McCullough was facing. I concede though, it is what it is and a lot of that McCullough had no control over. He can only make the most of his opportunity like you said.

You mentioned roster and the Broncos had a superior one to both the Knights and Raiders, I reckon. Not saying it's easier for up and coming players but clearly having players like Lockyer in the side makes for a smoother transition than what Waddell had.

 

[Big Pete]

I'd say that competition is as comparable as Glenn Buttriss, who had only just made his debut at 23 and was really just a fringe hooker with a bit of promise and Stuart Flanagan, a depth signing from the Tigers who turned out to be a total bust.

If anything, McCullough going up against a player who had just played Origin the season prior is a tougher challenge objectively speaking.

The opportunity was clearly there, it wasn't like the Raiders had an established nine but he failed to make it his own like McCullough did.

And it wasn't like Andrew McCullough walked into a Melbourne Storm or Manly Sea Eagles type club, he walked into the Broncos who had just lost their coach and were going through a turbulent time where they could have 40 posted on them any odd week. He still played better than Waddell around that time period.

At times you've just got to accept that the grass isn't greener on the other side. Throwing a guy like Waddell in, who is currently nursing an injury that will keep him out for a bit, just sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

 

[4evaBroncs]

Team 2015
1. Kahu (play on wing for Maranta when Boyd's back)
2. Maranta
3. Copley (sell Reed - he's too slow + can't catch)
4. Hodges
5. C Anderson (a gun 19 year old who plays for Ipswich Jets)
6. Milford
7. Hunt
8. McGuire
9. McCollough
10. Blair
11. Glenn
12. Gillett
13. Parker

Interchange
14. Gavet for McGuire
15. Vidot for Blair (A rampaging bull + same as Reed)
16. Thaiday for Glenn + Gillett
17. Oates for Parker
18. Garbutt

Origin
1. Kahu
2. Maranta
3. Copley
4. Oates
5. C Anderson
6. Milford
7. Hunt
8. Gavet
9. McCollough
10. Ofahengaue (work-horse prop who can play a full game, Molo + Vidot are more impact props)
11. Garbutt
12. Griffen (Haven't seen much of him but he looks like a beast + he's experienced)
13. Blair

Interchange
14. Molo for Gavet (needs experience + confidence + that comes with game time)
15. Vidot for Ofahengaue + Blair
16. Greinke for Garbutt + Griffen
17. Parcell for McCollough
18. Arrow

Player Developments
1. J Niko (22 years) - he would be gun at fullback - sell Maranta + play Kahu at wing + replace Boyd when he retires in 3 years (30 years) with father Bennet. I think he's better than his bro too.
2. Arrow (25 years) - once Blair retires in 6 years (34 years), he should play lock.
4. Taylor + K Niko - I dont see them making the team when we will probably have settled half's + a fullback.

Other
Sell Waddell + use Wallace as a back up, it's more important to develop the younger talented players, I reckon.

I would pick a similar team for the Auckland Nines but replace Hodges with Reed + Kahu with Eden or K/J Niko + give more of the young guns a go + fringe reserve players e.g. Liam Pickersgill

4 more weeks till the 9's! Bring on season 2015, it's gonna be EPIC (especially if the team's like this ;-))!

 

[Alec]

Man, screw keeping Blair for 6 years. He really does not look the type of player who gets better with age. Just survive the 3 year deal and get rid of him.

 

[Mitch06]

If Maranta gets picked in round one I will be livid. The fact is he wouldn't get a start at any other club except the sharks. Even that is a maybe. We will be a bit bare for quality backline depth at the start of the season unless someone proves themselves in the trials.

 

[Mitch06]

According to zero tackle Joe Burgess (Wigan Warriors) is off contract atm. Have seen a bit of him, gun winger that is only 20 yeads old. Made the England Squad in the four nations last year. Better than having Maranta as a top option:
1. Kahu
2. Vidot
3. Copley
4. Hodges
5. Burgess
6. Milford
7. Hunt

Pretty good backline to be fair.

 

[4evaBroncs]

That's true about Blair, I think that's similar with Thaiday too - becoming less fit with age. Having said that, most players want to play until around that age (e.g. Ben Hannant) and I can see Bennet securing Blair a deal before he retires, considering he's a fave of Bennet's. And surely by then the contract issue will be fixed and players will honour deals.

Yeah, well I picked Maranta because there weren't any better options. And at least Kahu would take his spot when Boyd's back. Burgess from England, I like the sound of, haha, nah but honestly why does everyone assume Vidot will get automatic selection on the wing? This game (link below) highlights the above reasons why I reckon he'd be best at prop (this is the same game that he steamrolled Widdop twice but they didn't show either time :,- ( He can only really score via a wide open passage
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j_-O7xjn5jY
Also, Ben Hunt was a friggin beast in this game.

Also, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Api Koroisau with all the talk of hookers - he is a fantastic hooker. Api won't have the opportunity to play 1st grade with Segeyaro there. If we had him, I would play him at hooker over McCollough + move McCollough to lock, with Parker at 2nd row (who could be just as effective there if he plays the same role, which is mainly offloading). McCollough reminds me of McGuire, a workhorse who gets the job done + has some attacking skills. And I also think McGuire would be a perfect lock. McCollough is still a handy player to have but hooker is such a specialist position, especially with young halves + he's not the best there. Worst case scenario, we'd just sell him, I'm sure someone would take him. Plus, there might not be a spot for Oates or someone, which isn't ideal.

 

[Mitch06]

My point is Maranta isn't at NRL standard. Burgess is quality...the Roosters have looked into signing him. He is the next best thing from Charnley and Hall in super league. Vidot is an automatic selection because he played everygame last year and he had a decent four nations campaign. If he loses a few kilos I believe his game will improve. It isa lot harder than just naming him at Prop. It Is a different game completely. Maybe secondrow but even so. McCullough isn't a lock. Never going to happen. You need to do more than tackle to be a lock?

 

[mitch222]

What's with the Maranta hate? He was coming on in leaps and bounds last year. He was finally catching bombs and scoring good winger tries. I don't have a problem with how he has progressed. I mean he is no yow yeh but is more than capable of finishing a backline play and catching the high ball.

 

[Alec]

Maranta just seems incredibly slow, that's the only real problem...well that, and backing himself, but they could be connected.