NEWS Broncos 2020 back line a cavalcade of possibles and probables

McHunt

McHunt

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Aug 25, 2018
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Broncos 2020 back line a cavalcade
of possibles and probables


Joel Gould
NRL.com

As their pre-season campaign heats up, the make-up of Brisbane's back line for round one is an array of possible and probables. Broncos coach Anthony Seibold believes he has the ingredients at his disposal for a back line that can provide the strike that his pack already has in abundance.

Finding the right recipe for success is going to be a challenge due to the versatility of the candidates out wide and lingering question marks over what their best positions are for the team. The Broncos' inconsistent path to a eighth-placed finish and dismal 58-0 exit in the first week of the finals to the Eels means there are no obvious answers as to what will constitute their "best" back line.

The halves for 2020 remain undecided with a lot depending on whether the Broncos can acquire Melbourne’s Brodie Croft. Brisbane remain privately confident Croft will be with them and that a deal can be struck with the Storm to release him. The 22-year-old would be the likely round-one halfback with teenager Tom Dearden the understudy. Of the players signed to the Broncos, Dearden is the man earmarked to be given first crack at the No.7 jersey after his impressive, albeit short, stint in the role in 2019.

Croft and Dearden are solid game managers and their presence will allow Anthony Milford to return from fullback to five-eighth and play his trademark instinctive brand of football.

NRL.com understands that is the most likely scenario for 2020 with regard to Milford. The Darius Boyd experiment in the No.6 jersey appears set to be a short-lived one. Jack Bird has played five-eighth with success for Cronulla and the former Shark will always remain an option for coach Seibold.

The injured Sean O’Sullivan will not be ready to return from a knee reconstruction in the early stages of the season while Maroons under 20s representative Cory Paix is highly regarded. Seibold also used Jake Turpin in the halves in 2019 but hooker is viewed as his best position.

The two centre positions will be hotly contested. Seibold has several combinations he could choose and a plethora of candidates. In 2019 Kotoni Staggs emerged as the first-choice centre for Brisbane on the right side, scoring 11 tries. Staggs, who showed his versatility by starring for Tonga recently in the halves in the historic Test win over Australia, is regarded as a future NSW representative and is all but certain to retain his position.

Bird and Darius Boyd are prime candidates to play left centre. Bird, one of the club’s highest-paid players, will return from a knee reconstruction while Boyd, who is yet to return to pre-season training, has played in the position with success for Queensland.

In the squad also are Gehamat Shibasaki and former Queensland Reds representative Izaia Perese. Perese, who made his Broncos debut this year, was the Intrust Super Cup centre of the year after a stellar season with Redcliffe.

Jordan Kahu, in rehab after shoulder surgery, has also returned to the Broncos and is another possible centre. Throwing further intrigue and competition into the fray is Jesse Arthars, who has joined the Broncos from the Titans on a two-year deal.

The fullback position will be determined largely by what Seibold elects to do with his halves but Kiwi international Jamayne Isaako has made it known for a long time he wants to make the position where he made his NRL debut in 2017 his own.

Boyd and Milford will always remain options but Isaako's time appears to have arrived. Arthars also has designs on the No.1 jersey.

Broncos winger Corey Oates.
Broncos winger Corey Oates. ©NRL Photos

Maroons winger Corey Oates is the front-runner to retain his left wing position but even he admitted recently that he will have stiff competition from Herbie Farnworth and Xavier Coates.

Farnworth and Coates both debuted this year in Brisbane’s inspirational away win over Cronulla and have impressed coaching staff on and off the field. Both have pace and plenty of improvement in their games and Oates will need to start the 2020 season far better than he finished the one just gone to keep them at bay.

If Isaako does move to fullback then that will open up an opportunity for Farnworth or Coates on the right wing in round one.

Richie Kennar is also signed for 2020 and played two NRL games on the flank last season while Arthars, Perese, Shibasaki, Boyd and Kahu have all played on the wing.

 
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Croft signing would actually make this more complicated. If he doesn’t, the team picks itself

1. Isaako
2. Oates
3. Bird
4. Staggs
5. Farnworth
6. Milford
7. Dearden

(9. Turps)
 
Croft signing would actually make this more complicated. If he doesn’t, the team picks itself

1. Isaako
2. Oates
3. Bird
4. Staggs
5. Farnworth
6. Milford
7. Dearden

(9. Turps)
This is top 4 capable.
 
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Here we go, here we go, here we go:

"Brisbane remain privately confident Croft will be with them and that a deal can be struck with the Storm to release him. "

I hope you're right McHunt! You seem pretty confident of this happening so will trust you are correct with your intuition.
 
Seems to me that the writing is on the wall for Milford. Croft and Dearden, Paix coming through. This may be his last season with us. Yay!
He has the famous Broncos PO for 2021 but in all honesty I’d offer him 450k heading into the future, depending on how he goes in 20/21. Hopefully by then we will be stacked for choice and the club has its old ways back. Unfortunately milf has failed to produce anywhere near his million dollar price tag, except for in 2015.
 
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Seems to me that the writing is on the wall for Milford. Croft and Dearden, Paix coming through. This may be his last season with us. Yay!
Millionford has to have a stellar season this year. I haven't been convinced he's capable of consistency within A single game let alone over a season. I think he's let the team down many times, as many times as Boyd's had bad games. Not a comparison here, just saying it in a 'number of times' sense.

Funny, I haven't read anyone's view that Staggs could be tried in the halves although I could have missed it.
 
Millionford has to have a stellar season this year. I haven't been convinced he's capable of consistency within A single game let alone over a season. I think he's let the team down many times, as many times as Boyd's had bad games. Not a comparison here, just saying it in a 'number of times' sense.

Funny, I haven't read anyone's view that Staggs could be tried in the halves although I could have missed it.
I did bring it up after the Tonga test that Staggs isn’t a halfback but might be wasted in the centres and could be a candidate for fullback or 5/8.
If you want Milford to leave then maybe you should start hoping his father does the noble thing and dies.
 
I did bring it up after the Tonga test that Staggs isn’t a halfback but might be wasted in the centres and could be a candidate for fullback or 5/8.
If you want Milford to leave then maybe you should start hoping his father does the noble thing and dies.
Ha ha ha ha 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

****, wish I'd known how to get this sort of reaction!!! You guys just are TOO PRECIOUS for words! Priceless. This one and 'cellular level' are my best in years.

Anyhoo, I don't necessarily want Millionford to leave rather I want him to improve, become consistent and provide value.
 
Ha ha ha ha [emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787][emoji1787]

****, wish I'd known how to get this sort of reaction!!! You guys just are TOO PRECIOUS for words! Priceless. This one and 'cellular level' are my best in years.

Anyhoo, I don't necessarily want Millionford to leave rather I want him to improve, become consistent and provide value.
You can't dance around the fact you suggested someone's dad just die to help their son.

Fucked up man.

Admins should be onto that shit
 
I'm not dancing! That was Bad Huge ! I'm afraid you will have to deal with it. It's the Internet, don't be so triggered, reserve your outrage for really important shit.
You can't dance around the fact you suggested someone's dad just die to help their son.

Fucked up man.

Admins should be onto that shit
 
On current form and attitude, Milford’s probably best going to super league. I don’t think he can mix it with the nrl cream unless he starts being super professional with his training and diet.
 
I'm not dancing! That was Bad Huge ! I'm afraid you will have to deal with it. It's the Internet, don't be so triggered, reserve your outrage for really important shit.
I guess it would be different if I had said

"for the good of this forum maybe Huge should consider just dieing"

Hope Fifita doesn't mistake you for a Balinese Bouncer with comments like that
 
Think it works out pretty simply at this stage:

1. Isaako
2. Oates
3. Bird
4. Staggs
5. Perese
6. Milford
7. Croft

Next in line presumably Coates, Farnworth and Dearden. Kahu (ugh) could fill in on the centres or wing if absolutely needed, but that would have to be desperation point.

For all the flack Milford cops, last year he was effectively playing three positions and hasn't had a decent halfback partner since mid-2017. Interested to see what he does in a full season with either Dearden or Croft.

There is no way Boyd should be near the team. Not in the centres, not at fullback, preferably not at training, either.
 
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On current form and attitude, Milford’s probably best going to super league. I don’t think he can mix it with the nrl cream unless he starts being super professional with his training and diet.

Super League, good one.

It's scary how good he could be with proper training and diet, he will need to get smart about that as he gets older as a player.

With a proper seven next to him, I think some of the Milf haters will be in for a shock next season.
 

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