Broncos 2020 Squad

[Huge]

I'd like to see the full version trial. Highlights I heard are coming. All 1 minute 34 seconds of them! Couple of times the Broncos looked okay. It was good to see quite a few bodies in motion for a change. It does look like the coach has changed things up a wee bit.

 

[Kooly87]

People are getting stuck in to Isaako over two Nines games? That seems hugely premature especially as most were advocating Bird replaces him after the first Nines game, despite the fact Bird himself hadn't even played Fullback for us in his own trial until later that night, in a game that I'm guessing almost no one one here actually got to watch.

I'd be far more interested in seeing Isaako in a full trial or two at Fullback before I made any judgements like that. I'm sure he didn't get this far into the pre-season at Fullback without showing some signs that he was capable of giving a good account of himself in the role.

 

[Kooly87]

I think most are a bit tired of him from last year, really.

Bird‘s coming back from an ACL so I’m not sure he’s going to be as explosive off the mark as he usually plays. Maybe putting him at fullback might minimise his power game compared to being at centre. He’d be doing a lot more running, but less overall contact. I was listening to a podcast last night with the NRL Physio bloke and he was talking about the limitations on players coming back from such an injury, especially in the first year. I floated the idea to myself while driving the truck, and while it has some merit, I’m not convinced.

I think he'll come back as a Utility initially, which is perfect given the reasons you've just outlined. He should be training at Fullback though, and at Centre too, because by Round 8 there might well be vacancies in one or both of those positions.

I get Isaako has been underwhelming, but he had plenty of reasonable and legitimate personal circumstances to mitigate a lot of last season.

He came to us as a Fullback though, and became a Winger by circumstance. If we're going to judge him, then lets judge him on his work at Fullback in a proper trial and not just the Nines where he spent most of his time on the Wing again, and before we nominate his replacement, how about we actually have a look at his replacement actually play there too instead of just hypothesising that he'd be a better solution. That's all I'm asking of people.

 

[Foordy]

I think he'll come back as a Utility initially, which is perfect given the reasons you've just outlined. He should be training at Fullback though, and at Centre too, because by Round 8 there might well be vacancies in one or both of those positions.

I get Isaako has been underwhelming, but he had plenty of reasonable and legitimate personal circumstances to mitigate a lot of last season.

He came to us as a Fullback though, and became a Winger by circumstance. If we're going to judge him, then lets judge him on his work at Fullback in a proper trial and not just the Nines where he spent most of his time on the Wing again, and before we nominate his replacement, how about we actually have a look at his replacement actually play there too instead of just hypothesising that he'd be a better solution. That's all I'm asking of people.

actually, i'm pretty sure when we signed him he was a center

 

[Jason Simmons]

I agree but he's not getting a chance from most , he's played 2 nines games and he's on the garbage heap already.
I'm not convinced with Croft but I'm not going to punt him yet , let's just wait until a few rounds in .

He has played the Nines, plus 2 full seasons of NRL to be fair and he was lucky to be in the team by the end of last season.

There aren’t many clubs where he would have been, IMHO.

So because of this he deserves first shot at the fullback role? Why because he trains well? So does Darius from all reports...

 

[Kooly87]

He has played the Nines, plus 2 full seasons of NRL to be fair and he was lucky to be in the team by the end of last season.

There aren’t many clubs where he would have been, IMHO.

So because of this he deserves first shot at the fullback role? Why because he trains well? So does Darius from all reports...

I'm confused, what else is it supposed to be based on?

If our Fullback can't be Boyd because he's been terrible, and it isn't Milford because he's going back to 5/8, then Isaako's training form is just about the only other barometer we could use to identify a suitable replacement because in case you hadn't noticed, we don't have any other guys who have played the position. If it isn't good enough to pick Isaako because he's trained well there, who exactly are they supposed to pick and on what basis could you justify their selection?

Nominating Jack Bird based solely on gut feel having never seen him play or train there seems to be highly speculative at best.

 

[Jason Simmons]

I'm confused, what else is it supposed to be based on?

If our Fullback can't be Boyd because he's been terrible, and it isn't Milford because he's going back to 5/8, then Isaako's training form is just about the only other barometer we could use to identify a suitable replacement because in case you hadn't noticed, we don't have any other guys who have played the position. If it isn't good enough to pick Isaako because he's trained well there, who exactly are they supposed to pick and on what basis could you justify their selection?

Nominating Jack Bird based solely on gut feel having never seen him play or train there seems to be highly speculative at best.

From all reports Bird has been training there as well and this is what the trials are for after all...

 

[I bleed Maroon]

1. Bird
2. Oates
3. Boyd
4. Staggs
5. Isaako

That will be our backline come R1. I refuse to believe Seibold thinks Isaako at fullback is the best option after last weekend. Between Bird doing okay at the back in the Capras trial and Isaako looking garbage in the Nines, it seems obvious to me now.

 

[Kyall]

Bird played some good footy as 5/8 when he played there for the sharks. I don't it's a bad idea playing him a hard hitting skillful player. Milford is quick off the mark and can float around for a offload at fullback.

 

[upthebroncs]

1. Bird
2. Oates
3. Boyd
4. Staggs
5. Isaako

That will be our backline come R1. I refuse to believe Seibold thinks Isaako at fullback is the best option after last weekend. Between Bird doing okay at the back in the Capras trial and Isaako looking garbage in the Nines, it seems obvious to me now.

Seibold played Alex Johnston at fullback so I would not be surprised if we saw Isaako at fullback. Arguably Isaako is a better fullback than Alex Johnston. I know I’d be picking Isaako over Johnston.

I am hoping Isaako can get to playing in a Holmes/K Hunt type of style.

I think Jack Bird would be better off just playing centre for this year and then hopefully he leaves next year to make way for someone like Arthars, Perese, Farnworth, Coates, Niu.

Long term Niu will be our fullback. It’s just a matter of getting him ready to take it on. I think he’s close.

Isaako is the best option at fullback for this year.

A Broncos assistant coach said we will definitely see Niu this year in NRL and he is definitely seen as a fullback at the club, not a centre where he has been trialled recently in lower grades. He is starting the season as the magpies fullback I believe.

 

[TariqT]

All this talk with regards to Isaako not being a ball player is a little over the top IMHO. Does anyone remember his pass to Milford in last year's Cowboys game in Townsville? That pass, at pace, after throwing a dummy twice and to make sure Milford was past the cover was perhaps one of the hardest passes to throw, and he nailed it. You just can't pull that pass off if you can't ball play. He may not be a Jonathon Thurston, but to suggest he's a chump with the ball in hand is a little bit hyperbolic. He had a bad year last year, a good couple of years before that, some really good games with NZ at the end of last year, and from reports an average 9s showing. Lets not write anyone off before they've at least had a chance to show their wares in the proper format. I've got a feeling a few people are gonna be showing up a few armchair warriors this year.

Broncos vs Cowboys 2019 (Rd. 21 - Townsville)

 

[upthebroncs]

2021 could be interesting if Bird, Boyd, Macca, Oates and Milford don’t take up their player options.. Doubt it though. It would still be a decent line up without all these players and signing no one.. I’d like to see what it could do.

1. Jamayne Isaako
2. Xavier Coates
3. Jesse Arthars
4. Kotoni Staggs
5. Tesi Niu
6. Thomas Dearden
7. Brodie Croft
8. Matthew Lodge
9. Jake Turpin
10. Payne Haas
11. Tevita Pangai
12. David Fifita
13. Patrick Carrigan
____________________
14. Alex Glenn
15. Keenan Palasia
16. Thomas Flegler
17. Joe Ofahengaue

 

[Foordy]

All this talk with regards to Isaako not being a ball player is a little over the top IMHO. Does anyone remember his pass to Milford in last year's Cowboys game in Townsville? That pass, at pace, after throwing a dummy twice and to make sure Milford was past the cover was perhaps one of the hardest passes to throw, and he nailed it. You just can't pull that pass off if you can't ball play. He may not be a Jonathon Thurston, but to suggest he's a chump with the ball in hand is a little bit hyperbolic. He had a bad year last year, a good couple of years before that, some really good games with NZ at the end of last year, and from reports an average 9s showing. Lets not write anyone off before they've at least had a chance to show their wares in the proper format. I've got a feeling a few people are gonna be showing up a few armchair warriors this year.

Broncos vs Cowboys 2019 (Rd. 21 - Townsville)

that is the exception ... not the rule

 

[TariqT]

that is the exception ... not the rule

Haha! Touche

Still, when he pulled that pass off, I thought "what the hell" - that is a seriously difficult pass to pull off at that pace, and takes vision and skill. It may be the exception but it's in him. That's one thing Boyd was great at from fullback, providing a link pass for his outside men. He was so good at it, he made it look easy, and it rarely drew a mention. It just became a standard Broncos play that more often than not worked.

 

[Finbar]

Take this information with a grain of salt because it was just something I saw over on the nrl reddit, but a commenter said he had a chat with Jack Bird at the casino and asked if he'd be playing fullback. Bird smiled and said he didn't know, but the punter took it as a definite yes. More importantly, he also asked if Milf was off the big macs, which Bird confirmed while rubbing his belly.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

Expect it in the Courier Mail tomorrow then.

 

[theshed]

Expect it in the Courier Mail tomorrow then.

BIRD TO FLY AT FULLBACK
“A CM exclusive - a guy on the internet reports that a different guy on the internet spoke to Jack Bird who said he “didn’t know” if he’ll be playing fullback”

 

[Foordy]

BIRD TO FLY AT FULLBACK
“A CM exclusive - a guy on the internet reports that a different guy on the internet spoke to Jack Bird who said he “didn’t know” if he’ll be playing fullback”

you've done half Badel's work for him with that headline ... but he'll change all of that guy on the internet stuff to "a source" ... then smile to himself thinking he's pulled the wool over everone's eyes