OFFICIAL Broncos bolster football department

Dave Ballard has been selected as the Head of Performance after operating in the role in an interim capacity during the last three months of the NRL season. Ballard, a Queenslander, completed an Applied Science (Human Movements) Bachelor Degree at QUT in 2006 before working as NRL Strength & Conditioning Coach at the St George Illawarra Dragons (3 years) and Newcastle Knights (4 years). He returned to Brisbane as Athletic Development Coach at the Queensland Reds for 2016 and 17 before joining the Broncos Elite Player Development Program as Athletic Coach until the start of this season, when he joined the club’s NRL program as Athletic Performance Coach.

Ben Ikin said:

“Dave Ballard’s appointment to the Head of Performance role is going to be great for our club. Dave did a brilliant job guiding us through the final 8 rounds of the regular season. His work ethic is exceptional and his desire to get better will ensure the Broncos keep pace with best practice in athletic performance.”

Another major appointment is Simon Scanlan as the club’s Head of Recruitment & Academy – he too has been filling the role on an interim basis for the past three months. Scanlan has been with the Broncos since 2008, initially as a Development and Recruitment Officer, before graduating to Elite Player Development Manager from 2014.

Ben Ikin said:

“Simon possesses a wealth of knowledge about elite footballing talent, the local footballing landscape and the NRL system.
“He has been incredibly impressive in his new role in recent months and we look forward to continuing the work around improving our roster and our talent pathways.”

In other Broncos appointments, Brett O’Farrell joins the club as NRL Contact Coach, and Harry Havers as Football Data and Insights Analyst. The Broncos have also farewelled Athletic Performance Coach Ryan Whitely, who made the decision to head back home to Ireland.

Ben Ikin said:

“On behalf of everyone at the Broncos we wish Ryan all the best and thank him for his significant contribution to the club over the past 4 years"

Broncos Football Department Appointments

The Brisbane Broncos can announce some major appointments within the club’s Football Department.

www.broncos.com.au

 

[I bleed Maroon]

What the hell does Corvo have to do to get a gig these days?

 

[1910]

What the hell does Corvo have to do to get a gig these days?

I keep saying he doesn’t want to do it full time.

 

[Foordy]

What the hell does Corvo have to do to get a gig these days?

apparently want to be a full time employee

 

[Jedhead]

So long as we have identified a first class fitness and conditioning team. Some of our guys were obviously not as fit as they should be. As a team we were also way down the pecking order in terms of match stamina.

Bring back the days where we used to absorb a teams best and then go up another gear to leave the opposition gasping.

why can’t we have that level of fitness at the Broncos?

 

[M.B.88]

So long as we have identified a first class fitness and conditioning team. Some of our guys were obviously not as fit as they should be. As a team we were also way down the pecking order in terms of match stamina.

Bring back the days where we used to absorb a teams best and then go up another gear to leave the opposition gasping.

why can’t we have that level of fitness at the Broncos?

You mean when we were coached by Alex Corvo? Yeah that was a good time..I wonder why the club won't just appoint him

 

[Jedhead]

You mean when we were coached by Alex Corvo? Yeah that was a good time..I wonder why the club won't just appoint him

Apparently he doesn't want to work full time. But there has to be at least another dozen just like Alex or even better somewhere in the world. Fitness of the team is one area where we can begin to match it with Storm and Panthers if we get the right bods working with the boys.

I can't believe we spend a fortune on building some of the best training facilities in Australia and then fail to staff it with the same level of personnel.

This is on DD and the bespectacled one now.

 

[pagey]

Apparently he doesn't want to work full time. But there has to be at least another dozen just like Alex or even better somewhere in the world. Fitness of the team is one area where we can begin to match it with Storm and Panthers if we get the right bods working with the boys.

I can't believe we spend a fortune on building some of the best training facilities in Australia and then fail to staff it with the same level of personnel.

This is on DD and the bespectacled one now.

Corvo was brought in to do a review of our setup wasn't he ?

 

[Sproj]

Apparently he doesn't want to work full time. But there has to be at least another dozen just like Alex or even better somewhere in the world. Fitness of the team is one area where we can begin to match it with Storm and Panthers if we get the right bods working with the boys.

I can't believe we spend a fortune on building some of the best training facilities in Australia and then fail to staff it with the same level of personnel.

This is on DD and the bespectacled one now.

I thought the team looked noticeably fitter in the back end of the season, would suggest this dude has done a pretty good job since coming on board.

 

[mrslong]

I don’t know about this guy, but we’ve definitely had better fitness/endurance the last 8 weeks than we have the last 2 years. So maybe he’s a good signing.

 

[Jedhead]

Corvo was brought in to do a review of our setup wasn't he ?

Was not aware of this matey so couldn't confirm this, sorry.

 

[theshed]

I don’t know about this guy, but we’ve definitely had better fitness/endurance the last 8 weeks than we have the last 2 years. So maybe he’s a good signing.

I do wonder about the Seibold method to training and how bad the rule change screwed the teams plans.

Seibold would brag about how they analysed the game and the average duration the ball would stay in play was something like 5 minutes. So Seibold ran training to be in intense 5 minute blocks. Making them perfectly adapted to play at a high intensity for 5 minutes then recover during the stoppages and repeat. Except 1 year after this training regime was implemented the rules all changed. 6 agains were brought in, scrums were replaced with play the balls in many cases.

The whole structure of the game radically changed and all of a sudden the 5 minute specialists were completely unfit for the new pacing of the game.

It’s like if boxing told you a week before a bout that instead of 12 3 minute rounds they were now doing 8 6 minute rounds.

 

[BroncsFan]

Corvo was brought in to do a review of our setup wasn't he ?

Nah that was Dean Benton

OFFICIAL - Staff moved on.

About time.

broncoshq.com

 

[BroncsFan]

Was hoping Corvo might get the job, but if he doesnt want to work fulltime I'd hope we consider bringing him in as a consultant for the initial preseason when it's all about fitness.

The tough preseason really sets you up for the year and Corvo is notorious for how hard some of his preseasons at the storm and Broncos were in their successful periods.

Looking back at the old reports when Croll was first sacked it looks like Ballard jumped up to the role as an interim measure, but Corvo also came over as an offsider.

If they've been working together for the last few months then bringing Corvo back into the squad on a lesser role could be up his ally.

Would also give Ballard a first hand look at what a serious preseason looks like... I'm not sure of his experience and pedigree, but if you've got one of the best NRL trainers available to you, I'd be looking to utilise them even for my own development

 

[Financeguy]

I do wonder about the Seibold method to training and how bad the rule change screwed the teams plans.

Seibold would brag about how they analysed the game and the average duration the ball would stay in play was something like 5 minutes. So Seibold ran training to be in intense 5 minute blocks. Making them perfectly adapted to play at a high intensity for 5 minutes then recover during the stoppages and repeat. Except 1 year after this training regime was implemented the rules all changed. 6 agains were brought in, scrums were replaced with play the balls in many cases.

The whole structure of the game radically changed and all of a sudden the 5 minute specialists were completely unfit for the new pacing of the game.

It’s like if boxing told you a week before a bout that instead of 12 3 minute rounds they were now doing 8 6 minute rounds.

The problem with Siebold and the example you mention about the 5 min play time is fine in theory but whilst the average might be 5 mins there might only be 1 or 2 occasions in the game where the actual reality is 5 mins and all the other times are less than 4 mins or greater than 6 mins.

I just get the feeling that Siebolds theory and data method of training and coaching needed a very specific game to play out in order to be effective and whilst he probably had many audibles to call when the game didn't go to his expected analytics the players were too mentally and physically drained to adopt them on the run.

I'm not sure we would have seen any more success under him if the rules hadn't changed...mind you we couldn't have done worse.

 

[K-Style]

I thought the team looked noticeably fitter in the back end of the season, would suggest this dude has done a pretty good job since coming on board.

The one I noticed was Milford. He looked trim in his final games. Unfortunately it took him getting dropped to QCup and losing his contract to get himself sorted.

 

[BroncsFan]

I do wonder about the Seibold method to training and how bad the rule change screwed the teams plans.

Seibold would brag about how they analysed the game and the average duration the ball would stay in play was something like 5 minutes. So Seibold ran training to be in intense 5 minute blocks. Making them perfectly adapted to play at a high intensity for 5 minutes then recover during the stoppages and repeat. Except 1 year after this training regime was implemented the rules all changed. 6 agains were brought in, scrums were replaced with play the balls in many cases.

The whole structure of the game radically changed and all of a sudden the 5 minute specialists were completely unfit for the new pacing of the game.

It’s like if boxing told you a week before a bout that instead of 12 3 minute rounds they were now doing 8 6 minute rounds.

I think Seibold's plans, or at least how he developed them, was focused on set starts (taps off penalties, scrums, 20m taps, etc.), because that was the way the game was played. Also I think prior to six agains the ball generally stayed in play for 2mins, which was the way he trained... I'm pretty sure post six agains the ball is in play a shit ton more, probably why we get fatigued. Also Seibold was working off the wrong dataset if he was applying league wide ball in play time, because our lack of a kicker meant we barely ever found touch when our team was gassed and needed a break, so if the opposition wanted the ball in play there wasnt much we could do about it.

Breaking the set starts down further you basically only had a few different scenarios of where and how your set of six would start pre six agains.

You either had the get out set... after the opposition kicked. Typically inside your own half, play conservative, one out hitups, DH runs, etc. get to a point on the field and then pending where you were kick, chase and defend. Stay in the "arm wrestle" until someone makes a mistake.

If during a get out set you get a penalty or you win the arm wrestle and force an error, then it basically becomes an attacking set inside their half.. kick for touch will get you somewhere near the 50m or the error will generally be in yardage... and from there maybe some more tactical penalties with tap restarts, etc.

You're basically either working it out from your own end or attacking inside the 20m off set starts.

Introduction of six agains changed that and you no longer had a whole lot of say to where you would be starting your sets.... it was basically dictated by where the opposition put you after their kick. Penalties were just a play on, and the whole game becomes back and forth "get out sets"/"arm wrestle grinds" until one team flinches and then succumbs to a mountain of momentum against them and no real way to either stop it (tactical penalties) or get back into a grind (penalties on get out sets).

I believe the teams that have the best and longest kickers are now dominating (Cleary, Moses and Reynolds), because they are dictating field position... even if Cleary is caught kicking inside his 30m his boot is big enough to get it to the opposition's 20m anyway.

Storm and Roosters arent as great kicking, but they are great at rolling through the ruck for huge gains on their sets or hanging in there in defence until the opposition make an error.

DCE is a decent kicker, but he's not got the biggest boot... Manly are pretty much 95% Turbo destroying teams and Manly were trash when he wasnt there to start the year and weren't great last year when he was injured a lot.

Us having no decent kicker for years means we cant dictate field position and poor 5th tackle options mean decent sets turn to crap when we give it back to the opposition.

Seibold wasnt able to adapt to this with the squad he had and wasnt able to formulate a new plan to reverse our field position woes