Broncos Player Movement and Rumours 2016

[johnny plath]

Because it's off-topic, Huge.



He'll be 30 years old next year and he really hasn't had much of a 2016 for Leeds.

If we were having this conversation in 2010, it'd be well worth the risk but right now I think it's best to leave him there.

I wouldn't be against signing an English player or two though. For starters, they'll be available and should be able to pitch in during the Origin period which has and always will be a nightmare for the club.

As for prop forwards, the Broncos could definitely use some depth. One player who is supposedly free is David Fifita who is over in the ESL as we speak. If we could bring him in as a project player, he could be fairly handy off the bench for us.

I'm also with austin71 on Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Would love to have him at the club, but I'd imagine he's going to be an investment since he's got offers from the Roosters and Rugby Union.

I think we need more than a depth signing in our forwards, we seriously don't have a leader or power player. Our forwards are just too steady as she goes, we don't have a forward who bends the line, let alone break it. Corey is leader by default his experience and status, but seriously I don't see him fire up and excite the rest of our pack, we just play through our sets with minimal aggression and energy and then give ourselves a rap for our high completion rates. All off the top of the ladder teams have a balance of workers and power forwards, unfortunately we are overloaded with workers. That, coupled with our game plane of one out forward play is the reason imo that our halves have struggled, there is just nothing to play off the back off. Aggression and energy is contagious, but we don't have a player that spreads it.

 

[Renegade]

yeah we dont have a crazy bastard in our ranks.

doesn't have to be crazy crazy, just crazy tough.

 

[Big Pete]

I think we need more than a depth signing in our forwards, we seriously don't have a leader or power player.

The Broncos have got players capable of being leaders like Parker, McGuire, Blair, Gillett and even Thaiday. Sure you're only as good as you're last game and the Broncos have stunk up the joint these past two weeks but there's been other factors at play. In fact, I thought McGuire was one of the Broncos best these past couple of weeks.

As for power players, McGuire is constantly churning out good metres, Blair is one of the best defensive forwards in the game, Thaiday is capable of a big run to spark something and the Broncos have plenty of forwards coming through who are a real handful like Ofahengaue, Pangai Jr, Arrow, Ese'ese, Molo, Fai, Hipgrave etc.

I don't see the necessity for a marquee signing at this stage. I'd much rather bolster the pack than change the dynamic of the roster to fit in a forward. Brisbane did the same thing in 2000 and 2006 with Howard and Hannant respectively, these type of signings can work.

we don't have a forward who bends the line

Are we talking about the Broncos here? Because McGuire and Parker do that on a weekly basis and the forwards off the bench can be a real handful as well. Again, the Broncos have a lot of younger forwards who are capable but just need to gain some experience. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was Bennett's new look squad.

All off the top of the ladder teams have a balance of workers and power forwards

Just like Souths and Roosters which suggests that there are other factors at play behind their run.

Parra have a very similar pack to Brisbane and despite all the issues they're still one of the form teams of the competition.

I said it in another thread, but the biggest difference between 2015 and 2016 is the backs. Last year around this period, the Broncos had the likes of Oates, Vidot (who was really handy around Origin), Kahu, Reed working it out and it enabled the Broncos to get on the back-foot. Contrast to this year and the likes of Eden, Roberts, Maranta and Nikorima are getting manhandled. It's difficult for the forwards to roll through the middle when the defensive line has the edge on the first two tackles of the set.

 

[Battler]

Pangai will be the power forward we need as early as next season, but I'd be more than happy to sign a proper forward in the Chris hill mould. Hopefully Bennett can sweet talk a couple of English reps.

 

[Big Pete]

Hill is signed until 2019.

Who else is available?

 

[abashii]

Hill is signed until 2019.

Who else is available?

Contracts don't seem to mean much these days. But in any case, surely there is someone suitable available somewhere. We don't need a skillful forward who thinks he's a half or one with flashy footwork.

We need a shaved gorilla, a big body who can't pronounce the word "pass" let alone spell it, but does enjoy grunting, raw meat and smashing the **** out of the opposition at every opportunity. Someone too stupid to realise that running at other big guys hurts so he'll happily do it over and over again. Someone like Martin Kennedy, only with a great big dangling set of tonkers. It can't be that hard, right?

 

[lynx000]

I agree with you BP, a hardnosed english prop like Harvey Howard would be perfect for us.

 

[Big Pete]

Hill will be 30 next year. Even if signs on for a season or two, can an old dog like him really step up in the NRL? And how could the Broncos possibly afford him at this stage?

The Broncos will likely sign a blue chip player and with the talent coming through, that will be enough.

They need to focus on the bigger issue here, and that's the backs.

 

[Wolfie]

Hill will be 30 next year. Even if signs on for a season or two, can an old dog like him really step up in the NRL? And how could the Broncos possibly afford him at this stage?

The Broncos will likely sign a blue chip player and with the talent coming through, that will be enough.

They need to focus on the bigger issue here, and that's the backs.

I think he is exactly the sort of player we need. We need a couple of players to fill the gaps until some of our youngsters develop a bit more, Hill would be ideal.

 

[Big Pete]

I find it difficult to believe he'd be affordable and on top of that there's a big gulf between the ESL and NRL. Granted players like Graham, Morley and Ellis added to their respective NRL sides, but they were in it for the long whole and weren't as expensive as Hill.

So who else is there?

 

[Tunza's Chin]

Australia did just become a heap more attractive financially for the English though thanks to Borris Johnson....

 

[Brent81]

Hill will be 30 next year. Even if signs on for a season or two, can an old dog like him really step up in the NRL? And how could the Broncos possibly afford him at this stage?

The Broncos will likely sign a blue chip player and with the talent coming through, that will be enough.

They need to focus on the bigger issue here, and that's the backs.

You're not serious are you?

Our backline works fine when our forwards aren't getting dominated.

If the pack was dominant our backline would score 30 points every week just about.

 

[Big Pete]

You're not serious are you?

Our backline works fine when our forwards aren't getting dominated.

If the pack was dominant our backline would score 30 points every week just about.

It's a chicken vs the egg scenario.

Watch it again though, watch Round 3 vs Penrith and compare Mansour, Hiku, DWZ, Yeo in the second half compared to Eden, Roberts, Reed and Kahu. It's night and day and it's why they were able to get a roll on.

Even against the Bulldogs, there were times where the Broncos had them on the back-foot, only for Morris or Rona to change the complexion of the set.

Tackles 1 and 2 are so important and it's where the Broncos are losing the arm wrestle.

 

[Alec]

Tackle 1 and 2 are one of the few reasons why I think wingers are just more important than centres now. But you'd think with Oates and Boyd we should be fairly well served in that. It's just numpties like Maranta that hurt us there.

 

[charbel]

Contracts don't seem to mean much these days. But in any case, surely there is someone suitable available somewhere. We don't need a skillful forward who thinks he's a half or one with flashy footwork.

We need a shaved gorilla, a big body who can't pronounce the word "pass" let alone spell it, but does enjoy grunting, raw meat and smashing the **** out of the opposition at every opportunity. Someone too stupid to realise that running at other big guys hurts so he'll happily do it over and over again. Someone like Martin Kennedy, only with a great big dangling set of tonkers. It can't be that hard, right?

I'd think mose masoe fits that description to a T

 

[mitch222]

Im over us signing Roosters numpties.

Calling Aiden Guerra a numpty is criminal

 

[Super Freak]

I would love JWH or Moa, though.

Or even Taukeiaho.

I also wouldn't mind SKD, provided he played on the wing for us.

 

[Alec]

Taukeiaho or Napa would be my preferences.