Broncos Player Movement and Rumours 2020

[the_next]

What are we thinking about who we should be keeping/getting rid of for 2019 and beyond?
I would be trying to come to an agreement to give bird an early release and possibly Glenn?
Sims, Thaiday, Opacic, Isaako, Pearson I would not be resigning and putting the $ Into retaining TPJ, Su’A, Oates, lodge, Turpin and dargan.

Thoughts?

 

[PerthBrissy987]

What are we thinking about who we should be keeping/getting rid of for 2019 and beyond?
I would be trying to come to an agreement to give bird an early release and possibly Glenn?
Sims, Thaiday, Opacic, Isaako, Pearson I would not be resigning and putting the $ Into retaining TPJ, Su’A, Oates, lodge, Turpin and dargan.

Thoughts?

Dargan and Turpin won’t cost much , Hoping Boyd gets the Hodges/Parker tap next year (if he loses his qld spot he might sulk and quit )

 

[Foordy]

What are we thinking about who we should be keeping/getting rid of for 2019 and beyond?
I would be trying to come to an agreement to give bird an early release and possibly Glenn?
Sims, Thaiday, Opacic, Isaako, Pearson I would not be resigning and putting the $ Into retaining TPJ, Su’A, Oates, lodge, Turpin and dargan.

Thoughts?

you seem to think that you can have superstars in every position ... what you (and others around here) need to understand is that with a salary cap that needs to cover 30 players, that just simply isn't possible.

Guys like Glenn, Kahu and Opacic are solid reliable players, that don't cost a fortune to retain. (Glenn and Kahu are even NZ rep players). if we get rid of those players we will still need to replace them in the salary cap with players on a minimum of 120k. so we won't get that much extra to play with.

If our young guns are all demanding top dollar, then we will need to make the tough decisions on who to lose, because the cap won't allow us to keep them all, by matching the over-inflated offers of our rivals.

our priority re-signings should 100% be TPJ, Oates and Lodge.

I would Keep Opacic, Glenn and Isaako (will be more important if Oates leaves).

I'd even keep Bird, we just need to get him over his form slump. to do that requires two things IMO, Firstly his fitness needs to improve and secondly and prehaps most importantly, we need to decide on his long term position for us and give the guy some bloody consistency in that position

 

[the_next]

you seem to think that you can have superstars in every position ... what you (and others around here) need to understand is that with a salary cap that needs to cover 30 players, that just simply isn't possible.

Guys like Glenn, Kahu and Opacic are solid reliable players, that don't cost a fortune to retain. (Glenn and Kahu are even NZ rep players). if we get rid of those players we will still need to replace them in the salary cap with players on a minimum of 120k. so we won't get that much extra to play with.

If our young guns are all demanding top dollar, then we will need to make the tough decisions on who to lose, because the cap won't allow us to keep them all, by matching the over-inflated offers of our rivals.

our priority re-signings should 100% be TPJ, Oates and Lodge.

I would Keep Opacic, Glenn and Isaako (will be more important if Oates leaves).

I'd even keep Bird, we just need to get him over his form slump. to do that requires two things IMO, Firstly his fitness needs to improve and secondly and prehaps most importantly, we need to decide on his long term position for us and give the guy some bloody consistency in that position

I understand we can't have superstars in every position. I wouldn't classify Niko, Kahu, McCullough as superstars (all who I think we should keep.) As for Bird, I can't see him bouncing into form anytime soon, I hope I am proven wrong. Recruitment have a bit to answer for there, if we are paying him around that 700-800kl mark - rumoured, and if we possibly loose the likes of Su'A and Oates because of the cap, then that one "superstar" who hasn't lived up to the name at all, will cost us quality players that have been in our systems for years and love the club. Isaako I think will demand decent $ for next year, and I don't really see why we need to keep him? yes he is our best goal kicker, but he was so shaky under the high ball last night, and watch Cronk continually bomb to him on Friday night..
Lodge, TPJ, Oates & Su'A for mine are playing for the jersey, completely different to what I am seeing from Bird. TPJ and Lodge can hold their heads high after last night, can't say that for many of the other lads last night.

Bird has come out a few times now and said he is disappointed in his form. I am starting to think he is all talk and I can't bare the thought of loosing a couple of our young blokes because we are paying bird massive overs.

 

[Dexter]

One of the biggest problems with the cap is the shortage of genuine quality in the key positions which distorts the market.
It disadvantages clubs like ours which produce young talent which is why we need a system to reward development and loyalty.
Every time we build the side where you can see a premiership window opening we get picked off and have to start again.
Hunt is the most obvious example.

 

[Chewed]

you seem to think that you can have superstars in every position ... what you (and others around here) need to understand is that with a salary cap that needs to cover 30 players, that just simply isn't possible.

Guys like Glenn, Kahu and Opacic are solid reliable players, that don't cost a fortune to retain. (Glenn and Kahu are even NZ rep players). if we get rid of those players we will still need to replace them in the salary cap with players on a minimum of 120k. so we won't get that much extra to play with.

If our young guns are all demanding top dollar, then we will need to make the tough decisions on who to lose, because the cap won't allow us to keep them all, by matching the over-inflated offers of our rivals.

our priority re-signings should 100% be TPJ, Oates and Lodge.

I would Keep Opacic, Glenn and Isaako (will be more important if Oates leaves).

I'd even keep Bird, we just need to get him over his form slump. to do that requires two things IMO, Firstly his fitness needs to improve and secondly and prehaps most importantly, we need to decide on his long term position for us and give the guy some bloody consistency in that position

Birds fitness and condition is something that can be fixed easily, he's a professional athlete and with the amount of physical activity they do each week the weight should fly off, he's keeping it on. GI was the same at the start of the season, slimmed down quick smart.

Think some of the boys have a bit too much freedom.

 

[Wolfie]

you seem to think that you can have superstars in every position ... what you (and others around here) need to understand is that with a salary cap that needs to cover 30 players, that just simply isn't possible.

Guys like Glenn, Kahu and Opacic are solid reliable players, that don't cost a fortune to retain. (Glenn and Kahu are even NZ rep players). if we get rid of those players we will still need to replace them in the salary cap with players on a minimum of 120k. so we won't get that much extra to play with.

If our young guns are all demanding top dollar, then we will need to make the tough decisions on who to lose, because the cap won't allow us to keep them all, by matching the over-inflated offers of our rivals.

our priority re-signings should 100% be TPJ, Oates and Lodge.

I would Keep Opacic, Glenn and Isaako (will be more important if Oates leaves).

I'd even keep Bird, we just need to get him over his form slump. to do that requires two things IMO, Firstly his fitness needs to improve and secondly and prehaps most importantly, we need to decide on his long term position for us and give the guy some bloody consistency in that position

Thats the key, keep the reliable work horses who wont be on huge money and try to get a strong core of players with more star quality, similar to Melbourne i guess. I think some people are living in the past, in a fantasy land where we could have a team containing the likes of Thorn, Webcke, Petero, Carroll, Thiaday, Hodges, Lockyer, Hunt, or a few years before Langer, Walters, Sailor, Tallis, Webcke, Renouf, Gee, Carroll, Petero etc. We are so used to having a side full of rep players taking unders we think its the way it should be and its not. We have to be a lot smarter with how we use the salary cap, and a lot smarter about the makeup of our squad. We need the solid reliable players just as much as we need the star players. People just need to accept that.

 

[Kooly87]

No one is arguing we should have superstars in every position. What I am arguing is we should at least have one person in the most important position on the field who has at least played there at some point previously in their career.

Like I’ve said, I can cop this year. Ash Taylor didn’t work out and we didn’t get what we wanted, but to let it happen again this year is absolutely not acceptable. No other club would accept that poor a level of recruitment and roster planning and the fact the Broncos of all clubs are prepared to accept it is absolutely not good enough. Even the most die hard Bennett apologists can surely concede that point.

Like I said, the Warriors could go out and get Blake Green to solve their issues, and the Storm have so many good options to replace Cronk they can afford to send the spare one to ISP, but Brisbane are resolved to playing a remodelled Dummy Half in the position for not one, but two seasons, regardless of how poorly it is going!

 

[Kooly87]

Thats the key, keep the reliable work horses who wont be on huge money and try to get a strong core of players with more star quality, similar to Melbourne i guess. I think some people are living in the past, in a fantasy land where we could have a team containing the likes of Thorn, Webcke, Petero, Carroll, Thiaday, Hodges, Lockyer, Hunt, or a few years before Langer, Walters, Sailor, Tallis, Webcke, Renouf, Gee, Carroll, Petero etc. We are so used to having a side full of rep players taking unders we think its the way it should be and its not. We have to be a lot smarter with how we use the salary cap, and a lot smarter about the makeup of our squad. We need the solid reliable players just as much as we need the star players. People just need to accept that.

This is just nonsense. I’m not suggesting we need Thorn, Webcke, Civo, Lockyer, Hunt etc

A Halfback to get us through 26 weeks plus finals that has actually played the position with a degree of competency at any point in there career is all I’m asking for, and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

It’s the most crucial position in any modern football side, we’ve had nearly two years to find one and we’re as far away as ever, and that’s simply not good enough.

 

[Broncs_Fan]

One of the biggest problems with the cap is the shortage of genuine quality in the key positions which distorts the market.
It disadvantages clubs like ours which produce young talent which is why we need a system to reward development and loyalty.
Every time we build the side where you can see a premiership window opening we get picked off and have to start again.
Hunt is the most obvious example.

Produce young talent? We pick like the best of them: Milford (Canberra), Haas (Titans), TPJ (Canberra), Roberts (Souths), Bird (St George).

Every club produces young talent. That we produce over and above is such BS.

 

[bronx89]

technically we were chasing Taylor for next season

With this money we were chasing Taylor with.... has this been allocated yet?

 

[Battler]

This is just nonsense. I’m not suggesting we need Thorn, Webcke, Civo, Lockyer, Hunt etc

A Halfback to get us through 26 weeks plus finals that has actually played the position with a degree of competency at any point in there career is all I’m asking for, and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

It’s the most crucial position in any modern football side, we’ve had nearly two years to find one and we’re as far away as ever, and that’s simply not good enough.

It sounds like the only OK half on the market in the foreseeable future is Mbye (who I wouldn't be against signing if the Dogs pick up like 50% of his salary). Lino/ SJ might be options, but if either one is a chance of leaving the Warriors a club like the Storm or rorters will somehow be in the running to get them.

 

[Dexter]

Produce young talent? We pick like the best of them: Milford (Canberra), Haas (Titans), TPJ (Canberra), Roberts (Souths), Bird (St George).

Every club produces young talent. That we produce over and above is such BS.

I never said we produce over and above so right back at ya that's BS.
I never said we don't identify and buy young players and then develop them further. Haas ( 15 yrs old ) TPJ originally with Newcastle BTW was 19. Roberts was on the nose after being punted by 3 clubs.

What I did say was the salary cap as it stands ATM makes it hard to keep a young emerging squad and we could keep some players who leave for $$$ if there were discounts for loyalty and longevity.

If we had such a system our squad would look a fair bit different.

 

[Wolfie]

This is just nonsense. I’m not suggesting we need Thorn, Webcke, Civo, Lockyer, Hunt etc

A Halfback to get us through 26 weeks plus finals that has actually played the position with a degree of competency at any point in there career is all I’m asking for, and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.

It’s the most crucial position in any modern football side, we’ve had nearly two years to find one and we’re as far away as ever, and that’s simply not good enough.

We do need a halfback, but I stand by what i said. We aren't used to not having a side full of rep players. It's not about simply getting in a halfback, it's about balancing out our squad better. Losing a couple of solid NRL performers isnt going to fix up our issues.

 

[Scorchie]

One of the biggest problems with the cap is the shortage of genuine quality in the key positions which distorts the market.
It disadvantages clubs like ours which produce young talent which is why we need a system to reward development and loyalty.
Every time we build the side where you can see a premiership window opening we get picked off and have to start again.
Hunt is the most obvious example.

Or you know, he could've either not dropped the ball or more realistically, not hung the ball out to the side to have it taken off him by Feldt. And then it wouldn't have been Brisbane's problem to 'retain him', as he would've stuck around with his mates and had a 2-3 year period of dominance as a reward for their seven years (between the GF loss and the U20 GF loss) of hard work.

But no, he lost it on not one but three plays, and then proceeded to have a 'form slump' for several years before taking the glory contract with the Dragons.

You can only wonder how different this squad would be if not for Hunt's five minutes of madness. Instead, let's focus on Niko and the 'lack of quality options in the market'.

Then again, maybe this squad in general is used to being the perennial losers given their U20 GF loss, the GF loss and the 9's loss.

Good times, it'll turn around soon I'm sure.

 

[Kooly87]

We do need a halfback, but I stand by what i said. We aren't used to not having a side full of rep players. It's not about simply getting in a halfback, it's about balancing out our squad better. Losing a couple of solid NRL performers isnt going to fix up our issues.

I’m not suggesting getting rid of anyone, I’m just pointing out that going into a full NRL season without a single Halfback of regular NRL standard was extremely disappointing, but the idea that we’re going to attempt to do it again for a second straight season at this stage is absolutely not acceptable.

It’s the most critical position on the field, there have been at least a few acceptable options available during that time that we haven’t even shown interest in which is frankly staggering, and forget about a team full of rep players and Premieships, without a genuine Halfback we’re not going to be even be playing finals football at this stage

 

[Morepudding]

Each week im growing more and more disappointed with Bennett. He has no clue. Every week he's swapping players out of position mid game. How are players meant to build a combination when they don't spend a whole game in that position, let alone a few weeks.

Kodi Nikorima is simply nothing more than a super sub. His defence is woeful and Manly just ran at him all night and scored 3 or 4 tries by doing so. Boyd is never, ever in position at fullback and doesnt cover nearly enough ground at the back compared to just about every other fullback in the game.

If you look at our wins, other than the win against the warriors, we probably should have lost every other game... Couldn't score a try against the Tigers, Only just beat a cowboys team who gets belted by everyone else, lucky penalty against the bulldogs, and only just beat the rabbitohs too. We could very easily be 1-9. Essentially we have been saved by moments of brilliance from people like James Roberts / Anthony Milford / TPJ, and the Ref...

There is no chance in hell we make the finals this year. We definitely need Boyd to join Thaiday in retirement next year, and probably lose players like Sims unless he signs for a lot less than he is currently on. I am also very scepticle about the return of Gillett. Whether he will be worth his $700k a season price tag after the injury is yet to be seen, but he hasn't been worth it last year IMO. I really hope the rumours of Bird wanting out are true. $800k or whatever we are paying him is wayyy too much for someone who is playing in the centres, and getting outshone every week by James Roberts, someone who is on about $300k...

I really feel like bennett has cooked us. Heres hoping we get bellemy, and Munster uses his get out clause to follow him here. Ideally Boyd, Thaiday, Bird, Sims are all gone next year, and we can get Munster to fullback, and bring in a decent game controlling half to join Milford.

 

[Wolfie]

I’m not suggesting getting rid of anyone, I’m just pointing out that going into a full NRL season without a single Halfback of regular NRL standard was extremely disappointing, but the idea that we’re going to attempt to do it again for a second straight season at this stage is absolutely not acceptable.

It’s the most critical position on the field, there have been at least a few acceptable options available during that time that we haven’t even shown interest in which is frankly staggering, and forget about a team full of rep players and Premieships, without a genuine Halfback we’re not going to be even be playing finals football at this stage

You have to be fair though, we tried to sign a proven halfback and couldn't afford to match the offer he got elsewhere, same with Ben Hunt, we couldn't compete financially to keep him. I'd love a good halfback, but there just aren't any on the market. Our only option. Would be to try to shuffle the cards, move some players around try to swap one in. We would probably lose a player, maybe 2 we want to keep but its probably the only option we have

I'd actually be happy with Somebody like Adam Reynolds if he could stay fit a bit more. Has the control and kicking game to compliment Milf.