Broncos Player Movement and Rumours 2020

[BroncsFan]

Looks like we found 2 of the people responsible for hiring Seibold...

I wanted Madge... and also wanted Bennett to see out 2019... These kinds of things wouldn't happen under my watch

#BroncsFanCEO2021

 

[Foordy]

I wanted Madge... and also wanted Bennett to see out 2019... These kinds of things wouldn't happen under my watch

#BroncsFanCEO2021

yeah it would ...

because as soon as you told Bennett, you weren't giving him his extra year (2020) and then appointing JD, he would have forced your hand by doing the things he did, trying to get fired

 

[Kimlo]

Looks like we found 2 of the people responsible for hiring Seibold...

I also never wanted Bennett sacked, but you know what, I bet Bennett couldn't even open an Excel file so maybe I would have hired Seibold if I interviewed them both.

 

[Foordy]

there isn't really much on the market for next year.

Cam Smith would obviously be my number 1 priority (i would pay 1.5 million a year if i had to)

if i couldn't get him, then i would poick up an experienced prop and an experienced backrower and a solid center.

I'd be looking at Tolman, Guerra and Opacic for those positions. other possibilities would be Welch, Tamou and Soliola

should Smith stay at the Storm, and it becomes apparent that to fit both Smiths and Grant into the side, they plan on playing Cam at 7 ... then i would immediately get on the phone and attempt to get Jahrome Hughes ... while i don't rate him as a top shelf half, i do rate him as a fullback

 

[lynx000]

I'm a sucker for good formatting, so you really could have said anything but when it was presented that beautifully you were going to win me over.

We're going to have a ton of money next year and are short a backrower though

2020 Signings Tracker: Roberts exits Souths; Dogs nab Averillo

The latest player signings, transfers & contracts and NRL squads for 2020 and beyond.

www.nrl.com

Does any off contract backrower stand out to you?

Looking through the list these guys stand out as worth pursuing (at the right price):
Sia Soliola - at minimum or close, 1 year deal
Guerra - ^ as above

And that's about it.
It's really slim pickings, we could save our money but I can't see us making much use of the money we save next year.

What about John Asiata from the Cowboys?

 

[Kimlo]

What about John Asiata from the Cowboys?

I did notice him but I've never really rated him myself. In the backrow I really just like solid players who run hard, tackle hard and I value a high workrate. Asiata has always struck me as more of a ball player and seems to be a fairly low effort player which is the last thing we need. I'd love a forward or two who are just hard headed no frills, tackle hard run hard types, unfortunately it's not a good year to have a chunk of the cap available as it's very low quality pickings left at this point, unless we use whatever we have left in the cap to sign Smith for a farewell year.

If Soliola was available, he'd be top of the list for mine. He's just the ultimate professional, is a solid player and an absolute legend off the field. He's someone I would want the younger blokes to be around every day but I can't see him leaving Canberra even for a year.

 

[FaithinHook]

What about John Asiata from the Cowboys?

Was thought to be close to a certainty for the Titans last I read. Speaking of the Tits, if we are needing a fairly reliable back-up centre, what about Dale Copley. He is off contract and would come fairly cheaply I would think. I know he's not the greatest, and justifiably copped a bit of flak on here when he last played for us, but you know what they say about 'desperate times'. To be honest, I'd rate him about the same as Opacic. Solid without being flashy.

 

[BroncsFan]

yeah it would ...

because as soon as you told Bennett, you weren't giving him his extra year (2020) and then appointing JD, he would have forced your hand by doing the things he did, trying to get fired

Except the extension proposal came in July 2018 whereas the board were caught out going for Bellamy in May.

At the time Bennett said of chasing Bellamy "I initiated it. I said we would be silly not to look at him,"
"I don't want it unfolding without me being a part of it, without me having some control over it."
"I haven't spent 25 years here doing the things I have done for me to walk away with the club in bad shape - that can't happen on my watch."

This would suggest that Bennett was amicable about moving on after his contract finished up in 2019 (otherwise why would he suggest they go after Bellamy). He's also amicable about moving on at souths at the end of next year.

It could be argued that an outgoing coach shouldn't have too much control over what the club plans to do without him, but at worst this should've been the point where the club started working with Bennett about a succession plan and turning 2019 into a farewell tour for a person that has many admirers in the fan base.

Instead the board decided to double down on hunting for their next coach 18 months before his contract was set to expire and reports had already emerged in July 2018 about Seibold being the favourite for the job... so around the same time Bennett had suggested an extension and put forward his proposal for a succession plan.

I have said in the past that the club should've been speaking to Bennett about a succession plan when they handed him a 2yr extension in 2016. Did they ever think they might need a succession plan for Bennett or did they think Bennett would just keep going until he died in the job. It's another example of them going off early and it resulted in them wanting to get rid of him not long after giving him the extension in the first place.

2019 should've been a PR and marketting team's wet dream. Young squad on the up and a year long farewell for Bennett... the club could've milked it for all of 2019 and transitioned smoothly to a new coach for 2020 with them getting a full preseason.

Instead they locked in their man months earlier and put on a sham interview process, and then started figuring out how they could knife a long standing figurehead of the club to get him out quicker.

 

[Sproj]

I’d love to get Su’A back, idiot coach was so stupid letting him go.

 

[Organix]

I’d love to get Su’A back, idiot coach was so stupid letting him go.

I agree that it was unfortunate letting him go, but consider why. We had Fifita going great guns, Glenn just named captain and Oates pushing for a second row position. It was in Su'a's best interest to go to a club where he was going to have a look in at a run-on position. Plus, he knew the coach and was probably convinced by these factors. For him to sit on the bench and not be guaranteed a starting spot...I mean, it's not much of a question.

Edit: also we have Riki, Piakura, Palasia and a few others who **are now** competing for this spot

 

[Foordy]

I’d love to get Su’A back, idiot coach was so stupid letting him go.

very few people thought that at the time

 

[pennywisealfie]

Sua was terrible. Is he good now?

 

[Huge]

I'm not the grammer nazi that some are around here

but that is a real pet hate of mine. because that little "-" changes the entire meaning of the word, to the opposite of what you want to say

Grammar! Grammer?

 

[mrslong]

We already have Proctor. His name is Alex Glenn.

 

[Galah]

very few people thought that at the time

Most thought we were keeping Fifita and letting him go was the reason....myself included.

 

[Organix]

Grammar! Grammer?

Whenever I give out about grammar or spelling on the interwebs I get the supreme fear of falling prey to Muphry's Law or Skitt's Law. We really just don't learn our own language well at school, but how do we learn if we are not corrected?

 

[Sproj]

Yes hindsight is a wonderful thing and it is extremely hard to argue Su’A leaving wasn’t the best thing for him. This was the biggest problem to me with Seibold, he wasn’t helping players improve, he was hindering development.

Sure he seemed to speak a good game with them but he didn’t seem to be getting through. In any case, Fifita is gone now and TPJ too most likely so I’d love to get Su’A back.

 

[Smokin' Joe]

Was thought to be close to a certainty for the Titans last I read. Speaking of the Tits, if we are needing a fairly reliable back-up centre, what about Dale Copley. He is off contract and would come fairly cheaply I would think. I know he's not the greatest, and justifiably copped a bit of flak on here when he last played for us, but you know what they say about 'desperate times'. To be honest, I'd rate him about the same as Opacic. Solid without being flashy.

Still lives in Brisbane too