Broncos Player Movements and Rumours 2013

[Big Pete]

My stance on Reed was always that he was a great pick up for 2011, I questioned his future and still do but for 2011 alone he was a fantastic purchase.

I didn't like our 2012 recruitment so the likes of Prince, Stagg etc. I was never really on board with. In saying that, we were never going to keep everybody and I was fine with losing Beale & Te'o at the time, especially given all the players we were able to re-sign. It was only when Gagai got his contract torn up I became concerned and feel like the club let themselves down by refusing to sign a replacement until all they could get their hands on was Kemp.

Don't mind losing Norman, will mind about losing Hunt if we do and hoping that we enter the player market.

That's where I'm leaving it.

 

[Porthoz]

Hindsight is always 20 20. Everyone on here was sold on Macca, he hasn't as yet lifted to that next level as expected. As far as halves we backed our up and coming youngsters who are still very young but look a shade below top class. Yes we do need a match winner but any recruitment program takes a few years when you commit to a certain course which doesn't turn out as anticipated. Then there is Kahu who had 2 serious injuries.
We had a plan, it didn't turn out now we have to get a new plan.

This, exactly this!

There were 3 players on the market that were genuinely worth going after in the last 2 years, and we talked to all of them:
- Greg Inglis, with whom we had a gentleman's agreement, until rusty and souffs shat on ethics and told him that planes don't fly in the rain.
- DCE, whom was sounded but was never going to leave Manly despite all the talk, which was purely aimed at improving Manly's offer.
- Thurston, under exactly the same circumstances as DCE.

This season:
- Soward? ROFL!
- Dugan... If only he had a semblance of a brain!
- Widdop would've been nice to replace Norman at fullback, but not at that ridiculous price, even under the new cap!
- Carney, probably will end up being no different to DCE or Thurston by all reports.
- Tomkins, superstar against the defenses in the European Super League, but unproven at NRL level... Is he worth the gamble, and can we (or are we willing to) compete against the Warriors money?

Players that left:
Beale? Handy player, but nothing to break the bank over.
Gagai? Had himself and no one else to blame.
Norman? Got the gig for a year and proved he doesn't cut it at 5/8, at least not yet. Too bad he's too stubborn to realise he could have a future as the Broncos fullback!
Hunt? If the Broncos have openly said they will be looking for a halve, it's because they clearly don't believe he can cut it... Can he prove them wrong? He hasn't shown more than a few glimpses here and there, but never when it really counted to get the gig in the halves, so I'll believe it when I see it...

The best hope we have is to use what we have, like a Kahu for example, and hope we unearth some new talent. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to explore the wealth of talent the Raiders have in the playmaker ranks...

That's the reality of the current market, and all the rest is absolute bullshit from people whom either have an agenda, or nothing better to do than bag the club!

 

[Bucking Beads]

Excuses,excuses. The club's recruitment has not been good enough over the last few years

 

[Broncoman]

MacTurd has always been ****.

He was the Broncos player of the year last year so he must've been doing something right.

 

[broncos4life]

MacTurd has always been ****.

Stop f***ing calling him that. Has some respect for our players FFS

 

[vertigo]

all the rest is absolute bull**** from people whom either have an agenda, or nothing better to do than bag the club!

 

[simmo77]

Players used to go to the cowboys when they were past it for one last retirement contract. Nowadays it seems like its Brisbanes turn (albeit ex broncos players). The fact that we cant lure a big name or even a semi good player that hasnt previously pulled on a Broncos jersey scares the shit out of me. I'm not throwing stones or saying the sky is falling but wtf are we doing??? I loved seeing petero back but was it necessary? Money well spent? Prince has proven that even at a bargain based price it was a bad decision. Whats wrong with giving hunt the gig for a year and if he dosent cut it then he goes? We gave norman a crack and he didnt do the job but hunt has seemingly been earmarked as "no future in the halves". Either that or hes fucked the wrong daughter of someone high up in the chain.

 

[Big Pete]

Excuses,excuses. The club's recruitment has not been good enough over the last few years

Last few?

Just one.

 

[Porthoz]

Excuses,excuses. The club's recruitment has not been good enough over the last few years

Really? So, what else could they have done, oh wise one?

 

[Coxy]

So let me get this straight. At the moment the Broncos for 2014 is:

Gains:
Nil

Losses:
Corey Norman.

Good job.

 

[broncos4life]

So let me get this straight. At the moment the Broncos for 2014 is:

Gains:
Nil

Losses:
Corey Norman.

Good job.

Maybe we are trying to be the first club ever to go into a new season with zero signings... That's of course if they can't convince Casey McGuire to make a comeback...

 

[Ari Gold]

Really? So, what else could they have done, oh wise one?

For one, and I cannot stress this enough, NOT release Gagai. Nobody has lost from that except us.

Also, not recruit Prince. Seriously, unless we win a premiership under Prince I don't see what his purpose is. Forces out the younger options and brings an okay but not outstanding set of skills for maybe 2 years. Then leaves and puts us in almost the same position as we were at the end of last year - only sans 1, maybe 2 of our best young halves.

It's incredibly ironic that for what feels too long we have focused only on our juniors, then seemingly force 2 out the door to sign a 33 year old has been. It's a mistake on so many levels.

 

[Foordy]

Honestly, i'm sick of this whole "the Broncos were stupid for releasing Gagai" thing.

he has absolutely no one to blame but himself ... and if he had stayed he most likely would still have the same lax attitude that prevented him from playing more NRL with us. IMO, he needed the kick up the ass to get his career on track. i am glad that he has been successful at the Knights.

but if you let young players get away with poor efforts at training or misbehaving, then others think that is ok. all thats going to do is bread a bad culture and we'll end up constantly fighting to avoid the wooden spoon

 

[Porthoz]

For one, and I cannot stress this enough, NOT release Gagai. Nobody has lost from that except us.

Also, not recruit Prince. Seriously, unless we win a premiership under Prince I don't see what his purpose is. Forces out the younger options and brings an okay but not outstanding set of skills for maybe 2 years. Then leaves and puts us in almost the same position as we were at the end of last year - only sans 1, maybe 2 of our best young halves.

It's incredibly ironic that for what feels too long we have focused only on our juniors, then seemingly force 2 out the door to sign a 33 year old has been. It's a mistake on so many levels.

Not releasing Gagai would've been the same as giving license to the rest of the players to run riot with discipline, and I cannot stress this enough, no player is worth that!
No one (except Big Dave) wanted Gagai more in the team than me, and I have the posts on this very forum to prove it, but nothing trumps discipline at a club, especially one with a culture like the Broncos. His repeated breaches cost him his chance, and I still fully support the stance the club took with him.
That's probably the best thing that happened to him, and he is now killing it at the Knights because of that, which ironically is what you're judging him on!

Are you talking about the younger options like Hunt and Norman?
The same Hunt who couldn't grab a spot in the halves in 3 consecutive years, even when competing against... Norman?
The same Norman, whom despite having a whole season to prove his claim at the 5/8 position, showed it doesn't have what it takes?
The same guys, who couldn't claim a place in the halves during the pre-season and trials when competing with this 33 year old with an okay set of skills?

Are you in other words saying that it would be okay to reward a guy who didn't give a shit about the rules with a spot in the team, and not recruit a 33 year old Australian and State of Origin halve at a bargain price, to give a chance to guys who didn't manage to make a dent in the halves regardless of how many chances they got, especially after a year like 2012?

Yeah, I can see all the levels where all of the above was a mistake...

 

[Bucking Beads]

Really? So, what else could they have done, oh wise one?

Being proactive instead if reactive would be a bloody good start. Actually attempt to make our squad better with smart recruitment. Target a player instead of just saying oh we are happy with what we've got.

Some people need to get real. We want to win premierships not just make the 8 every year

 

[Son Edo]

Such words of wizardry

 

[Bucking Beads]

Such words of wizardry

Not everyone follows their teams with blind faith.

 

[Alec]

Oh no, the sky is falling! JT, Carney & Widdop have all been signed. We'll probably see a backrow in the halves. Oh the humanity!

Seriously, this nonsense has to stop.

We've got this.

You've got to make up your mind. You yourself have said multiple times you don't rate Wallace or Prince. I don't actually think we'll see Gillett in the halves in 2015, it was a bitter joke, but we'll more than likely see Wallace and Prince in the halves next year. The decent off contract semi-proven or very promising halves next year (according to Zero Tackle) are Mullen, Shaun Johnson, Albert Kelly, Anthony Milford and Tyrone Roberts. Wallace and Prince are off contract too. You'd hope we'd go for at least one of them, or we really "don't got this".