Broncos Player Movements and Rumours 2013

[Big Dave]

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...

The coach never really believed in his talent. If Beale resigned last year Dane wouldn't even been offered another contract.
The same thing is happening with Hunt. The coach doesn't believe he has the talent to play halfback.
Mitchell Frei same story.
Beale left and now Norman is leaving cause they both feel like they were playing out of position.
Hunt wants to leave cause he wants an opportunity to play halfback.
It gets back to the coach. I don't think he can develop talent.

Which one of our youngsters has actually improved under the coach?

Gagai - Left for a better opportunity
Beale - see above
Frei - see above
MacTurd - same ol shit.
Hunt - Stuck playing in his least favourite position, reverse cowboy
Baptiste - rotting away in QLD Cup
Hoffman - He played his best footy under Handjob Henjak
Reed - Up and down
Gillett - see above
Copley - Hasn't kicked on from the 20s
Norman - A bit of precum here and there, no ejaculation
Lui - See Copley
Glenn - Consisently solid every week.
Macguire - see above
Yow Yeh - has improved

 

[broncos4life]

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

I wish you would realise that the broncos don't tell media s***. Why does everyone think just cos they say they are happy with what they got, means they are.

Do you really expect (or want) them to come out and say "yeah we are not happy with the current squad and have no faith in them to bring us a premiership, and are doing everything we can to bring in replacements"

 

[broncos4life]

Not everyone follows their teams with blind faith.

By the same token, not everyone is so chicken little about their teams.

 

[Big Pete]

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".

My mind is made up, I'm not a fan of Prince and want Hunt to be given a go asap but those 'bitter jokes' are old and add nothing. Show some patience and faith. The amount of people who threw their toys when Widdop signed elsewhere was embarrassing.

**** Mullen, seriously some fans are way too caught up in the 'grass is always greener' bs. Some of the suggestions I've seen here and elsewhere are eye roll educing.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I wish you would realise that the broncos don't tell media s***. Why does everyone think just cos they say they are happy with what they got, means they are.

Do you really expect (or want) them to come out and say "yeah we are not happy with the current squad and have no faith in them to bring us a premiership, and are doing everything we can to bring in replacements"

The proof is in the pudding champ. Our recruitment has been a cluster ****. Everyother club is making their team better and signing players while we are not.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I am not saying we need to make 10 signings but we do need a good half and fullback. Heard an interview with Hook this morning. He talked about being patient and being measured and making sure any signings are the best for the future of the club. Yet he plays Prince at the start of the year.

 

[Big Pete]

I didn't have a problem with Hook starting with Prince. 33 year old Prince right now offers more than Norman and Hunt and the move allowed Norman to build confidence as a fullback. I've been outspoken that Hunt should play in the halves at QCup level but there remains this perception that it'd be considered a demotion and that playing first grade in any position is better.

I believe it's clear that Prince isn't getting any better and that if Linnett found support I'd have a lot more support because we'd be on the losing side but it remains that I'm in the minority on that.

Recruiting is tough. This isn't fantasy football where you just pick a player who you thought showed some promise and cut him when it turns out he's a total nuffy - you have to be secure with your investment.

 

[Dexter]

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

Dugan and Carney are living proof.

 

[Alec]

My mind is made up, I'm not a fan of Prince and want Hunt to be given a go asap but those 'bitter jokes' are old and add nothing. Show some patience and faith. The amount of people who threw their toys when Widdop signed elsewhere was embarrassing.

**** Mullen, seriously some fans are way too caught up in the 'grass is always greener' bs. Some of the suggestions I've seen here and elsewhere are eye roll educing.

A player isn't going to just magically pop out of thin air. I can be patient if I knew the Broncos were actively looking for someone, but the recent articles about us not looking for anyone, and the staff denying going after just about every rumoured player doesn't exactly build up my faith in our recruitment.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Fair point Pete. I thunk the clubs perceived attitude towards recruitment has influenced a lot if peoples opinion in the matter. Recruitment isnt easy but we should be doing better in the area imo

 

[Big Pete]

And there are plenty of players still available.

Not instant superstars like GI but those of considerable potential which with the right structures (like ours) will be a force.

We've still got a great culture here. Sometimes, fans lose sight of that and want to go with the quick fixes.

 

[Big Pete]

For whatever reason my edit doesn't seem to be popping up.

If the Broncos public stance to recruitment is true then I'm there right with you guys because I believe we do have a shortage of quality personnel that requires outsourcing. However, if I was in Gee and Hook's position, I'd make sure that the journos were just about the last people to find out about our plans.

 

[Mister Wright]

This year and the next few years are going to be the hardest to recruit in recent memory. Salary caps are increasing and a lot of players are locked into long term deals. Where clubs wouldn't have been able to afford to keep a current player because they couldn't afford it due to a restricted cap, they now can offer that player a little more. In about 4 years time when these deals are coming to an end and there are no further rises in the cap is when we'll start seeing it level out again.

If there wasn't a rise in the cap for next season I'm sure we would have got Widdop, but St. George could afford a little bit more. We obviouly had a figure in mind and weren't willing to go beyond that and St. George trumped it.

It's going to be tough to get new talent to the team, but on the plus side, if in the next year or two our youngsters do begin to show a lot of promise we should be able to keep them instead of them going elsewhere.

 

[Porthoz]

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

Blah, blah, blah...

How about you give some concrete examples of players we should've targeted and didn't?
Besides, there is a difference between what is told to the press and what actually happens... you do understand that, right?

 

[Bucking Beads]

Blah, blah, blah...

How about you give some concrete examples of players we should've targeted and didn't?
Besides, there is a difference between what is told to the press and what actually happens... you do understand that, right?

I could name every player under the sun. Once again you are blindly backing the club even when their recruitment has been poor. Blah blah blah why don't you show me some concrete examples where our recruitment hasn't been poor?

 

[tkday]

Haha, you're an idiot BB, no disrespect or anything. But I like the fact that we haven't taken those players who went to other clubs (Widdop etc.) because they were asking too much for what they were worth. I'm with Mr Wright, if we can't find someone then it's better off we hold until there is someone to sign. Glad we didn't pay overs for any of the players up for grabs, they aren't worth it.

 

[Porthoz]

I could name every player under the sun. Once again you are blindly backing the club even when their recruitment has been poor. Blah blah blah why don't you show me some concrete examples where our recruitment hasn't been poor?

I did!
You on the other hand... Could name every player under the sun. :loool:
Talk about a cop out. B4L couldn't have said it better: Chicken Little Syndrome

 

[Big Dave]

The whole journalists should be the last to know is just bullshit to cover up the fact we aren't out there targeting awesome young talent.