RANT Broncos Realistic Spine options for the Next year or so

[theshed]

Here's my take on Isaako. He has a lot of talent and very good skills however, my problem with his play is the he believes his own hype. Self portraits are usually coloured. Rather than helping the team as his absolute 1st priority, for mine, he instead helps himself - to show off. That try he scored with his amazing stepping against the Dogs was for mine, all ego. The better option was to look inside and pass to Herbie who was unmarked, and would have strolled in under the posts. This was the safest option. Isaako did not look to his inside. He saw an opportunity to show off his very good footwork. His ego came first, the team second.

Then, when he is put under serious pressure, he panics and either doesn't pass, kicks stupid or just takes a tackle when other options would have been better.

Because of this ego, which for mine is an example of the self entitlement a number of our players have, he just doesn't put in where it counts, like organising the defence on the line. He may have footy smarts but he doesn't show them. Because of this, I wonder if he is, at this stage, able to be coached. Coached to always look to support Haas as Paps and Teddy support their running forwards, or standing up or to the sides of a scrum ready to run an angle say, changing the point of attack, as Paps does so well.

I would have expected by now that he would have moved a lot further in his growth as a player than he has. He is for mine a very good player who could become so much better if he put himself second, and the team first.

As for Reynolds, absolutely. He is what we haven't had for as long as I can remember - an organising, game managing half back. I think a combination of Reynolds and Milford would be killer.

Lastly, again at this stage as I see it, we don't need a hooker to support Turps, We need a hooker who Turps can support, off the bench. If only we could lure Harry Grant here.

Good points. Completely agree. I wonder if it’s a viscous cycle to an extent. The team is playing so bad that the players get selfish and have an attitude of “the team sucks but at least I looked good”, or there’s a distrust of toward their team mates to not blow it (a la Croft). This then results in everyone playing for themselves and the team being worse which adds to the original attitude of doing it all yourself

 

[Hoof Hearted]

I have this feeling Kevvie has his own son in mind to be in the halves next year. He is letting all the other contenders have their chance this year to beat the Nepotism charge. After all it’s working for Penrith.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

I have this feeling Kevvie has his own son in mind to be in the halves next year. He is letting all the other contenders have their chance this year to beat the Nepotism charge. After all it’s working for Penrith.

Billy Walters isn't Nathan Cleary.

 

[FaithinHook]

I have this feeling Kevvie has his own son in mind to be in the halves next year. He is letting all the other contenders have their chance this year to beat the Nepotism charge. After all it’s working for Penrith.

He would most likely be better than our 2 current sloths masquerading as halves. I really think Billy would do well as a number 9 though. Would be happy to see him replace Turpin next year or come in as a number 14.

 

[Hoof Hearted]

Billy Walters isn't Nathan Cleary.

Really?

 

[broncos4life]

Yeah cause he's been shit for years definitely need to get rid of him , but we should keep Turpin he's amazing

Sorry I didn’t realise Reynolds was a hooker...

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Really?

Yeah really. B Walters isn't fit to carry Cleary's training bag

 

[jamesqld]

For 2021:
Immediately I would bring in Karmichael Hunt and start experimenting with him at centre, 5/8 and utility (Like Benji) at training.

I would see if Widdop wants to join us immediately on a budget contract with an option in the clubs favor for 2022 if he plays well and stays injury free. Realistically this year would be unlikely unless Croft or Milf would be interested in a swap.

For 2022:
7 is main priority. Then a 9. This would be the my goal if we could free up the cap space.
1. Isaako
6. Dearden
7. Reynolds/Johnson
9. Smith/Clark
14. Turpin
*KHunt/Widdop possibly in there somewhere if they come in 2021 and go alright. Unlikely though...

Realistically we will probably only be able to afford one marquee player and I have a feeling Smith will probably stay at Melb for 2022. And I don't know alot about Clark other than him being highly rated.

Alternatively, a cheaper option would be
9. Turpin
14. Mann/Cotter/Watson/Starling/Paix/Walters/KHunt
Realistically it will probably be 14. Walters/Paix.

I would also be interested in Drinkwater at fullback if we didn't spend much on a utility like Walters.

Leave Herbie & Staggs at centre for now. They are so destructive there. Imagine how much better they will look with a competent half. Theres plenty of time left in their career to move them to 1 or 6 later down the track.

 

[theshed]

I’ve said it a few times but I would look at aiming for the following

1. Hynes/Holmes (on subsidised contract)
2. Isaako
3. Farnworth
4. Staggs
5. Coates
6. Dearden
7. Reynolds
9. Turpin
14. Walters/Hetherington/Clarke/anyone who can help limit Turpin to ~ 55 minutes

 

[rnabokov]

Good points. Completely agree. I wonder if it’s a viscous cycle to an extent. The team is playing so bad that the players get selfish and have an attitude of “the team sucks but at least I looked good”, or there’s a distrust of toward their team mates to not blow it (a la Croft). This then results in everyone playing for themselves and the team being worse which adds to the original attitude of doing it all yourself

Well, I suppose it is a vicious cycle, and definitely our spine play is as viscous as treacle

For this year, all that WAlters can do is settle on a half and keep coaching the boys until they see the light.

 

[Hoof Hearted]

Yeah really. B Walters isn't fit to carry Cleary's training bag

Hmmmm sounds to me like you need to change your name to I Bleed Blue.. ha ha . Cleary is a one trick pony who dummies and runs. On the other hand what Billy has can’t be taught. Not even by the great one,Terry Creedy.

 

[007]

I will bet everything staggs will be a disaster at 6. Happy to eat humble pie if i am wrong.

 

[Dazza 92]

Reynolds is available, Hynes its just a matter of time before Storm are fully healthy and his bench fodder at best...

Sometimes, it isnt very hard to work out what you do next.

Reynolds would "bring" other players to play alongside him....or at least he should, top 5 half in the game right now.

I saw a equally shite team win their first game of the season via a 1 point field goal from their halfback.

They dont win without him; you need a good halfback...

 

[Waynesaurus]

I will bet everything staggs will be a disaster at 6. Happy to eat humble pie if i am wrong.

He could be ok but he wont be a ball playing half, he'll run hard and dig into/push through the line with his strength or offload and will create space that way for other guys, with a quality kicker like Reynolds (or Widdop) at 7, it could very well work.

Deardons a long way from ready, we are going to need an experienced half beside Staggs, I'm not sure we can wait another 2+ year for Deardon to grow into the 7 we need.

 

[rnabokov]

He could be ok but he wont be a ball playing half, he'll run hard and dig into/push through the line with his strength or offload and will create space that way for other guys, with a quality kicker like Reynolds (or Widdop) at 7, it could very well work.

Deardons a long way from ready, we are going to need an experienced half beside Staggs, I'm not sure we can wait another 2+ year for Deardon to grow into the 7 we need.

I haven't seen Staggs show anywhere near the footie smarts needed to play 5/8. He is a strike centre, a weapon out there. He should stay exactly where he is.

 

[Allo]

I haven't seen Staggs show anywhere near the footie smarts needed to play 5/8. He is a strike centre, a weapon out there. He should stay exactly where he is.

Is it possible because he hasn't needed to? Your centre shouldn't be playing like a 5/8

 

[broncsgoat]

I will bet everything staggs will be a disaster at 6. Happy to eat humble pie if i am wrong.

I don’t see it either.

Just because Wighton did it doesn’t mean we need to replicate it.

 

[Alec]

Wighton had all the tools around him to do his business in the halves - experienced halfbacks, gun hooker and fullback.
Staggs would have Turpin, still developing Dearden and Isaako or whatever.