Broncos release Hala and Kennedy

[Unbreakable]

While we're going around releasing people left right and centre.. I wonder if there's any elite level props that we could talk out of a contract for next season, might go have a look at some rosters and see if there's any Queensland based props who we could use.

 

[Unbreakable]

Dylan Napa, Sam Kasiano & Adam Blair are the ones that jump off the page at me, the ones off-contract at the end of 2015 anyway (Most likely to break current contract)

Napa (#1 Target) - Queensland boy, young, strong, talented.

Kasiano (#2 Target) - Grew up in Queensland, went to my high school, very overweight, but a good off-season under Corvo could fix that.

Blair (#3 Target) - Seasoned veteran, had a good bounce back season last year, still has a few years left in him, also went to my high school, wouldn't pay him more than $400k a season.

 

[CaptainHook]

Dylan Napa, Sam Kasiano & Adam Blair are the ones that jump off the page at me, the ones off-contract at the end of 2015 anyway (Most likely to break current contract)

Napa (#1 Target) - Queensland boy, young, strong, talented.

Kasiano (#2 Target) - Grew up in Queensland, went to my high school, very overweight, but a good off-season under Corvo could fix that.

Blair (#3 Target) - Seasoned veteran, had a good bounce back season last year, still has a few years left in him, also went to my high school, wouldn't pay him more than $400k a season.

I would love to have Kasiano at the Broncos.

 

[subsbligh]

Unfortunately, Kennedy will have a regular reminder of his time with us every time he looks at his pay slip

What, Broncos Leagues Club Pty Ltd?

 

[subsbligh]

Dylan Napa, Sam Kasiano & Adam Blair are the ones that jump off the page at me, the ones off-contract at the end of 2015 anyway (Most likely to break current contract)

Napa (#1 Target) - Queensland boy, young, strong, talented.

Kasiano (#2 Target) - Grew up in Queensland, went to my high school, very overweight, but a good off-season under Corvo could fix that.

Blair (#3 Target) - Seasoned veteran, had a good bounce back season last year, still has a few years left in him, also went to my high school, wouldn't pay him more than $400k a season.

Napa - tick.
Kasiano - meh would be another lazy Broncos graveyard job.
Blair... no way man. He's been terrible since he left the Storm. So lazy and disinterested. Another "Storm-overs" forward.

 

[Morkel]

Napa - tick.
Kasiano - meh would be another lazy Broncos graveyard job.
Blair... no way man. He's been terrible since he left the Storm. So lazy and disinterested. Another "Storm-overs" forward.

Call me crazy, but of all those Blair is my pick. Played most of last year at prop and being forced to work suited him.

 

[Porthoz]

Call me crazy, but of all those Blair is my pick. Played most of last year at prop and being forced to work suited him.

I'm pretty sure he played lock most of the year at the Tigpies... and he wasn't that good at it either.

Of the 3, I'd only want Napa.

 

[Morkel]

I'm pretty sure he played lock most of the year at the Tigpies... and he wasn't that good at it either.

Of the 3, I'd only want Napa.

Remember my opinion on second-level players playing in dominant packs?

 

[broncos4life]

Remember my opinion on second-level players playing in dominant packs?

Yep, I really think that Napa is getting massively over-rated. To be completely honest I have never seen anything in him to suggest he will even be a main stay first grader

 

[Big Pete]

Morkel, I was sort of with you when you made that comment about Aidan Guerra but in regards to Dylan Napa I don't see much truth in it.

Now, he does have to improve but let's remember too that he's only 22 years old in his second season. He's still adjusting to the demands and is already ahead of schedule. Defensively, he's one of the best props in the game and I've seen him sting plenty of forwards in his time. His work with the ball is solid but needs improvement and he'll get it.

194cm from the Broncos backyard.

I'd take him every day that ends in y over Blair.

 

[Morkel]

Morkel, I was sort of with you when you made that comment about Aidan Guerra but in regards to Dylan Napa I don't see much truth in it.

Now, he does have to improve but let's remember too that he's only 22 years old in his second season. He's still adjusting to the demands and is already ahead of schedule. Defensively, he's one of the best props in the game and I've seen him sting plenty of forwards in his time. His work with the ball is solid but needs improvement and he'll get it.

194cm from the Broncos backyard.

I'd take him every day that ends in y over Blair.

He may end up a keeper. But I wouldn't be gambling on him, put it that way, unless he came cheap (and there's that much hype about him that he won't be cheap). IMO Blair had a pretty good year last year. Not $550k worth of good, mind you, but he'd be safer than someone who's only ever filled in gaps for a dominant pack.

 

[Big Pete]

I don't see how.

A couple of spotty games here and there doesn't make a player, especially when they have the experience of an Adam Blair. Are you forgetting how terrible he has been since 2012?

He's supposed to be a forward leader at the Tigers but he's gone missing and outside of the odd big tackle, which is more often than not a cheap shot, he's the invisible man.

 

[Porthoz]

Yeah, I paid particular attention to Blair last season, due to having him in my SVRL team, and he was really below par again. His defensive work was average and his hit-ups well below his status. Like BP said, this has been happening since he left the Storm too...

Also agree with BP re Napa, who has been quite good for the chooks in his stints, has a good size on him, hits the line hard, and the opposition ball carrier even harder! For his age, he's certainly up there in my prop ranking.

Just on players going well in dominant packs...
While I partially agree with that theory, doesn't that make them good rep players too, as they will supposedly be playing alongside the cream of the crop, making it even easier for them?

 

[Morkel]

Yeah, I paid particular attention to Blair last season, due to having him in my SVRL team, and he was really below par again. His defensive work was average and his hit-ups well below his status. Like BP said, this has been happening since he left the Storm too...

Also agree with BP re Napa, who has been quite good for the chooks in his stints, has a good size on him, hits the line hard, and the opposition ball carrier even harder! For his age, he's certainly up there in my prop ranking.

Just on players going well in dominant packs...
While I partially agree with that theory, doesn't that make them good rep players too, as they will supposedly be playing alongside the cream of the crop, making it even easier for them?

Not necessarily. Because in club games, each team has a cap (cough cough). So there are always going to be imbalances in the talent and how it's spread across the park. That's why Pearce might look all shiny for the Rooters, but pathetic for NSW. For his club, he can spot and exploit the weaknesses easier, because they're easier to find. At rep level, there is no cap, so unless you're playing an understrength or minnow team, there aren't those obvious points of exploitation. That's why Thurston is just so far above everyone else. He can rip ANY team apart, find the smallest weaknesses on the best players. Same theory goes for Napa. For his club, the opposition might have distinct weaknesses in their pack, particularly since he comes on mostly when the opposition's reserves are also on. At rep level, even the bench players should be top notch, there's no cap, the best players will be there.

 

[Alec]

Napa reminds me of Nate Myles. Great defender, but a little soft when it comes to running.

Obviously Myles makes him look like a NSW player though.

 

[Splinter]

Not necessarily. Because in club games, each team has a cap (cough cough). So there are always going to be imbalances in the talent and how it's spread across the park. That's why Pearce might look all shiny for the Rooters, but pathetic for NSW. For his club, he can spot and exploit the weaknesses easier, because they're easier to find. At rep level, there is no cap, so unless you're playing an understrength or minnow team, there aren't those obvious points of exploitation. That's why Thurston is just so far above everyone else. He can rip ANY team apart, find the smallest weaknesses on the best players. Same theory goes for Napa. For his club, the opposition might have distinct weaknesses in their pack, particularly since he comes on mostly when the opposition's reserves are also on. At rep level, even the bench players should be top notch, there's no cap, the best players will be there.

Napa was the starting prop by the end of the season

 

[Porthoz]

I don't think that when it comes to this, you can compare forwards and playmakers as I said earlier. You normally don't require a forward to be a difference maker (unless his name is Sam Burgess), but you do from a half!

 

[Morkel]

I don't think that when it comes to this, you can compare forwards and playmakers as I said earlier. You normally don't require a forward to be a difference maker (unless his name is Sam Burgess), but you do from a half!

Yeah but you get the point. Like with Guerra, he looked great when Inglis was outside him, holding off the defence. If Jack Reed was outside him, Guerra wouldn't have made half the metres. It's not gamebreaking, but it's momentum, metres, and fast play-the-balls. All the things that your playmakers need to get on top and exploit chinks in the armour.

Napa was the starting prop by the end of the season

That had a lot to do with game plan and how to best use Moa.