Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2021

[Scorchie]

For those old enough, how does Dearden compare to Alfie in 88-89?

 

[Mister Wright]

For those old enough, how does Dearden compare to Alfie in 88-89?

Pretty sure Alf had a few seasons under his belt with the Jets and had already played Origin.

 

[FaithinHook]

Anyone know who our scouts are? Are they any good?

A Google search shows that Simon Scanlan is the Elite Player Development Manager, with Mick Kennedy and Brian Edwards employed as Recruitment staff.

I do know for a fact that the individual pictured below does have some involvement in recruitment and retention at the club. Sorry I don't have very good photoshop skills, so unfortunately I was not able to create a dunce hat to sit on his head.

 

[broncsgoat]

and to be fair to him he hasn't been performing bad at all, i just think a lot of people are quick to jump at the half if they aren't setting up 2-3 try's a game. throw any top half in our system right now and they would most likely struggle

Like Milford

 

[FaithinHook]

For those old enough, how does Dearden compare to Alfie in 88-89?

I am old enough unfortunately. I would say Alfie would be like a Rolls Royce Phantom and Dearden would be equivalent to a 1989 Hyundai Excel.

 

[McHunt]

Sarcasm's not a noted strength of yours mate....

It tells me we produce very talented footballers through our development pathways...

It also tells me they are seemingly better off in other systems than ours right now, with proper coaching, roster construction and a winning mentality, all of which no longer exists at Red Hill...

Pretty much what Walker said. The Broncos handled him poorly. The Roosters made him feel more like part of a family. Sigh.

 

[broncos4life]

For those old enough, how does Dearden compare to Alfie in 88-89?

The difference between Dearden and Alf would be roughly the same as the difference between me and the average NRL player. Totally different league.

 

[McHunt]

For those old enough, how does Dearden compare to Alfie in 88-89?

Pretty sure Alf had a few seasons under his belt with the Jets and had already played Origin.

Langer was 20 when he debuted for Brisbane. He'd already played two years of first grade under Tommy Raudonikis at the Jets. His halves partner, and mentor, at the Broncos was Wally Lewis, the greatest footballer of any code in history. It's not fair to even begin a comparison. Suffice to say, by the time I saw him play he was well and truly more the finished goods than Dearden.

FWIW, Langer didn't start out with much of a long kicking or passing game either, completely outclassed in that regard by his rival Ricky Stuart. But his short game was the best in the business. He also backed himself, opting to chip and regather, more often than most of us would've liked. It didn't usually come off, but the highlights reels will mislead you otherwise. It took him 5 years to win a premiership with the Broncos.

Meanwhile, Kevin Walters who was very much in Langer's and Lewis's shadows, and remained so until Langer retired, went on to win 5 premierships with the Broncos and is likely to be remembered as the most successful club half of all time.

 

[Jedhead]

I'm actually struggling to thing of a 6 running around thats a game manager in the NRL. Maloney was probably the last one i can think of that did it well alongside Cleary, maybe Keary as well last year.


Walker though has been developing in the Roosters system better than we have developed Dearden. I dont think Walker has the pressure on him Dearden does either because they are much better equipped than we are to carry a rookie half. They have the system in place to let him play his game, we are expecting Dearden to be the answer to out halfback issue. I think Tommy is yet another player being thrown to the Wolves.

Quite honestly, i'd actually rather see Kelly/Hunt, Milf and Croft as our half options for the year and let Dearden have a full year in ISC away from the NRL until we sort ourselves out as a club.

For that to happen we need Tommy to embrace the idea and come out and say something like 'Kevvie has my best interests at heart when he plays me in ISC and he is constantly watching and coaching my game. I know I will come back into first grade when Kevvie has the team ready and I'm ready for the team'. That's all it takes. It will release the pressure valve off of the ones that count and maybe, just maybe shut the screaming hordes up for at least a while.

 

[1910]

I'm actually struggling to thing of a 6 running around thats a game manager in the NRL. Maloney was probably the last one i can think of that did it well alongside Cleary, maybe Keary as well last year.


Walker though has been developing in the Roosters system better than we have developed Dearden. I dont think Walker has the pressure on him Dearden does either because they are much better equipped than we are to carry a rookie half. They have the system in place to let him play his game, we are expecting Dearden to be the answer to out halfback issue. I think Tommy is yet another player being thrown to the Wolves.

Quite honestly, i'd actually rather see Kelly/Hunt, Milf and Croft as our half options for the year and let Dearden have a full year in ISC away from the NRL until we sort ourselves out as a club.

Walker hasn't really developed at all, He went from Jets MM to a year off and three NSW Cup games into NRL. Walker isn't a great example of patient and development.

 

[1910]

For those old enough, how does Dearden compare to Alfie in 88-89?

Alf took until 1992 to be controlling a game. He had players at the Jets and Broncos that did it for him and he was just popping up everywhere doing whatever he wanted.

Alf was never timid thought he would pull the trigger as much as he wanted. Kicking from scrums or on the first for outside men like Langton.

Alf wasn't controlling game until 1992 and even then Kevvie was the controlling half.

 

[1910]

Pretty sure Alf had a few seasons under his belt with the Jets and had already played Origin.

Broke his leg in 1985 and played 33 games 1986-1987.

 

[Bongo]

Pretty sure Alf had a few seasons under his belt with the Jets and had already played Origin.

Alfie ahead.

 

[Allo]

For me, if you are playing 7, you steer the side around and manage the game basically. Yes, you need others to do their job but you are still the general. You get players like Smith who have done it from dummy half, but its usually the 7. I see that in Sam Walker, i dont see it yet in Dearden.

It all boils down to one thing really, and its starting to sound like a broken record from me, but its player development and knowing when to play them when they are ready. Clubs like the Storm and the Rorters generally play this kids after they have developed them in their systems and structures. Sometime they will throw them in here and there, but they will pull them back if they need it. All we have done for the last 2 years is play them before they are ready, throw them all in and hope they work, or panic and play them so they sign a contract if they look like leaving. We need to stay strong, even if we lose players, and develop players the way people like the Storm do. Long term, you get the benefits from it. We just need to stand our ground with players who want to hold us to ransom.

I completely agree with you Wolfie, and I’m playing a little ‘Broncos Advocate’ here and adopting their thinking of .. will any kid good enough have the patience to play 2 years of ISC to play for us or just take a better deal (money and/or position) elsewhere when they don’t get into first grade ASAP?

In a way I can’t blame this question playing on a lot of decisions they make, and I know that us being successful will make the prospect of players doing their time more palatable for them knowing they’ll come into a good team. I just hope the club has the fortitude to stick out the media and fan abuse to be able to do the right thing for us long term and hopefully the players can see that too.

I worry the money has become more important than success with the players though, but I can also understand that mindset as well.

Bit of a rock and hard place situation

 

[Wolfie]

Walker hasn't really developed at all, He went from Jets MM to a year off and three NSW Cup games into NRL. Walker isn't a great example of patient and development.

I dont believe though the roosters would have blooded him if their team was weaker. He may not have played much footy, but i'd guess hes been far better coached in their system than Dearden has in ours.

 

[McHunt]

I don't know if any of this is really news, but the brown bucket is emptying the notion that this is the week our halfback dreams come true. It's all about what Reynolds wants and how that might impact what Dearden does. On one hand Reynolds could groom Tommy to be the Next Big Thing. On other other Dearden might **** off to one of four other clubs offering him in excess of $350,000 a season. A figure that might raise a few eyebrows at this stage in his development. But the Cowboys are willing to pony up right now, and take him immediately should the Broncos agree. Meanwhile Reynolds is looking for a three year deal at $700,000 a season.

Reynolds‘ manager Steve Gillis:

“Adam is certainly open to a move to Queensland, but we need to get an offer first.”

Cowboys football-operations boss Michael Luck:

“Tom is in the discussions around what we are doing for a halves replacement for ‘Cliffo’ next year. Our job is to put an NRL roster together that can help our talented young guys.”

Dearden's manager, Sam Ayoub:

“The Cowboys aren‘t the only club interested in him, there’s quite a few, but they have definitely been persistent in their pursuit of Tom over the years. I‘m not going to discuss a mid-season transfer because I have an obligation to protect Tom. Tom is a loyal kid with country ethics and he is not the sort of a guy who would make an instant decision to walk out on a club … unless he wasn‘t wanted.”

McHunt

 

[Painin the Haas]

I know Mcguire is full on but he is everything this team needs right now and we are letting just go to St. George

 

[theshed]

I don't know if any of this is really news, but the brown bucket is emptying the notion that this is the week our halfback dreams come true. It's all about what Reynolds wants and how that might impact what Dearden does. On one hand Reynolds could groom Tommy to be the Next Big Thing. On other other Dearden might **** off to one of four other clubs offering him in excess of $350,000 a season. A figure that might raise a few eyebrows at this stage in his development. But the Cowboys are willing to pony up right now, and take him immediately should the Broncos agree. Meanwhile Reynolds is looking for a three year deal at $700,000 a season.

Reynolds‘ manager Steve Gillis:

“Adam is certainly open to a move to Queensland, but we need to get an offer first.”

Cowboys football-operations boss Michael Luck:

“Tom is in the discussions around what we are doing for a halves replacement for ‘Cliffo’ next year. Our job is to put an NRL roster together that can help our talented young guys.”

Dearden's manager, Sam Ayoub:

“The Cowboys aren‘t the only club interested in him, there’s quite a few, but they have definitely been persistent in their pursuit of Tom over the years. I‘m not going to discuss a mid-season transfer because I have an obligation to protect Tom. Tom is a loyal kid with country ethics and he is not the sort of a guy who would make an instant decision to walk out on a club … unless he wasn‘t wanted.”

McHunt

Dearden and Reynolds on <350 and 700 k respectively is a pretty sweet result