Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2021

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upthebroncs

upthebroncs

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Mum-the-meatloaf

Mum-the-meatloaf

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Dec 6, 2019
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Not many available. I'd have been looking at Drinkwater for fullback like he was being groomed to play at the Storm. Think he wants to play 6 now though.
What's your thoughts on a players capacity to learn ball playing. Or do you think there needs to be a natural talent that is nurtured?

For mine, as long as we pick and stick for an extended period, someone like Herbie could work on their weaknesses to become quite well balanced.
 
Mum-the-meatloaf

Mum-the-meatloaf

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He could be good enough to deserve a chance though.
I know nothing of the bloke, but the question isn't could he be good enough to deserve a chance. Its is he better than all other options that could fill a spot in the 30.

We have finite resources and allocations that need to be managed according.

If everyone who's good enough to deserve a shot filled spots, we'd end up missing something.

Notwithstanding the above, he may well deserve a shot in the 30.
 
Wolfie

Wolfie

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Jan 14, 2015
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What's your thoughts on a players capacity to learn ball playing. Or do you think there needs to be a natural talent that is nurtured?

For mine, as long as we pick and stick for an extended period, someone like Herbie could work on their weaknesses to become quite well balanced.
Difficult to say. Some players just don't have it but others can learn to be better ball players.
 
Wolfie

Wolfie

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He could be good enough to deserve a chance though.
I think his time has gone tbh. He had already been in our system. He strikes me as a player like Marmin Barba who thrived in ISC for the Jets but didn't really have what it takes to play NRL. I can think of heaps of players like that who are good ISC player but not NRL players, Cullen, Page, Reuben, Anderson, Cleveland etc.
 
Xzei

Xzei

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I think his time has gone tbh. He had already been in our system. He strikes me as a player like Marmin Barba who thrived in ISC for the Jets but didn't really have what it takes to play NRL. I can think of heaps of players like that who are good ISC player but not NRL players, Cullen, Page, Reuben, Anderson, Cleveland etc.
Always wondered what happened to carlin anderson,seemed to have fallen of the face of the earth.
 
Allo

Allo

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Always wondered what happened to carlin anderson,seemed to have fallen of the face of the earth.

Iirc he was right on the cusp of a debut with us and then broke his jaw in ISC

I think he’s done it again since that time at the Jets/Cows/Blackhawks
 
BroncsFan

BroncsFan

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What's your thoughts on a players capacity to learn ball playing. Or do you think there needs to be a natural talent that is nurtured?

For mine, as long as we pick and stick for an extended period, someone like Herbie could work on their weaknesses to become quite well balanced.
@Wolfie will have a better answer than me, but I think a ball player needs to have it naturally rather than being able to learn it.

I think you can teach ball playing to an extent, but it would be all about teaching structures and game situations so when it happens in front of them they recognise what to do... finishing a 3v2, putting a grubber through, dropping a short ball to the 2nd rower, etc. but I don't think you can teach a guy to instantly pick out the right play when they have 3/4 options outside them and the defensive line rushing up on them. You only have a split second to read the defence, pick the play and then be able to execute it (needing a bullet pass for cut out balls, etc.).

You look at the great ball players like Lockyer, Johns, etc. and they can look at the line and pick the play whether it's pass long or short, run or kick. Cody Walker is just everywhere and finds the right play and has been throwing 30m cut out balls straight across the face of his players this year. Part time fullbacks who are just naturally skilled footy players like Latrell, Inglis and Hodgo just pick the right play. Even a young guy like Walsh is clearly skilled with his ball playing, albeit erratic at times... but he's shown more in a handful of games than Isaako has across seasons.

But then you think of a guy like Cronk... I don't think anyone would consider Cronk a natural ball player; however he is able to recognize weaknesses or lapses in the defensive line and communicates and executes simpler plays to take advantage. I would say Slater falls into that as well with his ball playing as I would never consider him to be a natural ball player.

So in that respect I think you can teach some ball playing, but I think it will be limited as you will lose that natural vision to instantly recognise what the correct play and the ability to then be able to execute it.

I'd say Cronk looked at the defensive line and went into a play with an idea in his head for his plan A, but also knowing his plan B and C based on what the defensive line does... but Cronk was the best example of a manufactured ball player there is and I'd say there were question marks at times about whether he had another gear when the Plan A game plan wasn't working.

Then there are other guys who only have a Plan A or B on any given play... or sometimes they just go through with Plan A even if it's not on. Think Val, A Johnston, etc. when they're coming off the sweep. If they don't have the 3vs2 on a platter they end up running sideways, stopping and propping back infield or just throwing a poor cutout pass to a covered winger or the first row of the grandstand ... even Billy used to throw it into the first row of the grandstand until the storm structures were finally embedded into his brain.
 
I bleed Maroon

I bleed Maroon

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Always wondered what happened to carlin anderson,seemed to have fallen of the face of the earth.

Have you ever wondered what became of Aaron Whitchurch?

No? Well there's your answer.
 
Xzei

Xzei

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Iirc he was right on the cusp of a debut with us and then broke his jaw in ISC

I think he’s done it again since that time at the Jets/Cows/Blackhawks
Cheers,i remember the jaw but nothing beyond that.
 
NSW stables

NSW stables

NRL Player
May 3, 2019
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@Wolfie will have a better answer than me, but I think a ball player needs to have it naturally rather than being able to learn it.

I think you can teach ball playing to an extent, but it would be all about teaching structures and game situations so when it happens in front of them they recognise what to do... finishing a 3v2, putting a grubber through, dropping a short ball to the 2nd rower, etc. but I don't think you can teach a guy to instantly pick out the right play when they have 3/4 options outside them and the defensive line rushing up on them. You only have a split second to read the defence, pick the play and then be able to execute it (needing a bullet pass for cut out balls, etc.).

You look at the great ball players like Lockyer, Johns, etc. and they can look at the line and pick the play whether it's pass long or short, run or kick. Cody Walker is just everywhere and finds the right play and has been throwing 30m cut out balls straight across the face of his players this year. Part time fullbacks who are just naturally skilled footy players like Latrell, Inglis and Hodgo just pick the right play. Even a young guy like Walsh is clearly skilled with his ball playing, albeit erratic at times... but he's shown more in a handful of games than Isaako has across seasons.

But then you think of a guy like Cronk... I don't think anyone would consider Cronk a natural ball player; however he is able to recognize weaknesses or lapses in the defensive line and communicates and executes simpler plays to take advantage. I would say Slater falls into that as well with his ball playing as I would never consider him to be a natural ball player.

So in that respect I think you can teach some ball playing, but I think it will be limited as you will lose that natural vision to instantly recognise what the correct play and the ability to then be able to execute it.

I'd say Cronk looked at the defensive line and went into a play with an idea in his head for his plan A, but also knowing his plan B and C based on what the defensive line does... but Cronk was the best example of a manufactured ball player there is and I'd say there were question marks at times about whether he had another gear when the Plan A game plan wasn't working.

Then there are other guys who only have a Plan A or B on any given play... or sometimes they just go through with Plan A even if it's not on. Think Val, A Johnston, etc. when they're coming off the sweep. If they don't have the 3vs2 on a platter they end up running sideways, stopping and propping back infield or just throwing a poor cutout pass to a covered winger or the first row of the grandstand ... even Billy used to throw it into the first row of the grandstand until the storm structures were finally embedded into his brain.
Slater, tedesco, RTS, papenhuyzen etc. were not what you would call traditional ball players, but worked on it hard and developed reasonable skills sufficient for a fullback.

They may not be able to "create" a hole but can finish off the movement/play.
 
Gaz

Gaz

NRL Captain
Contributor
Oct 7, 2017
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@Wolfie will have a better answer than me, but I think a ball player needs to have it naturally rather than being able to learn it.

I think you can teach ball playing to an extent, but it would be all about teaching structures and game situations so when it happens in front of them they recognise what to do... finishing a 3v2, putting a grubber through, dropping a short ball to the 2nd rower, etc. but I don't think you can teach a guy to instantly pick out the right play when they have 3/4 options outside them and the defensive line rushing up on them. You only have a split second to read the defence, pick the play and then be able to execute it (needing a bullet pass for cut out balls, etc.).

You look at the great ball players like Lockyer, Johns, etc. and they can look at the line and pick the play whether it's pass long or short, run or kick. Cody Walker is just everywhere and finds the right play and has been throwing 30m cut out balls straight across the face of his players this year. Part time fullbacks who are just naturally skilled footy players like Latrell, Inglis and Hodgo just pick the right play. Even a young guy like Walsh is clearly skilled with his ball playing, albeit erratic at times... but he's shown more in a handful of games than Isaako has across seasons.

But then you think of a guy like Cronk... I don't think anyone would consider Cronk a natural ball player; however he is able to recognize weaknesses or lapses in the defensive line and communicates and executes simpler plays to take advantage. I would say Slater falls into that as well with his ball playing as I would never consider him to be a natural ball player.

So in that respect I think you can teach some ball playing, but I think it will be limited as you will lose that natural vision to instantly recognise what the correct play and the ability to then be able to execute it.

I'd say Cronk looked at the defensive line and went into a play with an idea in his head for his plan A, but also knowing his plan B and C based on what the defensive line does... but Cronk was the best example of a manufactured ball player there is and I'd say there were question marks at times about whether he had another gear when the Plan A game plan wasn't working.

Then there are other guys who only have a Plan A or B on any given play... or sometimes they just go through with Plan A even if it's not on. Think Val, A Johnston, etc. when they're coming off the sweep. If they don't have the 3vs2 on a platter they end up running sideways, stopping and propping back infield or just throwing a poor cutout pass to a covered winger or the first row of the grandstand ... even Billy used to throw it into the first row of the grandstand until the storm structures were finally embedded into his brain.
How true. I’ve said this before, that they used to say halfbacks were born not bred, then Cooper Kronk came along.
Still a bit of truth in the saying although Cooper was largely a one off with a special talent.
I feel he would be a reliable coach as well if he wanted to go that way.
 
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