Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2022

[BooKhaki]

Missing Hynes stings me more than any recent player we’ve lost

I think Hynes turns out to be a dud this year. He's definitely better than all of our options at 1 and 6, but I don't think he lives up to his price tag, and glad we didn't try and outbid Sharks. Lockyer was right when he questioned the value of a player leaving the Storm system, one of the very few things he's done well while on the board.

 

[theshed]

I think Hynes turns out to be a dud this year. He's definitely better than all of our options at 1 and 6, but I don't think he lives up to his price tag, and glad we didn't try and outbid Sharks. Lockyer was right when he questioned the value of a player leaving the Storm system, one of the very few things he's done well while on the board.

He’s already looking great (only trials i know). I think he’ll do great for the Sharks. Regardless, we waited too long to act. I think he was obviously a good buy well before we actually started making a play (at least publicly) - at which point he would’ve been a far cheaper signing potentially.

 

[BooKhaki]

He’s already looking great (only trials i know). I think he’ll do great for the Sharks. Regardless, we waited too long to act. I think he was obviously a good buy well before we actually started making players (at least publicly) - at which point he would’ve been a far cheaper signing potentially.

That's not how I remember it. I recall us making an offer, but it was about the 300k mark, and then the Sharks went ape shit with a huge offer and he took it up immediately. Could be way off, but that's how I think it happened.

 

[Bronco06]

I think we're okay in the forwards. But the spine has alarm bells all over it.

Ezra is promising, but unproven. Adam is sound, but slowing down. Tesi, Selwyn and Herbie are all highly talented but none have stated a case at fullback. One will probably leave. We haven't even seen Blake Mozer yet.

By the end of the season we'll be able to rewrite that paragraph, and how it reads will give us your answer. But even if Ezra and Blake work out famously, I reckon we might need another marquee spine signing or at least another kid on the way up.

i know it is hard to tell , but does anyone believe mozer might get a run towards the end of the season ?

 

[theshed]

That's not how I remember it. I recall us making an offer, but it was about the 300k mark, and then the Sharks went ape shit with a huge offer and he took it up immediately. Could be way off, but that's how I think it happened.

Yeah but we made that offer about 12 weeks after he was obviously a good buy. At least that’s what I was saying at the time but I could also fill a hard drive with all the bad player signings I’ve demanded over the years.

 

[Sproj]

i know it is hard to tell , but does anyone believe mozer might get a run towards the end of the season ?

It all really depends on his physical development, he's still quite young and quite small comparatively but yes, if he keeps his upward trajectory, I could see it very late in the year.

 

[theshed]

It all really depends on his physical development, he's still quite young and quite small comparatively but yes, if he keeps his upward trajectory, I could see it very late in the year.

I’d rather we didn’t.

 

[Sproj]

I’d rather we didn’t.

If it is very late in the season and one or two games, why not?

 

[Socnorb]

If it is very late in the season and one or two games, why not?

So prelim and grand finals?

 

[WASSHHH]

So prelim and grand finals?

As much as it pains me to say, it seems his only chance of that in 2022 is if he starts calling himself Blake Lively.

 

[Foordy]

I really wish we went for Hammer. Regardless, I think Niu is fine for now and he is still young enough to have a breakout year, I have a soft spot for the kid and just have a hunch he might well potentially end up being a lot better than he is given credit for so long as he has done a mountain of work on his defense.

I like the kid ...

But at times I've got Isaako vibes from him, especially when the opposition puts a grubber into our in goal and he takes an air swing at it instead of diving on the bloody ball.

I also at times think he tries the individual hero play too much rather than utilising his team mates, sometimes he pulls it off, but other times ...

 

[Sproj]

I like the kid ...

But at times I've got Isaako vibes from him, especially when the opposition puts a grubber into our in goal and he takes an air swing at it instead of diving on the bloody ball.

I also at times think he tries the individual hero play too much rather than utilising his team mates, sometimes he pulls it off, but other times ...

Oh I'm not ignorant, I'm well aware of his issues, I'm willing to give him the season though and if he doesn't improve, no problem replacing him.

 

[Galah]

I like the kid ...

But at times I've got Isaako vibes from him, especially when the opposition puts a grubber into our in goal and he takes an air swing at it instead of diving on the bloody ball.

I also at times think he tries the individual hero play too much rather than utilising his team mates, sometimes he pulls it off, but other times ...

Those things can be fixed surely, it looks to be a maturity thing to me. He has the tools to be a good fb.

 

[Sproj]

Those things can be fixed surely, it looks to be a maturity thing to me. He has the tools to be a good fb.

As we've seen with Isaako, sometimes those things sometimes remain even with maturity but I'm willing to at least give Niu a chance.

 

[HarryAllan7]

We do need more talent - especially in the spine (as many have pointed out), but I think the bigger issue is that we can't rely on big signings to come in and improve this team.

We need to improve the team as a whole - improve the systems, the structure we play with, the strategies the squad understands and implements effectively. Even good players look like rubbish in a team which lacks structure and cohesiveness, and on the flip side, average players not only look good but also develop into great players by being elevated by the play of those around them and the success of the team system.

We could sign Ponga tomorrow, but he cannot change the trajectory of this team alone. All 13 players on the field have to be doing their part and working together to guarantee success and while elite spine players may cover for a lot of deficiencies, there's others that they cannot.

The disparity in talent across the teams isn't nearly as big as many believe - it's about putting what talent you have in a position to succeed and creating an effective team system / dynamic. There's a reason the Storm and Roosters can pick up off-casts from other teams (Brenko Lee, Morris twins etc etc) and they look instantly better than previously - it's not that their squad has more talent, it's just they're putting their players in a position to use their talent to benefit the team.

I honestly believe we need a new coach who can achieve this far more desperately than we need any more marquee signings.

 

[Galah]

As we've seen with Isaako, sometimes those things sometimes remain even with maturity but I'm willing to at least give Niu a chance.

Oh yeah! But what is the kid 19-20? If he’s still doing it at the end of this season then that’s a decent sample size to start to question.

 

[BroncsFan]

I think we're okay in the forwards. But the spine has alarm bells all over it.

Ezra is promising, but unproven. Adam is sound, but slowing down. Tesi, Selwyn and Herbie are all highly talented but none have stated a case at fullback. One will probably leave. We haven't even seen Blake Mozer yet.

By the end of the season we'll be able to rewrite that paragraph, and how it reads will give us your answer. But even if Ezra and Blake work out famously, I reckon we might need another marquee spine signing or at least another kid on the way up.

Fullback still looks an issue.

The club need to decide if they go all in on Cobbo... and also if he wants it (I'm sure his manager does).... but it looks like he has a few issues to iron out. So do you do it in qcup (unlikely because we need him in NRL and he's no longer a hidden commodity we can leave down in reggies to develop), do you bite the bullet and live with several shit years whilst he develops in first grade OR hope to hell that he can somehow become an NRL quality fullback playing off the wing or center. Do any of those options actually look viable?? not really.

The only one you could argue is straight into first grade at fullback and hope for the best... but apparently "wE MusT MAkE FiNalS".


If not Cobbo then we should go all in on Walsh or Ponga.

Having either of them creates a link between Arey and the outside backs and can be the focal point of our attack, which we currently dont have in our spine.

Halfback becomes an issue in a few years and the club cant sit on their hands and hope for a solution.

If Ezra becomes a success we dont want to go down the Milf path and try to turn him into a halfback.

How you go about recruiting a 7 becomes tricky.

We cant shuffle Reynolds out in year 3 (he's now our captain) and we need attacking spark in the spine, but also might want Mam in the 6.

Pending how the rest of the spine pan out you could bring a junior straight in and he can be baby sat by the rest of the spine by 2025... Mam could have 2yrs by then, Mozer might be on the brink or Paix still there a few years in, and we may have a Walsh or Ponga taking on the attacking load.

If they sit on their hands we end up with no answers in the spine and then needing to buy some experience in the way of a marquee or stopgap to replace Reynolds.

 

[BroncsFan]

I really wish we went for Hammer. Regardless, I think Niu is fine for now and he is still young enough to have a breakout year, I have a soft spot for the kid and just have a hunch he might well potentially end up being a lot better than he is given credit for so long as he has done a mountain of work on his defense.

I'm still not sure why Drinkwater re-signed with them... I'd be giving him a tap on the shoulder to see if he's interested in either the 6 or 1.

I'm pretty sure he's even a left footer so would work on that left side with Reynolds on the right