Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2022

[Fozz]

Karl Oloapu

 

[theshed]

I did do my highlights reel check and he did not look like Cobbo to me.

I was just joking.

I said before but he kind of reminds me of Schuster. Big hard running skilful player.

 

[nopatience101]

I think Gray’s size probably played a part too, he’s very small.

 

[Alec]

I think Gray’s size probably played a part too, he’s very small.

If this is the reason, he'll probably turn out to be a megastar. Broncos have a bit of a shitty track record with not securing small players who turn out to be guns.

 

[Bull Shark]

Souths offered an NRL deal for next year, Broncos not prepared to match it so let him go with their blessing. He will go down to Sydney when he finishes school.

Oloapu and Mam are the future.

Do you rate Oloapu ahead of Gray ?

 

[ivanhungryjak]

If this is the reason, he'll probably turn out to be a megastar. Broncos have a bit of a shitty track record with not securing small players who turn out to be guns.

Badel has already written and tucked the “Broncos said I was too small” story away for when he plays his first game against us.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Badel has already written and tucked the “Broncos said I was too small” story away for when he plays his first game against us.

As he lines up against his gigantic opposite the broncos backed: Ezra mam, whilst zeus-sized ex broncos captain and halfback for 15 years Alfie runs the waters passed him and the huge tesi niu waves from the extended squad bench....

 

[1910]

Do you rate Oloapu ahead of Gray ?

Not ahead no, they are very different players. Gray is fast and smart. He had a wonderful MM season this year coming off an injury riddled one last year. Was great with Mozer this year and they were both smart enough not to get in each other's way.

His organising ability look no further than the set that won Souths the MM semi final against Norths- from the 20m tap 80m to score and win- he organisers the whole set to get them in good ball and score in the corner.

He's not small at all. He's very robust.

Round one in pouring rain he scores twice doing the exact same thing- once he spotted a weakness he just nailed it twice and Tweed are left scratching their head.

Karl had a good year and started well but faded a bit in the middle, his best game was against Easts- he got two tries and Hinchey and Te Kura ran off him beautifully. That's his big improvement this season he was working really well with his outside men and throwing beautiful passes.

Hinchey had a break out year and I think it's largely due to Karl.

Last night for Wavell Karl showed how much his passing has improved beautiful pass for a try for his winger in the first three minutes- he wasn't doing that in CC last year. Then a nice shoulder ball for his centre to make a break and then when he got sick of that he wildly signals for players to run off him and then just dummies and takes off himself at 45 degrees to score.

For the Broncos it's not really a case of which one is better it's just that Gray got an offer and they couldn't match it today. It's not that they think Gray isn't going to play NRL or can't play NRL or Karl is better but they had to make a call right now.

 

[ZTop]

The sad part about grey leaving is his connection with mozer.

 

[McHunt]

The sad part about grey leaving is his connection with mozer.

Mozer has been training with the Renegades all season. He probably has even more of a connection with Ezra.

 

[1910]

The sad part about grey leaving is his connection with mozer.

I agree I said that during the year, they have only played together 10 times together but had an unbelievable sense of each other this year. Gray was great at reading Mozer and his little duck and weave movements and then positioning himself knowing where Mozer was going to come out the other side.

That's a large part of Gray's smarts he reads people and comes up exactly where he thinks it's going to end- he got tries this year from offloads and moving to where the end result will be.

I would have them as the Queensland half and hooker just for that combination.

 

[1910]

I think if Gray is named at half for Queensland like I suspect then the Bunnies will be very happy next week after they watch him play for Queensland. Depending what the QRL do with the over-age player of course.

 

[Jedhead]

I'm still baffled as to why Broncos would not have at least retained him in our stable for at least another season to see how he progressed in upper grades. It's not like they are limited for space is it?

 

[Alec]

Im sure the Broncos have a plan for who is next in line to play halfback. It could end up happening sooner than later too if Reynolds keeps getting injured, so they need to be working hard at it.

 

[McHunt]

I'm still baffled as to why Broncos would not have at least retained him in our stable for at least another season to see how he progressed in upper grades. It's not like they are limited for space is it?

Depends who gets re-signed. Spine players are generally pretty fragile. They almost always miss a few games each season so you do need good backup. You also need experience there in backup, especially when you're relying an old dog like Reynolds who is likely to miss half the games. You don't really need a young tyke in reserves unless you've earmarked him as your future - like Mam and Mozer. It's also where you need to spend the most money if you have designs on a premiership. We're not currently doing that so there's not a lot of pressure to bring in another tyke to babysit through the grades. We will need to replace Reynolds at some point, so he will need a seriously hotshit apprentice or an experienced replacement of Munster class.

Expected spine this time next year:

1. Cobbo
6. Mam
7. Reynolds
9. Walters (off contract)
14. Mozer

RESERVES
Contracted
Gamble: half
Paix: hooker, half
Niu: fullback

Off Contract
Walters: hooker, half
Martin: fullback, half
Mead: fullback
Kelly: half
Roberts: half

 

[1910]

I'm still baffled as to why Broncos would not have at least retained him in our stable for at least another season to see how he progressed in upper grades. It's not like they are limited for space is it?

Because it would have cost him the Souths' deal.

 

[NSW stables]

I agree I said that during the year, they have only played together 10 times together but had an unbelievable sense of each other this year. Gray was great at reading Mozer and his little duck and weave movements and then positioning himself knowing where Mozer was going to come out the other side.

That's a large part of Gray's smarts he reads people and comes up exactly where he thinks it's going to end- he got tries this year from offloads and moving to where the end result will be.

I would have them as the Queensland half and hooker just for that combination.

The disappointing thing is losing a "smart" player.

Big and/or athletic ball runners are a dime a dozen. It is smart players with good ball skills and kicking games that are a rarity and you would like to hold on to.

However as I said previously, even if it is a two or three year deal, he would be available again when he is 21 or so, and is still young. We can see whether he is worth investing in then.

 

[Big Pete]

Moreover, Brisbane wasn't willing to match the Rabbitohs deal. Now I'm not sure what the terms were but let's say it's a development deal for '23 followed by an NRL deal by '24 you've got to be sure you have the right balance for it. Mam has made a strong start, but the Broncos are accounting for bumps in the road and will not fill their roster with young kids in key positions.

I'm sure if South Sydney didn't come to the table they'd offer him that development deal and take it from there. However, when you start talking NRL deals on pretty decent money, enough to make it worth a youngster's while to move interstate, you've got to be more pragmatic.

Brisbane have plenty of quality halves coming through the pipeline in Oloapu, Black and McLaren. I haven't heard Lynn being associated with the Broncos but if that's the case that's all the best schoolboys halves coming through SEQLD.

It's just about the best young halves coming through the South East, with of course the big exception being Thomas Weaver from the Titans. I would not be shocked at all if the Gold Coast begin to fast-track his development.