Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2023

[Cult]

All of them will be depth at their new clubs too though?

Turpin wasn’t going to be given a starting role at the knights, either will Gamble. Palasia is kidding himself if he thinks he will start over Mo, Tino, or Clark. Oloapu can’t even start by NRL rules.

Yeah that's true, but if other clubs are offering the same spot for more money then they'd be stupid not to take it. Also they'd probably back themselves more to start over Clark and Mo than Carrigan, Haas and Flegler. It's no coincidence this is coming out after the Flegler story this week either.

 

[McHunt]

Yeah I got eye rolls from the usual suspect but youre in pretty extreme denial if you think it’s pure coincidence that 7 players have asked for a release in the past 12 months

What do you think is causing the exodus?

 

[theshed]

Yeah that's true, but if other clubs are offering the same spot for more money then they'd be stupid not to take it. Also they'd probably back themselves more to start over Clark and Mo than Carrigan, Haas and Flegler. It's no coincidence this is coming out after the Flegler story this week either.

Something is off. It isn’t a coincidence that so many players want out. I’m not saying it has to be that there is an issue at the club but something is going on.

Maybe it’s as simple as Ikin, Dave, and Kev coming in and seeing how bad our cap was and the poor balance of our team and said “anyone who thinks they may want to try an opportunity elsewhere let us know and we’ll consider it”. They shipped off the ones they didn’t want like TPJ, Isaako, etc and then all these other boys have put their hand up.

Who knows? But it isn’t normal

 

[Cult]

Something is off. It isn’t a coincidence that so many players want out. I’m not saying it has to be that there is an issue at the club but something is going on.

Maybe it’s as simple as Ikin, Dave, and Kev coming in and seeing how bad our cap was and the poor balance of our team and said “anyone who thinks they may want to try an opportunity elsewhere let us know and we’ll consider it”. They shipped off the ones they didn’t want like TPJ, Isaako, etc and then all these other boys have put their hand up.

Who knows? But it isn’t normal

Like I said, we have depth. Depth gets targeted because they're easy to target. I'd be more worried if more of our starting players were requesting releases but it's the one's with no obvious transition into the starting team. It was predicted to happen throughout the last year because it was so obvious.

 

[theshed]

What do you think is causing the exodus?

I think it’s likely a combination of things. Obviously player managers are doing their part as are the Dolphins sketchy negotiating tactics.

Internally I think the player churn over the last few years has fostered a culture of “it’s just business” when guys like Lodge, Isaako, TPJ etc are pushed out. So the players also feel if the club can do it so can we.

I think it is hard to ignore the evidence that something went wrong last season within the group - who’s fault that is I don’t know. But there definitely seems to be some interpersonal issues occurring between players and players, staff and players, staff and staff.

From the outside looking in, and based on a few subtle comments from players, I think there is pretty poor man management at the club.

I could list paragraphs or examples for most of the above but those who don’t agree won’t acknowledge any of it and those who are a little more critically minded are already aware of it.

 

[The Don]

you mean the Titans who never even looked like competing this year.

P.s. there is still rumours around Fifita heading there; not to mention that Jarrod Wallace threatened to fire his manager if he didn't get to the Phins.

Turpin is a bad example ... no one wanted him. the Knights even pulled out.

Palasia doesn't want to leave us to be a bench player for someone else, he wants a starting role, hence him stating his preference is the Titans not the Phins.

are you sure you wouldn't prefer to support the Roosters ... you wouldn't have to worry about pesky things like a salary cap ... you'd also have Uncle Nick ready to offer a few rounds of golf to stop players leaving to play their preferred position *cough* Manu *cough*

For starters with your point about us coming 12th, wouldn’t that be more of a reason for players to ask for a release? I thought players wanted to win games?

To follow that up with JWall, of course he wants to go to the dolphins, we were barely playing him in a year we never even looked like competing. Who knows what Fifita’s doing but I reckon that Raiders double deal is about the only thing moving him. (Because moving for the misso worked out great for Jai Arrow)

Furthermore, if he thinks he’s beating out Mo and Tino for a starting role good on him. Don’t the dolphins literally just have Jesse Bromwich and Mark Nicholls?

I don’t know what’s going on up there but I don’t think it’s your astounding depth.

 

[Xzei]

For starters with your point about us coming 12th, wouldn’t that be more of a reason for players to ask for a release? I thought players wanted to win games?

To follow that up with JWall, of course he wants to go to the dolphins, we were barely playing him in a year we never even looked like competing. Who knows what Fifita’s doing but I reckon that Raiders double deal is about the only thing moving him. (Because moving for the misso worked out great for Jai Arrow)

Furthermore, if he thinks he’s beating out Mo and Tino for a starting role good on him. Don’t the dolphins literally just have Jesse Bromwich and Mark Nicholls?

I don’t know what’s going on up there but I don’t think it’s your astounding depth.

lets see if they finally play tino at 13 next year not sure about your depth in the forwards but i could see palasia gettting a start there

 

[theshed]

lets see if they finally play tino at 13 next year not sure about your depth in the forwards but i could see palasia gettting a start there

They’ll play Clarke at 13 and rightfully so

 

[Wolfie]

Something is off. It isn’t a coincidence that so many players want out. I’m not saying it has to be that there is an issue at the club but something is going on.

Maybe it’s as simple as Ikin, Dave, and Kev coming in and seeing how bad our cap was and the poor balance of our team and said “anyone who thinks they may want to try an opportunity elsewhere let us know and we’ll consider it”. They shipped off the ones they didn’t want like TPJ, Isaako, etc and then all these other boys have put their hand up.

Who knows? But it isn’t normal

It is a lot of players who are wanting to leave to be starters elsewhere and they would have all had "chats" with other teams about where they will stand at another NRL club and they will probably be close to what they want elsewhere.

As much as we have done a lot right to fix up our cap, i still think we have handled some players badly, there have more than likely been broken promises, miscommunication, and the squad isnt as together as some people might think it is.

 

[Xzei]

They’ll play Clarke at 13 and rightfully so

Tino a far superior player to him would be better served playing 13 and finding another prop

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Okay, replace the titans with any other club.

Palasia
Lee
Mariner
Koloapu
Haas
Isaako
Niu
Turpin
Gamble

That’s approx a third of the 2022 top 30 plus our most promising junior either requesting to or successfully not seeing out their contract.

Alternatively, Manly just had that massive pride jersey issue, sacked a beloved coach for a wooden spooner, and half the team don’t like the other and not a single request.

Add it to Cobbo not wanting to see out the season with finals on the line, the worst ladder capitulation in NRL history, and players drawing dicks on coach’s cars - it doesn’t paint a pretty picture.

I also disagree that Titans players publicly asking for a release wouldn’t be news worthy.

Ok I will replace the titans with another club... then put them up against the club with the biggest tv ratings and crowds and.... yep, still more media interest in that club. I'm shocked

 

[Morepudding]

Palasia would be lucky to make the 17 for us next year when full strength so it makes sense.

Haas, Flegler, Carrigan, Hetherington and Jensen are likely all ahead of him, and then we have players like Willison and Piakura coming through the ranks as well. Of all the players in our likely "best" 17, the two i'd be willing to move on are Haas and Staggs because of their price tags and pretty average form last year. If staggs doesn't have a good start to the year, i'd be trying to offload him and make sure we retain Herbie and Mariner.

 

[theshed]

Ok I will replace the titans with another club... then put them up against the club with the biggest tv ratings and crowds and.... yep, still more media interest in that club. I'm shocked

lol yes we are the only club that the media reports on when players publicly ask for a release

 

[theshed]

Tino a far superior player to him would be better served playing 13 and finding another prop

Tino is obviously the better player but Clarke can ball play which Tino can’t and that’s a big part of being a lock these days. Tino can do the things he does well at prop

 

[Swordfish]

What do you think is causing the exodus?

I for one, reckon that the exodus is based on individual players who think that they deserve the starting spot in their respective positions despite the fact that the coach & team needs don’t aline with their aspirations. So, they’re looking out elsewhere. Palasia is at best a bench player who’s a liability in “Defense”.
What pisses me in all this is - they can just do all this behind the scenes but not in public.

 

[McHunt]

lol yes we are the only club that the media reports on when players publicly ask for a release

The only other club I can think of that's had a flurry of these types of requests is the Warriors.

But the Tigers had this one played out in the press, which copped some flak at the time:

NEWS - Rugby League royalty swarms to Red Hill

Tigers' backup playmaker, Billy Walters has been hoping his old man Kevin will bring him back to Brisbane this year. Despite being owned by the Wests Tigers for the rest of 2021 and still recovering from a serious knee injury, unsubstantiated rumours insist it still might happen after round...

broncoshq.com

 

[Wolfie]

I for one, reckon that the exodus is based on individual players who think that they deserve the starting spot in their respective positions despite the fact that the coach & team needs don’t aline with their aspirations. So, they’re looking out elsewhere. Palasia is at best a bench player who’s a liability in “Defense”.
What pisses me in all this is - they can just do all this behind the scenes but not in public.

Its against the rules for them to do it in public, just the same as its against the rules for us to just boot out players we dont want anymore as well. Still goes on though.

 

[Cult]

lol yes we are the only club that the media reports on when players publicly ask for a release

Nah but we are the only club who every season have 15 juniors touted as the next best thing, who then have an over inflated sense of worth and expect to play NRL footy right this second and if they can't they must leave and destroy their career at a different club.