Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2025

[Sproj]

I understand the sentiment with Cobbo especially and Staggs but you need strike in your backline still. If we lose both of them, who is that strike? If losing them got us Herbie back, ok great but if it results in no one, we will end up a bit like Parra. Fantastic forwards, top quality spine and no one to score points.

Need to keep at least one of them. Cobbo is obviously the far better player at his best but so inconsistent. Staggs is more consistent but just doesn’t have the work rate Cobbo does even at Cobbo’s worst.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I understand the sentiment with Cobbo especially and Staggs but you need strike in your backline still. If we lose both of them, who is that strike? If losing them got us Herbie back, ok great but if it results in no one, we will end up a bit like Parra. Fantastic forwards, top quality spine and no one to score points.

Need to keep at least one of them. Cobbo is obviously the far better player at his best but so inconsistent. Staggs is more consistent but just doesn’t have the work rate Cobbo does even at Cobbo’s worst.

Walsh,Mariner, Mam.

 

[theshed]

I understand the sentiment with Cobbo especially and Staggs but you need strike in your backline still. If we lose both of them, who is that strike? If losing them got us Herbie back, ok great but if it results in no one, we will end up a bit like Parra. Fantastic forwards, top quality spine and no one to score points.

Need to keep at least one of them. Cobbo is obviously the far better player at his best but so inconsistent. Staggs is more consistent but just doesn’t have the work rate Cobbo does even at Cobbo’s worst.

Mariner is pretty solid as far as being a strike outside back goes.

You have a valid point though. The only thing that makes me hesitate in feeling Staggs is the far wiser option is Cobbo’s ability to shift to fullback and wing.

 

[Big Del]

At the least it gives us leverage to get Selwynn at a price more beneficial for our cap and his actual value.
Red pen through Cobbos name at this point in time, it's all on him to shape up.

That`s what She said - If Selwyn gets fit it will all fall into place .

But that bit about his actual value ? He`s a Qld and Australian player . Are you down grading his contract because he played while injured last year ??

Would he have kept his contract value if he just said " nah Kev I can`t do it" and sat out a chunk of the season ?
I honestly think he played a bunch of games busted and it reflected badly on him and the coaching staff .
Bit like Gutho busted ribs , torn quad and swollen knee looked gone end of last season . Goes to Woolongong and wins the endurance trial ...

 

[Dexter]

That`s what She said - If Selwyn gets fit it will all fall into place .

But that bit about his actual value ? He`s a Qld and Australian player . Are you down grading his contract because he played while injured last year ??

Would he have kept his contract value if he just said " nah Kev I can`t do it" and sat out a chunk of the season ?
I honestly think he played a bunch of games busted and it reflected badly on him and the coaching staff .
Bit like Gutho busted ribs , torn quad and swollen knee looked gone end of last season . Goes to Woolongong and wins the endurance trial ...

Nah I'm downgrading him because if we keep him it can't be on the current contract and I think similar for Staggs, I think we have to pick 1 of them.
Cobbo was needling a groin last year but he also had some off field issues which were affecting him. (Self inflicted)
Bottom line is he takes up 625k ish and with other upgrades in the squad he's in the squeeze box and has to prove his worth.
We just cannot keep everyone and our backrow needs urgent attention.

 

[whykickamoocow]

Personally I'd let cobbo and mam go and try and get herbie farnworth back for 2026. Surely we can find another 5/8 to run hit ups and throw intercept passes. Preferably one that isn't costing us 800k to build houses instead of play football.

 

[Big Del]

he also had some off field issues which were affecting him. (Self inflicted)

Do you more about the DV case than what was speculated here ?
Didn`t make it to court if I recall .

He also had a hand injury that was strapped up like a mummy .

Does soldiering on at less than full fitness win brownie points with the club or does it mean that you sacrifice your livelyhood longer term ? And if you gained favour by playing busted , how much does that amount to when a new coaching staff is brought in ?

I think a lot of the lazy , disinterested talk comes from him playing when he shouldn`t have been on the field because of injuries .

If he does similar this year . Bye Selwyn .Thanks for the memories ...

But ,, I think he is better than that . And I don`t think Billy Slater would even pick him in his squad if he had the kind of couldn`t give a , attitude some folks here think he has .

 

[Sproj]

Given we seem to have gone all in on Mariner, who would you all prefer to keep for the other key backline position? Staggs, Cobbo or neither and bring in someone else?

Here are the list of current backs off contract end of 2025 that would be considered first teamers:
- Cobbo
- Staggs
- Savage
- Mulitalo (would be a great get)
- J.Fifita (did he re-sign?)
- Anderson (only including because apparently we've already signed him but he is by no means a superstar)
- Pompey
- Kosi
- Chester (would love to get him, he covers a lot of positions well)
- Laybutt
- Purdue
- Laurie
- Munro (massive potential, reminds me of a very, very raw JYY)
- Staines

So while some of these guys have huge potential, our two really are standing out like a sore thumb in terms of quality along with Mulitalo.

 

[BroncsFan]

Given we seem to have gone all in on Mariner, who would you all prefer to keep for the other key backline position? Staggs, Cobbo or neither and bring in someone else?

Here are the list of current backs off contract end of 2025 that would be considered first teamers:
- Cobbo
- Staggs
- Savage
- Mulitalo (would be a great get)
- J.Fifita (did he re-sign?)
- Anderson (only including because apparently we've already signed him but he is by no means a superstar)
- Pompey
- Kosi
- Chester (would love to get him, he covers a lot of positions well)
- Laybutt
- Purdue
- Laurie
- Munro (massive potential, reminds me of a very, very raw JYY)
- Staines

So while some of these guys have huge potential, our two really are standing out like a sore thumb in terms of quality along with Mulitalo.

I'd prefer Cobbo ... left side centres with a left arm carry are hard to find... then when you factor in the attacking ability of Cobbo he could easily be a top 5 centre in the comp.

He also covers wing and fullback on top which helps if we have injuries through the game.

Just look at the value Manu brought to the rorters when they had injuries... that's less players you need across your top 30

 

[Xzei]

Given we seem to have gone all in on Mariner, who would you all prefer to keep for the other key backline position? Staggs, Cobbo or neither and bring in someone else?

Here are the list of current backs off contract end of 2025 that would be considered first teamers:
- Cobbo
- Staggs
- Savage
- Mulitalo (would be a great get)
- J.Fifita (did he re-sign?)
- Anderson (only including because apparently we've already signed him but he is by no means a superstar)
- Pompey
- Kosi
- Chester (would love to get him, he covers a lot of positions well)
- Laybutt
- Purdue
- Laurie
- Munro (massive potential, reminds me of a very, very raw JYY)
- Staines

So while some of these guys have huge potential, our two really are standing out like a sore thumb in terms of quality along with Mulitalo.

Staggs and cobbo also the highest paid on the list tbh,personally if we could I'd keep both and see what staines is asking,would be alot of speed on the wings between him and mariner

 

[Dexter]

Do you more about the DV case than what was speculated here ?
Didn`t make it to court if I recall .

He also had a hand injury that was strapped up like a mummy .

Does soldiering on at less than full fitness win brownie points with the club or does it mean that you sacrifice your livelyhood longer term ? And if you gained favour by playing busted , how much does that amount to when a new coaching staff is brought in ?

I think a lot of the lazy , disinterested talk comes from him playing when he shouldn`t have been on the field because of injuries .

If he does similar this year . Bye Selwyn .Thanks for the memories ...

But ,, I think he is better than that . And I don`t think Billy Slater would even pick him in his squad if he had the kind of couldn`t give a , attitude some folks here think he has .

Yes to the first question.

On Selwynn. he is still so young and I suspect immature and the upgrade was too high. V
Talent wise he is a keeper but cap constraints as we are all aware force decisions on a club.
Not everyone ,particularly younger guys can play with injury but it's a given in this comp that niggles /minor Injuries and off field distractions will happen. Part of accepting big $ is being able to turn up and put in.
Haas is a good example. What a pro.
How much weight that has when deciding between who to keep, move on or downgrade is anybodies guess but it would def come into it.
Bottom line is if you take the field you give your all which IMO Selwynn was not doing sometimes.
That's why guys like Anderson will be good . Does a job, doesn't lose you games and at the right $.
Obviously when working through all those squad decisions you have to put a line through the unavoidable things that happen during a year then work through the rest and hope you make more good calls than bad.

 

[Foordy]

I'd ideally love to keep both Cobbo and Staggs.

Cobbo is unstoppable when he's on ...

And Staggs is really under rated on here IMO. More consistent than Cobbo but also dangerous (better defender).

I think we can keep them both unless they get ridiculous offers from Rivals. We should aim to get them for around $700k each ... We could easily find the money for them at that price.

E.g we have 4 hookers plus Hunt on our books currently. Releasing two of them, would give us the cash needed to fund both Staggs and Cobbo (instead of having solid but not elite centres)

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

Mulitalo is exactly what we need, even over the 2 we have tbh. Not a better player, just more what we need (metres out of our end... is also, aggressive with speed and can make things happen). BUT, we would likely save very, very little or no money so not worth it.

 

[BroncsFan]

Mulitalo is exactly what we need, even over the 2 we have tbh. Not a better player, just more what we need (metres out of our end... is also, aggressive with speed and can make things happen). BUT, we would likely save very, very little or no money so not worth it.

I think he's wanting a big payday, so he's likely to cost more than both Cobbo and Staggs

 

[FACTHUNT]

I think we can keep both too, I think only Redcliffe is our worry. The Roosters smell of shit at the moment, and both of these chaps would need to be paid a fortune to head there

 

[BroncsFan]

I think we can keep both too, I think only Redcliffe is our worry. The Roosters smell of shit at the moment, and both of these chaps would need to be paid a fortune to head there

Staggs might be a flight risk... I think he was talking to Sydney clubs last contract renewal, but couldn't get his asking price.

I think Cobbo would want a team in SEQld... if dolphins went after him that would be a lot of cap tied up in the centres (Herbie + Cobbo/Hammer... pending which one plays fullback).

Titans have invested a lot of money all over the place and arent short of fullbacks... I think they have too much invested in their forwards to then be able to afford a strike centre on big dollars as well.

 

[Big Del]

I think he's wanting a big payday, so he's likely to cost more than both Cobbo and Staggs

Why this speculation ?
He`s a winger - apples and oranges .
He`s signed for this year ? Would need an early release .

 

[FACTHUNT]

Staggs might be a flight risk... I think he was talking to Sydney clubs last contract renewal, but couldn't get his asking price.

I think Cobbo would want a team in SEQld... if dolphins went after him that would be a lot of cap tied up in the centres (Herbie + Cobbo/Hammer... pending which one plays fullback).

Titans have invested a lot of money all over the place and arent short of fullbacks... I think they have too much invested in their forwards to then be able to afford a strike centre on big dollars as well.

I think Kotoni has since established some sponsorships in Brisbane, and I wonder if his fiance would be keen on Sydney too. Gorgeous house up here too. Will see how it goes, but I feel they'll need a huge salary to bail. My only way to cope though, really.

Not sure what Phins would do with Averillo too, apparently Hammer wants to go home though.