Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2025

[leon.bott]

I will never understand how the signing and retention of junior players works within clubs. I wish there was more transparency to the public. Otherwise you just get the media riling up fan bases with articles about clubs losing players on their books for years.

When we sign junior guns up to these long term development contracts what cap does that come out of? And what’s to stop clubs stockpiling etc. Even more murky when you have nsw clubs with their out and out reserve teams and we have 3 affiliate clubs.

I recalled 1910’s intel last year on Armstrong and was waiting for it to be announced, but does he go into penriths top 30? else wise I don’t understand how you sign a dev player to a 3 year deal, and what kitty does this come from.

Side note RE club R&R planning top 30s years in advance, is Israel Leota the furthest from NRL ready top 30 squad member to ever exist?

 

[NSW stables]

Give Piakura time. Obviously, second row and depth is a massive issue at the Broncs, no argument can be made otherwise but Piakura is clearly, clearly talented. Once he learns defense, he'll be an absolute weapon and he will get there.

It's not just his defensive reads that are an issue, his effort input is a large concern. When the ball goes by him, he will give up on it and walk, he just doesn't show urgency and scramble required to be upper tier second rower.

I think it is largely a product of when a player dominates the junior grades. They dont develop the work ethic until they find out they cant get by on just raw talent in first grade.

 

[1910]

So do you feel that we just simply didn't rate him that highly? It seems odd we can't keep young guys like that at that level if we really want to. How many 16-17 year old kids do Penrith, Townsville and Redcliffe have on their books by comparison?

I don't know an exact pecking order, but they clearly weren't worried enough to sign him up early. He was one of three Broncos forwards in the Queensland team last year and played nearly 80 minutes in his Cup debut at 19.

Allen has only managed 15 minutes and Bukowski 30 minutes in their Cup game/s.

Does that mean he's going to be a star- no but it's pretty good signs for a 19-year-old. Broncos have moved Bryce up to a Development deal this year so I take from that they think more of Bryce.

Armstrong trained with the NRL squad last year, played for Queensland and played Cup and was Wynnum's Meninga captain so he couldn't do much more at 19 to impress Brisbane.

 

[Scorchie]

Give Piakura time. Obviously, second row and depth is a massive issue at the Broncs, no argument can be made otherwise but Piakura is clearly, clearly talented. Once he learns defense, he'll be an absolute weapon and he will get there.

He gets one more season before you start to reconsider if its a good deal - maybe!

 

[1910]

I will never understand how the signing and retention of junior players works within clubs. I wish there was more transparency to the public. Otherwise you just get the media riling up fan bases with articles about clubs losing players on their books for years.

When we sign junior guns up to these long term development contracts what cap does that come out of? And what’s to stop clubs stockpiling etc. Even more murky when you have nsw clubs with their out and out reserve teams and we have 3 affiliate clubs.

I recalled 1910’s intel last year on Armstrong and was waiting for it to be announced, but does he go into penriths top 30? else wise I don’t understand how you sign a dev player to a 3 year deal, and what kitty does this come from.

Side note RE club R&R planning top 30s years in advance, is Israel Leota the furthest from NRL ready top 30 squad member to ever exist?

You can sign at NRL contract at 16- last year of school and then it's up to the club to put you into your top 30 or development deal.

Development deals are capped at 60k each and you can only have max six of them.

Before that you're on a scholarship, and you can be on as many of them as you want with as many clubs as you want.

Black for example signed with the Broncos in June 23- last year of school until 25- 24 was his development year and this year he's in the top 30. NRL deals for 25 and 26. He re-signed mid last year again.

 

[Dexter]

He gets one more season before you start to reconsider if its a good deal - maybe!

Agree, He turns 23 in May and has played only 33 games, I'd be waiting until he gets up around that 50 game mark before judging him. He can play and we can expect some decent improvement this year IMO.

 

[Big Del]

Agree, He turns 23 in May and has played only 33 games, I'd be waiting until he gets up around that 50 game mark before judging him. He can play and we can expect some decent improvement this year IMO.

Aerobic fitness could make a difference .
Easier to have the right attitude if you aren`t panting like a dog . Better decision making and anticipation too.
An extended run with no injuries could also be a game changer as far as fitness and decision making go .

 

[Johnny92]

Aerobic fitness could make a difference .
Easier to have the right attitude if you aren`t panting like a dog . Better decision making and anticipation too.
An extended run with no injuries could also be a game changer as far as fitness and decision making go .

He has had a few illnesses aswell from memory which would have a big impact on fitness

 

[kman]

Surely Cobbo and Staggs can make an agreement to take a little less to stay with Brisbane Broncos. They are both absolutely in MaGuires plans for the future. We building quite well as a club and can be the next Penrith panthers.

 

[HarryAllan7]

With the amount of money we have tied up in key spine positions and Haas, we absolutely cannot afford to spend big money on centres / outside backs.

Cobbo is a reserve grade player and we should absolutely let him walk to a team dumb enough to take him, and although I love Staggs it makes no sense to keep him on big money.

Find some big, strong wingers on reasonable money whose main 2 jobs are being safe under the high ball and taking early set hit ups from our own end and find some affordable, defensively solid centres.

A forward pack which is creating forward momentum and an elite spine given space to create opportunities will make even average outside backs look like superstars, create plenty of attacking opportunities and produce points without big money centres and wingers.

Best example was 2023… Herbie wasn’t so important to our team because of his attacking flair and fancy stuff, it was because of his work rate and churning through metres from tough carries out of our own end.

Overpaying for individual attacking prowess isn’t the way to succeed - find affordable role players who don’t make mistakes and help the forward pack get on the front foot.

 

[Big Del]

Cobbo is a reserve grade player and we should absolutely let him walk to a team dumb enough to take him, and although I love Staggs it makes no sense to keep him on big money.

 

[Manofoneway]

With the amount of money we have tied up in key spine positions and Haas, we absolutely cannot afford to spend big money on centres / outside backs.

Cobbo is a reserve grade player and we should absolutely let him walk to a team dumb enough to take him, and although I love Staggs it makes no sense to keep him on big money.

Find some big, strong wingers on reasonable money whose main 2 jobs are being safe under the high ball and taking early set hit ups from our own end and find some affordable, defensively solid centres.

A forward pack which is creating forward momentum and an elite spine given space to create opportunities will make even average outside backs look like superstars, create plenty of attacking opportunities and produce points without big money centres and wingers.

Best example was 2023… Herbie wasn’t so important to our team because of his attacking flair and fancy stuff, it was because of his work rate and churning through metres from tough carries out of our own end.

Overpaying for individual attacking prowess isn’t the way to succeed - find affordable role players who don’t make mistakes and help the forward pack get on the front foot.

I tend to agree. We have picked a brand of football that splashes cash on forwards. Savings have to be made somewhere and Cobbo is yet to see out a season with the bronx without going off the rails. Probably could have kept both if we punted Mam when we had the chance. We are obsessed with paying people on potential.

No idea who the replacement is but if we cant afford them we cant afford them. Simple as that. They ain't gonna take unders, specifically Cobbo who will need to make as much out of his football career as humanly possible. I don't see him making it as a commentator or analyst just personally.

 

[Lazza]

Can anyone tell me about Grant Anderson contract from 2026. How many years and what sort of $.
Will he be part of the first grade team or a used as a backup?

 

[kman]

Can anyone tell me about Grant Anderson contract from 2026. How many years and what sort of $.
Will he be part of the first grade team or a used as a backup?

I'm pretty sure it's a 2 to 3 year contract and he's cover if Cobbo or Staggs leaves. Let's say they both stay I think he'll replace Arthurs on the wing next year. He wouldn't be making the trip to Brisbane Broncos to play reserve grade.

 

[Santa]

Apparently we're not so fussed about keeping Cobbo...

'Better future': New details emerge after Broncos player signs with Penrith Panthers

It comes amid a boom youngster's decision to leave Brisbane for Penrith. Read more here.

au.news.yahoo.com

 

[Sproj]

Apparently we're not so fussed about keeping Cobbo...

'Better future': New details emerge after Broncos player signs with Penrith Panthers

It comes amid a boom youngster's decision to leave Brisbane for Penrith. Read more here.

au.news.yahoo.com

That is misleading. I listened to his comments, he basically just gave an opinion based on no inside knowledge other than to say Maguire isn't looking at signings right now.

The media is really pushing the narrative we can't afford both Staggs and Cobbo and then they all just feed off each other on that opinion so that when we do eventually re-sign both, they can bag out our salary cap. Its NRL journalism 101 - spin an opinion into something, keep spinning it until you hope people have forgotten it was all made up in the first place and then do faux outrage.

 

[Santa]

That is misleading. I listened to his comments, he basically just gave an opinion based on no inside knowledge other than to say Maguire isn't looking at signings right now.

The media is really pushing the narrative we can't afford both Staggs and Cobbo and then they all just feed off each other on that opinion so that when we do eventually re-sign both, they can bag out our salary cap. Its NRL journalism 101 - spin an opinion into something, keep spinning it until you hope people have forgotten it was all made up in the first place and then do faux outrage.

Yea fair enough. Kinda assumed there wasn't much merit behind the rumours, more just me hoping it was ture (I don't think we should be breaking the bank for Cobbo).

 

[BroncsFan]

That is misleading. I listened to his comments, he basically just gave an opinion based on no inside knowledge other than to say Maguire isn't looking at signings right now.

The media is really pushing the narrative we can't afford both Staggs and Cobbo and then they all just feed off each other on that opinion so that when we do eventually re-sign both, they can bag out our salary cap. Its NRL journalism 101 - spin an opinion into something, keep spinning it until you hope people have forgotten it was all made up in the first place and then do faux outrage.

Or if one does sign elsewhere they can talk about us losing an origin and international player blah blah blah.