Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2025

[Big Del]

then they went an extended Rogers,

Not 1st grade standard and locked him up for 2 years after 1 decent game .
Who`s decision was that ?
Kid is a fcking turnstile ...

 

[Jedhead]

Not 1st grade standard and locked him up for 2 years after 1 decent game .
Who`s decision was that ?
Kid is a fcking turnstile ...

Not only is he he a turnstile, his speed off the mark resembles a striking slug. I’ve seen faster sloths than this plodder. The fact we extended him just shows how fucked our R&R team are.

It should be there that the club makes the first major changes.

 

[Tmac]

I know this won’t be popular while the season is so raw and fair enough but I do agree the bulk of a premiership capable roster is already at the club.

Physically the players are just busted but the mental side is what worries me. Is Kevvie the right man to fix it? Right now it doesn’t feel like it but aside from any coach and every coach being thrown up as alternatives, I’m just not sure there’s anyone worth pulling the trigger for. So I’m ok with Kevvie staying on and being given the first half of next year, especially when the alternative has exactly the same short comings in Maguire.

Who knows, maybe the club will actually do something proactive for once though and do an exhaustive search to find someone we haven’t even thought about but I will never hold my breath that the current version of the club will ever do anything it isn’t forced to do reactively. Donuts has been a big disappointment in this way.

So what do we need? Honestly not a lot but getting it right will be key:
1. An elite fitness coach - most important hiring the club needs to make
2. An elite defensive coach - is that Teo? A bit concerned to be honest
3. An elite skills coach - is that Barrett? Well as an assistant he does seem to do well so there’s hope there
4. A metre eating back - this might cost us Cobbo but so be it, he’s been an embarrassment to the jersey the last month and yes, he may have his off field issues but they should be left off field. Hopefully Arthars pulls his finger out too because he was way down on the 2023 version but the GF shows what he is capable of
5. Two experienced but not over the Hill middles - Horsbrough and Welch would be perfect, let’s see if our R&R can achieve it, I’m not confident
6. Clear some of the spuds on the roster and try and replace them with actual depth - 10 7s or 9s on the roster is a joke when none of them at all, save for perhaps Smoothy have any utility value either.

I respect your positivity Sproj but with a bottom 3 senior coach the Broncos won’t be winning anything in 2025.

I know this won’t be popular while the season is so raw and fair enough but I do agree the bulk of a premiership capable roster is already at the club.

Physically the players are just busted but the mental side is what worries me. Is Kevvie the right man to fix it? Right now it doesn’t feel like it but aside from any coach and every coach being thrown up as alternatives, I’m just not sure there’s anyone worth pulling the trigger for. So I’m ok with Kevvie staying on and being given the first half of next year, especially when the alternative has exactly the same short comings in Maguire.

Who knows, maybe the club will actually do something proactive for once though and do an exhaustive search to find someone we haven’t even thought about but I will never hold my breath that the current version of the club will ever do anything it isn’t forced to do reactively. Donuts has been a big disappointment in this way.

So what do we need? Honestly not a lot but getting it right will be key:
1. An elite fitness coach - most important hiring the club needs to make
2. An elite defensive coach - is that Teo? A bit concerned to be honest
3. An elite skills coach - is that Barrett? Well as an assistant he does seem to do well so there’s hope there
4. A metre eating back - this might cost us Cobbo but so be it, he’s been an embarrassment to the jersey the last month and yes, he may have his off field issues but they should be left off field. Hopefully Arthars pulls his finger out too because he was way down on the 2023 version but the GF shows what he is capable of
5. Two experienced but not over the Hill middles - Horsbrough and Welch would be perfect, let’s see if our R&R can achieve it, I’m not confident
6. Clear some of the spuds on the roster and try and replace them with actual depth - 10 7s or 9s on the roster is a joke when none of them at all, save for perhaps Smoothy have any utility value either.

I respect your positivity Sproj but with a bottom 3 senior coach the Broncos won’t be winning anything in 2025. In 2 years we haven’t figured out to get out of our 20 metre zone. We could be playing the best or worst team in the NRL and the footy still gets played at our end. It’s the reason we lost the GF last year A mighty first half from our guys to hang in there but they were gassed and it came back to bite them. Nothing has changed. If Kev can’t sort out this critical but not too difficult aspect, and he hasn’t in 2 years, his goose is cooked but he’ll continue as coach because no one else decent is available. Unfortunately I’ve seen nothing from Kev this year that gives any hope for next year - it’s been an obsolute shit show injuries notwithstanding. Add to that our roster and cap issues and we’re back to the hopeless basket-case issues of a few years back.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I know this won’t be popular while the season is so raw and fair enough but I do agree the bulk of a premiership capable roster is already at the club.

Physically the players are just busted but the mental side is what worries me. Is Kevvie the right man to fix it? Right now it doesn’t feel like it but aside from any coach and every coach being thrown up as alternatives, I’m just not sure there’s anyone worth pulling the trigger for. So I’m ok with Kevvie staying on and being given the first half of next year, especially when the alternative has exactly the same short comings in Maguire.

Who knows, maybe the club will actually do something proactive for once though and do an exhaustive search to find someone we haven’t even thought about but I will never hold my breath that the current version of the club will ever do anything it isn’t forced to do reactively. Donuts has been a big disappointment in this way.

So what do we need? Honestly not a lot but getting it right will be key:
1. An elite fitness coach - most important hiring the club needs to make
2. An elite defensive coach - is that Teo? A bit concerned to be honest
3. An elite skills coach - is that Barrett? Well as an assistant he does seem to do well so there’s hope there
4. A metre eating back - this might cost us Cobbo but so be it, he’s been an embarrassment to the jersey the last month and yes, he may have his off field issues but they should be left off field. Hopefully Arthars pulls his finger out too because he was way down on the 2023 version but the GF shows what he is capable of
5. Two experienced but not over the Hill middles - Horsbrough and Welch would be perfect, let’s see if our R&R can achieve it, I’m not confident
6. Clear some of the spuds on the roster and try and replace them with actual depth - 10 7s or 9s on the roster is a joke when none of them at all, save for perhaps Smoothy have any utility value either.

I don't think any of that matters if the players don't have the right attitude. If they're not prepared to work hard and get it done then nothing will change

 

[Mighty Bronx]

I remember last year when we smashed storm in the finals and sent them out of the competition, storm senior players decided to come back early in pre season to work hard on their game and we can see the results how hard work is paying them back. Hoping our players are hurting too with the exit and decide to work really hard in the pre season.

 

[Sproj]

I respect your positivity Sproj but with a bottom 3 senior coach the Broncos won’t be winning anything in 2025.

I respect your positivity Sproj but with a bottom 3 senior coach the Broncos won’t be winning anything in 2025. In 2 years we haven’t figured out to get out of our 20 metre zone. We could be playing the best or worst team in the NRL and the footy still gets played at our end. It’s the reason we lost the GF last year A mighty first half from our guys to hang in there but they were gassed and it came back to bite them. Nothing has changed. If Kev can’t sort out this critical but not too difficult aspect, and he hasn’t in 2 years, his goose is cooked but he’ll continue as coach because no one else decent is available. Unfortunately I’ve seen nothing from Kev this year that gives any hope for next year - it’s been an obsolute shit show injuries notwithstanding. Add to that our roster and cap issues and we’re back to the hopeless basket-case issues of a few years back.

I get it, I understand many fans are just feeling awful right now, this sucks. But did anyone think last year we’d be here this year? I’m sure some hindsight revisionists will say yes but the facts don’t change, we thought we were set for a sustained period of success.

This year has laid bare where the issues are and it is now on the club to address them. We just must not lose sight of the fact that our first team is still mostly pretty good, the just haven’t been anywhere close to fit / at their best almost the entire season.

If we don’t fix the issues, we will slide again but we do have an opportunity to do so while still contending if we can keep our stars on the field.

 

[upthebroncs]

We should be planning to sign Blake Wilson. He can play centre, wing and fullback.

He has one more year under contract at Dogs then is a free agent.

 

[Sproj]

We should be planning to sign Blake Wilson. He can play centre, wing and fullback.

He has one more year under contract at Dogs then is a free agent.

View attachment 29482

My goodness you’ve actually made a good suggestion for once.

 

[Super Freak]

A winger for '26 doesn't really help us next year.

Chances of him leaving the Bulldogs are slim.

 

[upthebroncs]

A winger for '26 doesn't really help us next year.

Just trying to think ahead. I have been supporting the Broncos for many many years so 2026 doesn’t seem that far away for me. I can wait.

Another signing in 2026 I’d not be mad about would be Dan Atkinson..

 

[BroncsFan]

We should be planning to sign Blake Wilson. He can play centre, wing and fullback.

He has one more year under contract at Dogs then is a free agent.

View attachment 29482

I don't mind Wilson... every time I see him he looks like he has some skills and I don't often think he's getting dominated in tackles.

I think some dogs fans complain about his defence, but I'm not quick to just point at a winger as being at fault when they're up against 2v1 and the centre is not communicating at all.

Israel Leota in the Qld U19's was an example of horrendous wing defence... getting caught out because your centre has sprinted 20m infield and tackled no one is not.

 

[BroncsFan]

Just trying to think ahead. I have been supporting the Broncos for many many years so 2026 doesn’t seem that far away for me. I can wait.

Another signing in 2026 I’d not be mad about would be Dan Atkinson..

View attachment 29483

I'd definitely be going after him as that TMM style player in the depth... he's sitting behind Nicho and Trindall, but he looks like he has skills and temperament (multiple field goals already this year).

I'd take him over all the back up halves that we currently have on the books and I'm pretty sure he's a fullback as well. .. he could be a stop gap in the halves after Reynolds more so than Madden or Rogers ever will be

 

[BooKhaki]

Who even is our back up fullback going in to next year? Don't get me wrong, no one is better than Sailor but even so, we went in to this season with no back up second-rowers and look how they turned out. Is one of our useless back up 7s or 9s going to double up as a useless 1?

With the money he is on, it needs to be Cobbo. When he is fit/interested he is the 2nd best fullback at the club.

 

[upthebroncs]

I'd definitely be going after him as that TMM style player in the depth... he's sitting behind Nicho and Trindall, but he looks like he has skills and temperament (multiple field goals already this year).

I'd take him over all the back up halves that we currently have on the books and I'm pretty sure he's a fullback as well. .. he could be a stop gap in the halves after Reynolds more so than Madden or Rogers ever will be

Yep, he’d be great.

My point being if we rush out to find a winger for next year we may end up signing someone of a lesser quality than Blake Wilson but on a 2 or 3 year deal which stops us going for Wilson etc in 2026.

I’d rather go another year with basically the current squad and plan for 2026 to have quality guys like Wilson and Atkinson coming in.

 

[BroncsFan]

Yep, he’d be great.

My point being if we rush out to find a winger for next year we may end up signing someone of a lesser quality than Blake Wilson but on a 2 or 3 year deal which stops us going for Wilson etc in 2026.

I’d rather go another year with basically the current squad and plan for 2026 to have quality guys like Wilson and Atkinson coming in.

If a player signs elsewhere for 2026 there's every chance the current club just release them... unless they're an important part of the regular 17.

Wilson was in the reggies a lot this year so he's not a regular in the team so there's a chance to get him early... need to have your R&R talking to his manager first though and then they will put pressure on the current club.

Just look at Kobe with us... his manager is pushing for an early release, so he's probably already got another team lined up... it's just a better sell if you can get the player straight away.

 

[Sproj]

With the money he is on, it needs to be Cobbo. When he is fit/interested he is the 2nd best fullback at the club.

I don’t disagree but will he even be at the club next year? If we go that road, who’s our back up centre/winger? Our depth is rubbish.

 

[Sproj]

Two good suggestions from @upthebroncs - our club really is in trouble.

 

[McHunt]

So did any of this year's Broncos' rumours pan out to be true?

So far I have Buzz Rothfield correctly predicting Trent Barrett would join the coaching staff, Badel predicting Gosiewski, and that's about it.