Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2025

[Bull Shark]

One thing is clear after this year's GF. Our fitness is more than one pre-season off. To get to the level both teams played at you need at least two real serious pre-seasons and a long run in the finals.

The only other alternative is some form of go-juice that has yet to be detected.

Whoever we sign from here on in needs to be able to push through the pain barrier on a regular basis and the guys we have now need to a heap of stamina work done on their legs and cardio.

I don’t think there’s more than a struck match between any given team in the NRL when it comes to ‘fitness’ .. they all do similar pre seasons, they all do similar maintenance during the season..

The reason certain teams appear to be ‘fitter’ than others imo, is the strength of their systems and their connectedness..

teams that are exceptionally well drilled don’t have individuals getting isolated as often or having to work significantly harder to compensate for deficiencies elsewhere in the team..

 

[McHunt]

Some of the players are definitely not fit but Patty and Haas might be 2 or the fittest players in the comp.

They just shouldn’t be playing the minutes that they are

Same with Walsh, he was pushing himself to vomit point every game. It wasn't lack of fitness or effort. It was taking on too much work, because Kevvie's main gameplan was get the ball to Reece.

I don't think we'll see that with Madge.

 

[McHunt]

I don’t think there’s more than a struck match between any given team in the NRL when it comes to ‘fitness’ .. they all do similar pre seasons, they all do similar maintenance during the season..

The reason certain teams appear to be ‘fitter’ than others imo, is the strength of their systems and their connectedness..

teams that are exceptionally well drilled don’t have individuals getting isolated as often or having to work significantly harder to compensate for deficiencies elsewhere in the team..

Yes, I've heard trainers say this. They're all fit. Bad coaching wastes their energy on inefficient play.

 

[1910]

He’s just gotta play cup if we’re even thinking he might be fighting out for a halfback spot when Reynolds retires. He might not be a star at 20/21 but he should be able to play a role for the team if Madge has a decent structure in place. That said ideally we’ve got a better option at halfback than taking a chance on a rookie.

Without Colts this is now going to come up more- players playing three years of Meninga instead of two and some Colts- which is what Mozer did.

I can see advantages, good way to start the year, up against Harrison again, wins Meninga which is over in May and then plays Cup full of confidence.

Negatives missed half a Cup year, maybe Souths are rubbish in Meninga and you put him 11 Cup games behind and if the situation arose where Reynolds was out you're not throwing him in from Meninga.

 

[theshed]

I don’t think there’s more than a struck match between any given team in the NRL when it comes to ‘fitness’ .. they all do similar pre seasons, they all do similar maintenance during the season..

The reason certain teams appear to be ‘fitter’ than others imo, is the strength of their systems and their connectedness..

teams that are exceptionally well drilled don’t have individuals getting isolated as often or having to work significantly harder to compensate for deficiencies elsewhere in the team..

Correct. Panthers out last everyone else because they have perfected a simple and repetitive game plan that is purely built around conserving their energy while winding down the oppositions, and they have the exact right players in key positions to do it.

It’s an advanced version of Griffenball. Bash the middle for 4 tackles and then kick to the corner. The Cleary touch is how he relies on his outside backs so much for metres to give his forwards a rest, and having areas of the field where Yeo becomes a halfback.

 

[Manofoneway]

Correct. Panthers out last everyone else because they have perfected a simple and repetitive game plan that is purely built around conserving their energy while winding down the oppositions, and they have the exact right players in key positions to do it.

It’s an advanced version of Griffenball. Bash the middle for 4 tackles and then kick to the corner. The Cleary touch is how he relies on his outside backs so much for metres to give his forwards a rest, and having areas of the field where Yeo becomes a halfback.

It seems though nobody can out panther the panthers. In fact I think the way to beat them is to play high risk high reward football that nearly got us there in 2023.

 

[Brocko]

Palasia got out quick, obviously saw the writing on the wall with RCG rumours before he signed and he couldn't really cement his starting spot this year when not injured.

He must be getting okay money because surely someone in the NRL would have taken him.

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Palasia off to Leeds 2 yr contract.

Wowee, how about that for a fart in a balloon.

 

[Lazza]

We have Latrell Siegwalt as a backup half and fullback roles.

 

[theshed]

It seems though nobody can out panther the panthers. In fact I think the way to beat them is to play high risk high reward football that nearly got us there in 2023.

You might right to an extent. To beat the panthers you need to start really fast and hope you can hold on - which as we saw in the most painful way possible, you can’t really do that either.

I can’t really put too much weight in the fact that we got a strong lead and then were chased down because the panthers whole style is to show supreme patience and then kill you in the last 20 minutes once they’ve sapped all your energy. So while our performance against them seemed more spectacular, it was still entirely within their game plan.

We couldn’t really try to emulate the panthers anyway, we don’t have the team for it. Walsh is an exact opposite type of fullback to Edwards, who is such a massive part of the panthers system. We also don’t have the wingers to do it. Arthars doesn’t make enough post contact metres and Cobbo isn’t fit enough

 

[Manofoneway]

You might right to an extent. To beat the panthers you need to start really fast and hope you can hold on - which as we saw in the most painful way possible, you can’t really do that either.

I can’t really put too much weight in the fact that we got a strong lead and then were chased down because the panthers whole style is to show supreme patience and then kill you in the last 20 minutes once they’ve sapped all your energy. So while our performance against them seemed more spectacular, it was still entirely within their game plan.

We couldn’t really try to emulate the panthers anyway, we don’t have the team for it. Walsh is an exact opposite type of fullback to Edwards, who is such a massive part of the panthers system. We also don’t have the wingers to do it. Arthars doesn’t make enough post contact metres and Cobbo isn’t fit enough

Yep. I hope madge doesn't try and apply a one size fits all approach to the bronx in replicating the panthers style football. Honestly I think if our current crop can learn to defend their errors like they did in 2023 they will be able to beat any team including the panthers. Let's face it, there was less than a bees dick in our grand final loss. The Storm, eels, rabbitohs that came before us never really looked like winning.

 

[theshed]

Yep. I hope madge doesn't try and apply a one size fits all approach to the bronx in replicating the panthers style football. Honestly I think if our current crop can learn to defend their errors like they did in 2023 they will be able to beat any team including the panthers. Let's face it, there was less than a bees dick in our grand final loss. The Storm, eels, rabbitohs that came before us never really looked like winning.

I disagree about the storm. I think they mounted a fairly impressive comeback and got back on top of the arm wrestle. Regardless of how right or wrong the call was, that no try was the turning point that killed the Storm comeback. That and the Munster knock on.

Completely agree with you that defence is our biggest issue though. While I don’t want us to throw out the high risk attacking style completely, I would love to see some foundational structures to fall back on when needed.

We need to defend well and then build a platform to play high risk footy off of. That is, win the arm wrestle for 20 minutes and then chance the arm when the opposition is tiring.