Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2025

[McHunt]

But who did GI have guiding him and who has Cobbo had? There's the difference right there I think. I imagine GI went into the Storm system as an already fantastic talent but Craig and his staff pushed him to be better, taught him to set a standard for himself and not let that slip. He then carried that to the Bunnies and look what happened. I don't know that Selwyn has ever really had that at the Broncos.

I'm holding off on my opinion on Selwyn for the moment. I'd be interested to see what Madge brings out of him, given his similarities to Bellamy and his time in that system.

My only reservations are the off field stuff that was reported on a few months back.

Madge (assistant) coached GI at the Storm for 4 or 5 years, and then later as head coach of the Rabbitohs.

 

[Wolfie]

Staggs you can rely on a bit more than Cobbo which is why i would lean more towards him. Selwyn from the outside looking in seems a bit mentally fragile, and he doesnt have the best work ethic.

The problem with our centers is their salary. We cant carry both on the type of money they will want. I dont think Selwyn is worth what we are paying him now ( or Staggs for that matter ), and he isnt worth that. We cant keep paying on potential. Cobbo has 68 first grade games as well as 1 Australia cap and 6 Origin games. He's not a rookie anymore. I dont see where his value is when he seems to fall apart after Origin.

 

[Harry Sack]

Madge (assistant) coached GI at the Storm for 4 or 5 years, and then later as head coach of the Rabbitohs.

Kind of my point...

 

[BroncsFan]

Staggs you can rely on a bit more than Cobbo which is why i would lean more towards him. Selwyn from the outside looking in seems a bit mentally fragile, and he doesnt have the best work ethic.

The problem with our centers is their salary. We cant carry both on the type of money they will want. I dont think Selwyn is worth what we are paying him now ( or Staggs for that matter ), and he isnt worth that. We cant keep paying on potential. Cobbo has 68 first grade games as well as 1 Australia cap and 6 Origin games. He's not a rookie anymore. I dont see where his value is when he seems to fall apart after Origin.

In regards to Staggs vs Cobbo... I think the downside for Cobbo as a centre is his mentality like you say, but in regards to Staggs he's played 121 games now and I think he still lacks in a lot of the general football smarts and skills areas.

He can make a 1v1 tackle defensively, but he makes poor defensive decisions a lot of the time.... constantly shooting out to try and tackle the five eight and leaving his winger with 1v3's!!

His workrate is pretty poor a lot of the time and his attack near the goal line is becoming gradually ineffective year on year... players are shutting him down 1v1 when that's meant to be his strength.

Beyond that he doesn't have some of the weapons that other good centres have in a quick pass to get past a jamming receiver, he doesn't seem to have a flick pass offload, etc. He also uses power and his fend rather than having a step that can beat his man straight up in 1v1... like say a Crichton who can step to get the outside and then offload when the winger is drawn in.

Madge being a defensive minded coach will hopefully improve Staggs defence, but I don't think Madge is that great on the other side of the ball.

Barrett coming in will likely be great as an overall attack coach, but he's probably more of a halves coach, whereas I think Staggs needs a skills coach... the whole team could probably do with having a skills coach to be honest.

On the other hand Cobbo has all the attacking upside in the world and is also pretty solid defensively when he's not mentally fatigued.

Cobbo also brings workrate... if we lose Cobbo that would mean we've lost our 3 biggest workhorses in the outside backs year on year (Herbie, Oates and then Cobbo) and the other backs aren't picking up the slack.

It was a major issue this year with our yardage sets getting pumped, and this would compound the issue threefold if they don't find replacements. Assuming Cobbo goes 4 of the future back 5 are already taken up with guys that aren't really workhorse outside backs (1. Walsh, 2. Arthars, 3. Staggs, 4. Mariner... 5. TBC)... there's not much room there to improve the yardage game.

 

[007]

For me, keep Staggs and Mariner ( of course negotiated contracts).
Let cobbo walk if he won't agree to a club salary perspective. He will always require that special coach to get the best out of him..

 

[Manofoneway]

For me, keep Staggs and Mariner ( of course negotiated contracts).
Let cobbo walk if he won't agree to a club salary perspective. He will always require that special coach to get the best out of him..

Yep, Mariner and Staggs is the go. Mariner needs to run the ball harder though, Jesse Arthars 2023 style.

 

[Sproj]

Yep, Mariner and Staggs is the go. Mariner needs to run the ball harder though, Jesse Arthars 2023 style.

Another preseason should help bulk him up a bit.

Where’s Hook got to?

 

[nopatience101]

Has this Cobbo crap originated from that same broncos troll on twitter @ChrisHalley8 that keeps claiming he’s spoken to friends of, or family of “insert broncos player here”? Hilarious that all these nrl fan accounts pick these rumours up not knowing it’s blatant trolling.

 

[theshed]

Just did a run around the usual sources to see if I could cobble up some 2025 roster numbers. I wouldn't take them too seriously. Different sources differed. Even the same sources by the same authors differed in different articles. The variance was typically $50,000. But here goes anyway. Have at it:

Reece Walsh	$ 1,200,000 (estimated)
Payne Haas	$ 1,100,000
Pat Carrigan	$ 800,000
Kotoni Staggs	$ 700,000
Ezra Mam	$ 650,000
Selwyn Cobbo	$ 625,000
Adam Reynolds	$ 500,000
Kobe Hetherington	$ 450,000
Brendan Piakura	$ 400,000
Fletcher Baker	$ 350,000
Jordan Riki	$ 350,000
Martin Taupau	$ 350,000
Cory Paix	$ 325,000
Corey Jensen	$ 300,000
Jesse Arthars	$ 300,000
Jock Madden	$ 280,000
Xavier Willison	$ 250,000
Billy Walters	$ 240,000
Blake Mozer	$ 200,000
Jaiyden Hunt	$ 200,000
Tyson Smoothy	$ 180,000
Jack Gosiewski	$ 150,000
Ben Te Kura	$ 150,000
Delouise Hoeter	$ 150,000
Israel Leota	$ 130,000

If this is accurate, and let’s be honest, it 100% is, then we should have about 700k remaining even after bringing in 4 min wage player to get our squad to 29/30.

You’ll need to upgrade Black ($200k?), Mozer, Willison and Te Kera.

Willison and Mozer both probably get 450 each minimum. I have no idea what a Te Kura is worth.

But that would be about 750k right there.

Edit: your list doesn’t include Mariner

 

[Super Freak]

I would keep Cobbo, more upside.

He's having some mental troubles lately, nothing that can't be helped with a bit of guidance and nurturing. I have faith Madge can provide that.

When he's on, he's a fucking joy to watch. He was elite up until he started getting injuries mid-year, he struggled with that a bit. I don't think he was managed all that well.

 

[thenry]

In regards to Staggs vs Cobbo... I think the downside for Cobbo as a centre is his mentality like you say, but in regards to Staggs he's played 121 games now and I think he still lacks in a lot of the general football smarts and skills areas.

He can make a 1v1 tackle defensively, but he makes poor defensive decisions a lot of the time.... constantly shooting out to try and tackle the five eight and leaving his winger with 1v3's!!

His workrate is pretty poor a lot of the time and his attack near the goal line is becoming gradually ineffective year on year... players are shutting him down 1v1 when that's meant to be his strength.

Beyond that he doesn't have some of the weapons that other good centres have in a quick pass to get past a jamming receiver, he doesn't seem to have a flick pass offload, etc. He also uses power and his fend rather than having a step that can beat his man straight up in 1v1... like say a Crichton who can step to get the outside and then offload when the winger is drawn in.

Madge being a defensive minded coach will hopefully improve Staggs defence, but I don't think Madge is that great on the other side of the ball.

Barrett coming in will likely be great as an overall attack coach, but he's probably more of a halves coach, whereas I think Staggs needs a skills coach... the whole team could probably do with having a skills coach to be honest.

On the other hand Cobbo has all the attacking upside in the world and is also pretty solid defensively when he's not mentally fatigued.

Cobbo also brings workrate... if we lose Cobbo that would mean we've lost our 3 biggest workhorses in the outside backs year on year (Herbie, Oates and then Cobbo) and the other backs aren't picking up the slack.

It was a major issue this year with our yardage sets getting pumped, and this would compound the issue threefold if they don't find replacements. Assuming Cobbo goes 4 of the future back 5 are already taken up with guys that aren't really workhorse outside backs (1. Walsh, 2. Arthars, 3. Staggs, 4. Mariner... 5. TBC)... there's not much room there to improve the yardage game.

BINGO. It's all well and good to say, "just get rid of Cobbo". Who the **** is going to make early set metres without Cobbo? Walsh? No. Arthurs? No. Staggs? No. Mariner? **** no.
We were dominated every 1-3 tackle of sets this season.

Honestly, have a look at Origin 1. Cobbo's early set runs were immense, same as first half of the season for Broncos.

Careful what you wish for.

 

[mitch222]

BINGO. It's all well and good to say, "just get rid of Cobbo". Who the **** is going to make early set metres without Cobbo? Walsh? No. Arthurs? No. Staggs? No. Mariner? **** no.
We were dominated every 1-3 tackle of sets this season.

Honestly, have a look at Origin 1. Cobbo's early set runs were immense, same as first half of the season for Broncos.

Careful what you wish for.

Its why if you get rid of Cobbo the replacement has to be a big bodied outside back to help with starting our sets off.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Corey Parker keeps saying Cobbo could command $1 million a season if he hits the open market. That is literally crack head talk surely.

 

[McHunt]

If this is accurate, and let’s be honest, it 100% is, then we should have about 700k remaining even after bringing in 4 min wage player to get our squad to 29/30.

You’ll need to upgrade Black ($200k?), Mozer, Willison and Te Kera.

Willison and Mozer both probably get 450 each minimum. I have no idea what a Te Kura is worth.

But that would be about 750k right there.

Edit: your list doesn’t include Mariner

Doesn't include:

Antonio Verhoeven
Coby Black
Deine Mariner
Josh Rogers
Va'a Semu

 

[McHunt]

I would keep Cobbo, more upside.

He's having some mental troubles lately,

"lately"

This is his issue: flashes of brilliance, long slumps.

If you want to metaphor it as a mental issue, it's akin to bipolar. NOT A DIAGNOSIS.

 

[McHunt]

Kind of my point...

Cameron Smith was saying how the Madge who coached him at the Storm was very different from the Madge he saw on Tiger Town, and the stark change from being an assistant to head coach. Basically good cop, bad cop.

I wonder if he had anything to do with Ben Te'o's appointment, having coached him at Souths?

 

[Big Del]

He's made a pattern of flagging after Origin. He might need to break that.

Is getting flat line KO`d and needing a break ,part of a pattern ?

Your predjudice is showing bro .

 

[McHunt]

Is getting flat line KO`d and needing a break ,part of a pattern ?

Your predjudice is showing bro .

Did you sleep through this season?