Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2025

[BroncsFan]

Agreed.
Madden is the one the club needs to have a chat with. Even a release for next season to the UK and sign him for 27 if both the club and him want to stay. Baker is a easy one to just not sign for next year.
I wouldn't want to lose someone like Cobbo to keep Adam for one year.

The 9 situation could play a part too, Paix is going well ATM but Mozer is still yet to return and Ezra makes him way into the team to at some point. If Hunt ends up going to 9 to make way for Ezra and Mozer pushes his way onto the bench, we still have Billy for another year and Paix might be in cup with some form to start the year which could spark interest from other clubs. He may be one that gets squeezed out if we can't move Madden on.

Yep halves and hooker is where we are bloated at the moment.

I do think we probably need at least 3 hookers and one of the hookers needs to be able to 80mins.

We have 2 playing every week, so if one goes down then you need another.

If another one then goes down... like if one gets a season ender and you've only got 3, then even a HIA becomes troublesome to handle.

So one of the hookers needs to be able to play 80 if needed.

At the moment we've got Paix, Billy, Mozer, Smoothy, Bhunt and Bukowski.

6 fucking hookers across the top 30 + Dev squad.

Bukowski is someone who's going to jump into the top 30 as of next year and is probably the one they will want to pair up with Mozer for the log run, which like you said, means Paix is dropped to depth.

After 2026, I'd imagine Bhunt is retired... although he might chuck a Cherry and keep playing on as well... and Billy is off contract at like 33 so I'd imagine they let him walk after that.

So those two are likely gone on top of Smoothy at the end of this year and we're quickly back to 3 in a couple years.

Someone said it the other day and it's about getting the guys to take a cheap contract for next year because you're in a premiership window and I don't think we win one without Reynolds.

I think it looks a bit tough this year, because Melbourne look insane and have a chip on their shoulder after last year, and Dogs defence just looks insane... I'll be interested if they can keep it up for a full season though.

On the other hand I'm not yet sold on our defence... our goal line has been reasonably solid, but im not sure if that is a lot of scrambling or if it's actually getting solid... my concern is more the edges and teams are just getting their so easily, even in yardage.

But next year with a second preseason of Madge and a second preseason of getting the defence up to scratch... could be our year... especially if Bellamy ***** off should storm get the prem this year

 

[Sproj]

Yep halves and hooker is where we are bloated at the moment.

I do think we probably need at least 3 hookers and one of the hookers needs to be able to 80mins.

We have 2 playing every week, so if one goes down then you need another.

If another one then goes down... like if one gets a season ender and you've only got 3, then even a HIA becomes troublesome to handle.

So one of the hookers needs to be able to play 80 if needed.

At the moment we've got Paix, Billy, Mozer, Smoothy, Bhunt and Bukowski.

6 fucking hookers across the top 30 + Dev squad.

Bukowski is someone who's going to jump into the top 30 as of next year and is probably the one they will want to pair up with Mozer for the log run, which like you said, means Paix is dropped to depth.

After 2026, I'd imagine Bhunt is retired... although he might chuck a Cherry and keep playing on as well... and Billy is off contract at like 33 so I'd imagine they let him walk after that.

So those two are likely gone on top of Smoothy at the end of this year and we're quickly back to 3 in a couple years.

Someone said it the other day and it's about getting the guys to take a cheap contract for next year because you're in a premiership window and I don't think we win one without Reynolds.

I think it looks a bit tough this year, because Melbourne look insane and have a chip on their shoulder after last year, and Dogs defence just looks insane... I'll be interested if they can keep it up for a full season though.

On the other hand I'm not yet sold on our defence... our goal line has been reasonably solid, but im not sure if that is a lot of scrambling or if it's actually getting solid... my concern is more the edges and teams are just getting their so easily, even in yardage.

But next year with a second preseason of Madge and a second preseason of getting the defence up to scratch... could be our year... especially if Bellamy ***** off should storm get the prem this year

I don’t think the Storm or Dogs could be playing much better than right now. We on the other hand look like we are spluttering along.

Fletcher and Caine mentioned it on SEN in the post-round review. We aren’t even playing well yet put 46 points on the Tigers. What will we see when the Broncs click? We are 4-1 and could easily be 5-0 despite some glaring issues.

You don’t win premierships in March-April, we need to make sure we time our run and so far, we look the side (along with Penrith of course when the cavalry returns) with the most improvement in us.

 

[BroncsFan]

I don’t think the Storm or Dogs could be playing much better than right now. We on the other hand look like we are spluttering along.

Fletcher and Caine mentioned it on SEN in the post-round review. We aren’t even playing well yet put 46 points on the Tigers. What will we see when the Broncs click? We are 4-1 and could easily be 5-0 despite some glaring issues.

You don’t win premierships in March-April, we need to make sure we time our run and so far, we look the side (along with Penrith of course when the cavalry returns) with the most improvement in us.

I don't really see Melbourne dropping away.

Bellamy will see this year as a golden opportunity to win it... will be interesting if origin players pick up little "niggles", etc. and have to miss games, etc.

Dogs are a wait and see for me. Everything they do is high energy... even their attack is relentless running through the middle... but is that still going to be sustainable post origin or might they run out of steam.

For us I'm not concerned about our attack, I think it will click eventually, but I am worried about our defence... and I'm frustrated as **** about reffing in our games... somehow we're a top 4 team with dominant middles but lose the penalty count every game. That could be something to do with our defence, but it's been full blown penalties that we are losing rather than 1st tackle six agains inside the 20m... so either our discipline in yardage is fuuucked or games are being managed because we look like demolishing teams early and they have to keep it tight.

If they can sort out that one area we probably look a million times better and will start blowing teams away.

 

[Sproj]

I don't really see Melbourne dropping away.

Bellamy will see this year as a golden opportunity to win it... will be interesting if origin players pick up little "niggles", etc. and have to miss games, etc.

Dogs are a wait and see for me. Everything they do is high energy... even their attack is relentless running through the middle... but is that still going to be sustainable post origin or might they run out of steam.

For us I'm not concerned about our attack, I think it will click eventually, but I am worried about our defence... and I'm frustrated as **** about reffing in our games... somehow we're a top 4 team with dominant middles but lose the penalty count every game. That could be something to do with our defence, but it's been full blown penalties that we are losing rather than 1st tackle six agains inside the 20m... so either our discipline in yardage is fuuucked or games are being managed because we look like demolishing teams early and they have to keep it tight.

If they can sort out that one area we probably look a million times better and will start blowing teams away.

Yeah the refereeing is a huge issue but in some ways, I think it is good we are getting smashed game in, game out. Hear me out. We are learning to play under duress which means we are getting plenty of defense practice and so our issues are being highlighted, so we can work on them while winning under duress.

When the whips are cracking though, the refs put the whistle away finally which means our strengths should really then come to the fore. What will happen though, if we get a lead in a final, the refs will then do their best to bring the other side back into it and when that happens, we will have a lot of practice handling getting smashed by the ref.

Our backrow is a massive issue though. At least with Riki there, we have his side sorted defensively. It is the left side I am really worried about. Gosiewski has made a lot of missed and ineffective tackles. I like Piakura and think he gets piled on unfairly because defensively, he hits really hard but it does get him suspended unfortunately. You see players not wanting to run at him though. Every team needs a psycho in defense and he is ours.

 

[1910]

Everyone's getting into the Act, regarding the Bronx cap.

Zane Bojack on ABC was talking about it to and he even pulled a number out of his ass saying that Reynolds was on $850k this year.

he wasn't even on that amount when he first came here and we certainly didn't give him a raise for this year

plus bloke in a bar's take:

It came from Reynolds.

“The plan is to play on,’’ Reynolds told Triple M.

Asked whether he would consider leaving the Broncos for an NRL or English club if a suitable deal could not be reached, Reynolds said: “I will keep all options open at the moment. You never know what is around the corner. Ideally I would love to stay at the Broncos but it is pretty tight there at the moment.

“If things work out great. If not you would have to look and explore and see what else was out there.’’

 

[Big Del]

with dominant middles but lose the penalty count every game.

Dominant in attack yes . The defence in the middle is not the best around .
Too easy to score through the ruck .

 

[Sproj]

Dominant in attack yes . The defence in the middle is not the best around .
Too easy to score through the ruck .

Not sure that's true:
Roosters:
First try - Left through missed tackle from Shibasaki
Second try - Right through Riki being caught out
Third try - Left wing, though Young's bum was in row 16

Raiders:
First try - Left edge through missed tackle from Gosiewski
Second try - Off a bat back off a kick to Papalii following through, I guess this very technically counts
Third try - Right edge through Hunt and Gosiewski again
Fourth try - Absolute disgrace it was given but off a kick through the left edge again
Fifth try - off an offload through you guessed it, the left edge again
Sixth try - Down the blindside on the right wing and scored through a soft tackle attempt on the line by Cobbo

Cowboys:
First try - From a kick on the left wing / edge
Second try - Right wing, caught out for numbers
Third try - Dropped on the right in attack, Purdue runs the length

Dolphins:
First try - Plath through the middle
Second try - Missed tackle blind side play on the left by Piakura

Tigers:
First try - Kick behind on the right wing behind Cobbo
Second try - Missed tackle on the left through you guessed it, Gosiewski for a long range try in the left corner
Third try - Left side through poor read from Shibasaki
Fourth try - Left edge through a missed tackle by, you guessed it, Gosiewski
Fifth try - Left side, poor read by Shibasaki

So one clear try through the middle, one off a kick that is harsh out of five rounds - nothing wrong with our middle defense. The left side however, especially Gosiewski on the other hand...