Broncos Roster, Signings and Rumours Discussion 2025

[McHunt]

Ooft

Indeed. So, tomorrow, let's pay special attention to this specific hooker skill - passing the ball directly from the ground in one motion, no standing up, no little step - and see if we get that from Hunt or Walters. Spoiler alert: Billy has never done it.

 

[theshed]

Indeed. So, tomorrow, let's pay special attention to this specific hooker skill - passing the ball directly from the ground in one motion, no standing up, no little step - and see if we get that from Hunt or Walters. Spoiler alert: Billy has never done it.

Haven’t seen it much from Hunt either tbh. Smoothy has been by far the best at for the Bronx over the last few seasons

 

[1910]

Can you see him cracking the NRL side within the next few years? Or is he just going to be another one of these youngsters that have his name mentioned a few times but never take that step up and then end up at another club.

I don't know why he left Dolphins, it's all strange but something has gone on. 2023 he's close to the most damaging player in Meninga and captain of Dolphins in the Grand FInal smashing Townsville. They signed him to a 3-year deal in 2023.

Plays colts, plays Cup, promoted to NRL squad plays NRL trial in February and scores a try with his first touch and then gone in May. Now playing BRL can't even make Souths Cup side.

The two captains from that Mal Meninga final Shibasaki and Waqa both can't find a job within two years.

 

[Jason Simmons]

**** me. Can we get that kid a barber first.

According to the mighty Bloke in a Bar,

“The shit’er the chop, the better the bloke..’

Obviously then, this young fella must be about the best bloke on earth…

 

[1910]

Haven’t seen it much from Hunt either tbh. Smoothy has been by far the best at for the Bronx over the last few seasons

Bukowski has the best pass at the Broncos. It's a stange thing for Luck to articulate they want from a hooker. It's old school.

Smith moved the role away from that and everyone wanted to keep the markers and hold them up for your runners to make a few extra metres and get a quick play the ball.

It's probably swung too far the other way now, hookers have lost the skill and just do the same thing every ruck.

 

[McHunt]

Haven’t seen it much from Hunt either tbh. Smoothy has been by far the best at for the Bronx over the last few seasons

Well, in fairness, it's not the ONLY skill you need at hooker, but if you don't have it, you need to make up for it with other super powers.

Hunt has never claimed to be a 9 - or wanted to be a 9. His dummy half service and defence is nothing special, but we've seen him bring his own brand of magic off the bench enough times in rep games not to dismiss him using those metrics. He's another genuine playmaker in the spine. He should improve our attack cohesion and take some pressure off Reynolds.

Should.

 

[theshed]

Well, in fairness, it's not the ONLY skill you need at hooker, but if you don't have it, you need to make up for it with other super powers.

Hunt has never claimed to be a 9 - or wanted to be a 9. His dummy half service and defence is nothing special, but we've seen him bring his own brand of magic off the bench enough times in rep games not to dismiss him using those metrics. He's another genuine playmaker in the spine. He should improve our attack cohesion and take some pressure off Reynolds.

Should.

Yeah I wasn’t making a comment on who should be our hooker. Purely talking about service off the ground.

Smoothey has some of the best service in the rugby league imo - just doesn’t have much of a running game. He’s just a pass-bot

 

[McHunt]

Yeah I wasn’t making a comment on who should be our hooker. Purely talking about service off the ground.

Smoothey has some of the best service in the rugby league imo - just doesn’t have much of a running game. He’s just a pass-bot

I thought Paix's passing game in the trials was a step up from our last few years, but his accuracy seemed to drift as the season went on. I'm not expecting Hunt to solidify our defence, but he does have a football brain, which none of our recent hookers have displayed.

I think we have reason to be optimistic, though I've seen little recent evidence to support it.

 

[ningnangnong]

Spoiler alert: Billy has never done it.

Your obsession is unhealthy, mate.

 

[McHunt]

Your obsession is unhealthy, mate.

Says the forum mod of a sporting fan site.

 

[NSW stables]

I think a good hooker needs to be able to do both, taking the ball out to engage the markers is effective for straight hit ups as the runner doesn't have to contend with the markers.

However a quick pass/service from the ground is best when spreading it across the field, or passing to kickers.

 

[Matheos]

Anyone got any info on the apparent 2 year extension offered to Hetherington?

Any perceived bidding war for him IMO shouldve been prime opportunity to say thanks and good luck.

Unless it's 350k per season at most, I'm nervous.

 

[BroncsFan]

I think a good hooker needs to be able to do both, taking the ball out to engage the markers is effective for straight hit ups as the runner doesn't have to contend with the markers.

However a quick pass/service from the ground is best when spreading it across the field, or passing to kickers.

One of the most underrated aspects of modern hooker play are the bullet 20-30m passes straight from dummy half.

Defences are so good on the goal line now (i.e. offside), but the ball moves faster than the player... and a 30m bullet spiral from dummy half can beat 3 defenders in an instant and suddenly the half is outside the 4-man and making a beeline to the edge.

Souths attack was so potent over those previous years, because Cook's service and ability to throw those long passes instantly got Cody outside his inside defender and it's Cody, Latrell and that left side up against 3 defenders.

I'm not sure that Bhunt has that in his skillset, but Walters and Paix don't seem to have it... I haven't seen enough of Mozer to know if he has it, but he looks to have the best pass out of those 4.

It probably is something that Mahoney has, and I'd say that's what cows are talking about when they talk about service from dummy half.

You can base your whole goal line attack around that kind of pass.

 

[Jedhead]

One of the most underrated aspects of modern hooker play are the bullet 20-30m passes straight from dummy half.

Defences are so good on the goal line now (i.e. offside), but the ball moves faster than the player... and a 30m bullet spiral from dummy half can beat 3 defenders in an instant and suddenly the half is outside the 4-man and making a beeline to the edge.

Souths attack was so potent over those previous years, because Cook's service and ability to throw those long passes instantly got Cody outside his inside defender and it's Cody, Latrell and that left side up against 3 defenders.

I'm not sure that Bhunt has that in his skillset, but Walters and Paix don't seem to have it... I haven't seen enough of Mozer to know if he has it, but he looks to have the best pass out of those 4.

It probably is something that Mahoney has, and I'd say that's what cows are talking about when they talk about service from dummy half.

You can base your whole goal line attack out of that kind of pass.

I've quietly sat for months watching and listening to this debate and all it entails most specifically our top heavy retainment of hookers.

From all accounts to people actually at the lower grades watching the games it strikes me that your man Bukowski (sic) is the guy we're looking for and not Mozer. It is still burnt into my retina how the Dolphins rolled him for two tries last year through his weak, ineffective defence.

Unfortunately both tries were right in front of where we were sitting and it made him look super ordinary. He does have some smarts about him, but I'd say he'd need to stack on at least another 4 KG of muscle if he hopes to capture the number one hooking spot in a plethora of wanna be Broncos hookers . His shoulders are deadset Benji Marshal level fragile.

 

[theshed]

I thought Paix's passing game in the trials was a step up from our last few years, but his accuracy seemed to drift as the season went on. I'm not expecting Hunt to solidify our defence, but he does have a football brain, which none of our recent hookers have displayed.

I think we have reason to be optimistic, though I've seen little recent evidence to support it.

Billy definitely has a football brain. Sometimes it fails him, sometimes it the ceiling of his ability - but I can’t agree he has displayed a good footy iq

 

[McHunt]

Badel says Kobe has been offered a two year extension. Titans have also approached him.

 

[McHunt]

Billy definitely has a football brain. Sometimes it fails him, sometimes it the ceiling of his ability - but I can’t agree he has displayed a good footy iq

Well he's kicked two 40/20's this season. I don't under rate that.

 

[BroncsFan]

Badel says Kobe has been offered a two year extension. Titans have also approached him.

Sounds like a manager leak to try and get broncos to up their price.