NEWS Darren Lockyer confirms Brisbane Broncos' Brodie Croft signing

[Huge]

He has a contract for the next two years so he can't go anywhere else.

Well, can't seems extreme!! He isn't on much coin so it's not something that a club that wants him would baulk at paying the Broncos.

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

Whilst I like some of the things he does, Croft isn't the answer to Bronco's HB woes. 22 GP 5 TA and 2 LBA on the highest scoring team in the league is really bad. He is a bit of a Kodi clone, has some great speed, marginal kicking game and very poor defensively. Nothing about him even resembles an organizer. Dearden will start in front of him if he has a good training camp.

"very poor defensively"

Ok... Show me

One thing he is apparently that Kodi wasn't, a talker

 

[Kooly87]

Is there also the potential that Dearden could become a hooker?

In his games last year he reminded me of a 2014/15 Ben Hunt lite... he liked to take the line on and had the strength to shrug off defenders. He was also strong in defence. He doesnt look as fast as Bhunt though.

Also pending what happens with Milf is there a potential Croft becomes a 6... he looks to have a bit of speed and likes to take the line on. He reminds me of Maloney with his competitiveness, support play and willingness to try options. Time will tell if he has the skills to execute on the back of that attitude though.

Honestly, if we ruin one more promising Halfback by playing them as a Utility or Dummy Half, I'll deadest give the Broncos away.
[automerge]1574741974[/automerge]

Well, can't seems extreme!! He isn't on much coin so it's not something that a club that wants him would baulk at paying the Broncos.

We have a contract with him. They could offer him a million bucks. If we say he isn't going, he isn't going.

 

[pagey]

"very poor defensively"

Ok... Show me

One thing he is apparently that Kodi wasn't, a talker

Defensively his stats suggest he's ok and really strong in support.

 

[Unbreakable]

Whilst I like some of the things he does, Croft isn't the answer to Bronco's HB woes. 22 GP 5 TA and 2 LBA on the highest scoring team in the league is really bad. He is a bit of a Kodi clone, has some great speed, marginal kicking game and very poor defensively. Nothing about him even resembles an organizer. Dearden will start in front of him if he has a good training camp.

Calling Croft poor defensively kind of indicates that you may have never actually watched him play, he's one of the best defending Halves in the entire comp and gets through more work than almost anyone.

Hunt - 22.5 tackles per game @ 79.6% efficiency
Croft - 20.8 tackles per game @ 83.2% efficiency
Foran - 19.9 tackles per game @ 85.9% efficiency
Brooks - 19.4 tackles per game @ 80.9% efficiency
Townsend - 19.2 tackles per game @ 84.6% efficiency
Cronk - 18.5 tackles per game @ 86.1% efficiency
Cherry-Evans - 18.1 tackles per game @ 89.0% efficiency
Moses - 17.5 tackles per game @ 77.5% efficiency
Nikorima - 17.1 tackles per game @ 76.1% efficiency
Morgan - 17.0 tackles per game @ 80.3% efficiency
Taylor - 16.9 tackles per game @ 86.0% efficiency
Reynolds - 16.7 tackles per game @ 81.0% efficiency
Cleary - 16.6 tackles per game @ 83.5% efficiency
Pearce - 16.4 tackles per game @ 78.2% efficiency
Sezer - 15.2 tackles per game @ 81.4% efficiency

 

[Kooly87]

Calling Croft poor defensively kind of indicates that you may have never actually watched him play, he's one of the best defending Halves in the entire comp and gets through more work than almost anyone.

Hunt - 22.5 tackles per game @ 79.6% efficiency
Croft - 20.8 tackles per game @ 83.2% efficiency
Foran - 19.9 tackles per game @ 85.9% efficiency
Brooks - 19.4 tackles per game @ 80.9% efficiency
Townsend - 19.2 tackles per game @ 84.6% efficiency
Cronk - 18.5 tackles per game @ 86.1% efficiency
Cherry-Evans - 18.1 tackles per game @ 89.0% efficiency
Moses - 17.5 tackles per game @ 77.5% efficiency
Nikorima - 17.1 tackles per game @ 76.1% efficiency
Morgan - 17.0 tackles per game @ 80.3% efficiency
Taylor - 16.9 tackles per game @ 86.0% efficiency
Reynolds - 16.7 tackles per game @ 81.0% efficiency
Cleary - 16.6 tackles per game @ 83.5% efficiency
Pearce - 16.4 tackles per game @ 78.2% efficiency
Sezer - 15.2 tackles per game @ 81.4% efficiency

That's a fascinating list actually.

I bet if you asked a lot of punters to name the Halves who do defend well and the ones who don't, the list would look very different to that.

 

[Unbreakable]

That's a fascinating list actually.

I bet if you asked a lot of punters to name the Halves who do defend well and the ones who don't, the list would look very different to that.

Biggest surprise for me was Taylor at 86.0%, he must've flopped a lot this year.

 

[Kooly87]

Biggest surprise for me was Taylor at 86.0%, he must've flopped a lot this year.

Sezer, who's actually spent time at Dummy Half and I'd guess most people would presume was a reasonable defender, is bottom of the pack.

DCE at almost 90% would be putting some Forwards to shame.

 

[Huge]

Honestly, if we ruin one more promising Halfback by playing them as a Utility or Dummy Half, I'll deadest give the Broncos away.
[automerge]1574741974[/automerge]

We have a contract with him. They could offer him a million bucks. If we say he isn't going, he isn't going.

Mmmm, say the Broncos are paying him 320k for the two seasons and another club says we'll pay it out. Do you think the Broncos would stand in his way? Nothing to lose really especially if Dearden says, **** you and I don't want to be here, play here or train here. Clubs not going to do jack shit in that case.

 

[Footy Fanatic]

Croft is no more than a stop gap option at halfback. If he couldn't succeed at Melbourne, he isn't going to suddenly become elite here.

Dearden is our future.

 

[redhood]

What’s our best spine for next year?

1. ???
6. Milford
7. Croft
9. Turpin

Or

1. Milford
6. Dearden
7. Croft
9. Turpin

Is option b too much inexperienced rbe halves?

We can always have Bird in at 5/8 and Milf in the back. Don’t know if Isaako is ready for the FB job yet. I’d go your second option I’d think.

 

[McHunt]

Calling Croft poor defensively kind of indicates that you may have never actually watched him play, he's one of the best defending Halves in the entire comp and gets through more work than almost anyone.

Hunt - 22.5 tackles per game @ 79.6% efficiency
Croft - 20.8 tackles per game @ 83.2% efficiency
Foran - 19.9 tackles per game @ 85.9% efficiency
Brooks - 19.4 tackles per game @ 80.9% efficiency
Townsend - 19.2 tackles per game @ 84.6% efficiency
Cronk - 18.5 tackles per game @ 86.1% efficiency
Cherry-Evans - 18.1 tackles per game @ 89.0% efficiency
Moses - 17.5 tackles per game @ 77.5% efficiency
Nikorima - 17.1 tackles per game @ 76.1% efficiency
Morgan - 17.0 tackles per game @ 80.3% efficiency
Taylor - 16.9 tackles per game @ 86.0% efficiency
Reynolds - 16.7 tackles per game @ 81.0% efficiency
Cleary - 16.6 tackles per game @ 83.5% efficiency
Pearce - 16.4 tackles per game @ 78.2% efficiency
Sezer - 15.2 tackles per game @ 81.4% efficiency

Not sure I'd take these stats at face value. Here's a sample from our last seven games. O'Sullivan appears to be a far superior defender to Turpin.

Turpin
Broncos 4 Storm: 40: 19, 76%
Broncos 18 Cowboys 14: 20, 90.9%
Broncos 24 Panthers 12: 24, 85.7% (71 minutes)

O'Sullivan
Broncos 20 Rabbitohs 22: 38, 88.4%
Broncos 17 Eels 16: 32, 88.9% (82 minutes)

Turpin
Broncos 14 Bulldogs 30: 22, 78.6%
Broncos 0 Eels 58: 28, 75.7%

Yet in that game we won against the Roosters, Dearden made 20 tackles at 80% (80 minutes), while Turpin (at starting hooker) made 33 at 94.3% (52 minutes).

 

[Unbreakable]

Not sure I'd take these stats at face value. Here's a sample from our last seven games. O'Sullivan appears to be a far superior defender to Turpin.

Turpin
Broncos 4 Storm: 40: 19, 76%
Broncos 18 Cowboys 14: 20, 90.9%
Broncos 24 Panthers 12: 24, 85.7% (71 minutes)

O'Sullivan
Broncos 20 Rabbitohs 22: 38, 88.4%
Broncos 17 Eels 16: 32, 88.9% (82 minutes)

Turpin
Broncos 14 Bulldogs 30: 22, 78.6%
Broncos 0 Eels 58: 28, 75.7%

Yet in that game we won against the Roosters, Dearden made 20 tackles at 80% (80 minutes), while Turpin (at starting hooker) made 33 at 94.3% (52 minutes).

Using a sample of 7 games is never going to be an accurate representation, not sure what point you're aiming to prove :P

 

[McHunt]

Using a sample of 7 games is never going to be an accurate representation, not sure what point you're aiming to prove :P

Exactly. Which is why having that certain player with the best defence stats in the league somehow didn't translate to us having great defence. Nor did his impeccably low handling error rate translate into us having impeccable service from dummy half.

The numbers alone don't tell the story.

 

[Morepudding]

Exactly. Which is why having that certain player with the best defence stats in the league somehow didn't translate to us having great defence. Nor did his impeccably low handling error rate translate into us having impeccable service from dummy half.

The numbers alone don't tell the story.

Gotta touch the bloke for it to count as a missed tackle. Turpin rushed in and wasnt near the bnall most of the time.

 

[Wolfie]

Stats are stupid.

 

[Unbreakable]

Exactly. Which is why having that certain player with the best defence stats in the league somehow didn't translate to us having great defence. Nor did his impeccably low handling error rate translate into us having impeccable service from dummy half.

I still don't know what your point is man lol, of course having one player who makes a 20 tackles efficiently is not going to translate to your ENTIRE TEAM having a good defence.. Isn't that like.. obvious? It's a team game.

If you have a lot of players who are high work rate, high efficiency defenders you're more than likely going to have a good defence though, that's why Melbourne is so good, there's almost no defensive weaknesses across the park individually.

 

[McHunt]

I still don't know what your point is man lol, of course having one player who makes a 20 tackles efficiently is not going to translate to your ENTIRE TEAM having a good defence.. Isn't that like.. obvious? It's a team game.

If you have a lot of players who are high work rate, high efficiency defenders you're more than likely going to have a good defence though, that's why Melbourne is so good, there's almost no defensive weaknesses across the park individually.

Exactly.