On paper, it's a good side. When you have the likes of Moga, Sims, Niko, an inconsistent Blair, a hot and cold Milf in your side, it doesn't come across as being great but as a side who could make some noise if provided with some luck and momentum.
I tend to agree.
Bennett has assembled a very good side and has done well to keep the key talent at the club. With so many quality players off contract the situation could have been a lot worse than what it was but the Broncos have been able to retain Darius Boyd, Corey Oates, James Roberts, Anthony Milford, Josh McGuire & Matt Gillett among others. These players can deliver you a premiership but you've got to get the balance right and hope the support is there.
As far as the 2017 season is concerned, the Broncos had the toughest draw of any side and yet still managed to finish third. They're not one of the most convincing sides in the competition, but in a year where teams either had to deal with changes or under-performed, the Broncos did well to remain consistent and always kept themselves in the contest.
I look at performances like Round 7 & 8 as indicative of the Broncos season. On a personal level, the Broncos didn't play well at all, but they managed to stay in the contest and when the game was there to be won, the key players stood up and got the win for the Broncos.
When I look at the Broncos roster, I don't see that many stand-outs. Matt Gillett is one of the best second rows in the game, but he doesn't have the best running game and his strongest asset is his ability to produce try-savers on the line. Boyd is a world class backline utility, but I don't know if I'd consider him the best fullback in the game. There was a window of time where that was the case but now with players like Tedesco, Trbojevic, Gutherson his position in the game has diminished.
Then you've got players like McGuire, Oates, Milford, Kahu, Roberts, Glenn etc. who are good players but most likely wouldn't make the Top 17 players list.
The rest of the side are just young guns or fillers who are either learning their trade or filling a gap with the understanding they're not getting paid the same as a Chambers, Jennings, Ferguson etc. and they're just there to fill a spot.
That's why I'm not mad at a player like Moga. I feel like so many fans are hard on him but when you look at value for money and the fact he's been able to fill a spot that was so problematic last year (and ultimately cost us our season...) I think he's been a valuable asset.
The Broncos had to make some tough calls this year. They've had to let players like Hunt, Blair, Ese'ese & Arrow walk while they get ready for the future. I believe they made the right calls moving forward, but I'll have to see their replacements before I can say for sure. Bennett cannot make the mistake that Griffin did and let players go without having a solution. I have enough trust in Wayne and believe Bird is going to be a valuable piece in the puzzle. He's a quality young player and while he's going to struggle finding his spot in the side, it won't be long before he becomes a fan favourite. If I was to put together a mock NYC draft in 2014, he would have been my #1 pick, no question.
I hope we see more signings like Bird in the future to help compliment the players coming through the NYC ranks. 2018 is going to be a huge year for players like Jaydn Su'A, George Fai & Jamayne Isaako, for our sake I hope they can make an impression. Furthermore I've got my fingers crossed for Corey Allan who has the poise of a first grader. Of all the Under 20s prospects we have coming through, I believe only he and Su'A are the ones capable of making a genuine impact next season. Then further down the line Patrick Carrigan & Payne Haas could have huge careers but fans will have to be patient with them.
Regardless, I think the club has done well to avoid another disaster and while a lot of question marks remain, there's cause for optimism in our ranks.
