Honest Opinions

[Mister Wright]

I think most posters on here (and it's understandable) are comparing everything the Broncos do to the highs of the 90s. The game was different back then, there was no salary cap and the Broncos pretty much had the pick of any decent player in South East Queensland. Then things changed, the salary cap was introduced and Melbourne & North Queensland were introduced and they started a competition for players of not just South East Queensland, but all of Queensland. We were lucky that this success continued until the early and mid-2000s, but by then the other factors came in to play and we were no longer the standout team and we came back to the pack. The talent now is spread across the competition (like it should be) and we are comparing our players to some of the greatest ever players to play the game and future immortals. Every team wants a JT and a Cameron Smith, but they are literaly 1 in 100 year players and we have 2 of them in the same generation. The next Langer, Lockyer or Webke may be another 10 years away and due to the competition for quality players we may not get them. It is completely unfair to compare McCullough to Smith and expect them to be the same player, just like it is unfair to compare Milford & Hunt to JT. We often overlook what these players bring to our team, and want them to be something they are not (again, which is fair enough). What we should be looking at is, are these players filling a role in our team and doing it well enough?

IMO we need a defensive option in McCullough at hooker because we don't have the biggest forward pack and we need someone to hold the middle of the field together. Both Milford and Hunt are running halves, so we don't need McCullough to do that job. We are going to stick with Milford and his obvious strength is his running game. We need to find a halfback to complement him, an organiser, whether that is a big name player or not they need to be someone who can take the pressure of Milford and allow him to use his strengths.

 

[Sproj]

Im not sure a team that was left with the best player in the world, and a strong backline, could be said to have been a mess. There were some forward deficencies, but thats true enough today. Every teams got to compromise somewhere. Thats the salary cap for you, not bennet. You just hope the young prodigies and journeymen footballers can fill the gap. And what the likes of bennet and others do with is what them, not the superstars is how you know youve got a good coach. Weve got the best.

I agree with everything in this post except that we have the best coach. We have the best man manager for sure but in terms of best overall, Melbourne have the best coach hands down. I'd also have Flanagan, Green and Robinson all in the discussions of best coach in today's game as well for their on field planning.

 

[Broncoman]

I honestly think we are going to struggle to go all the way to the top if Milford doesn't pick up his play in the tight situations. We should've won on Friday but we weren't able to deliver and it came back to bite us. Milford also kicked the ball away in the semi final in Townsville last year and if memory serves me correct, he presented the ball to the Cowboys in the GF in 2015 at the end, though I could be wrong on that one.

When you look at the premiership winning teams of recent times and all throughout the history I guess, they always have a playmaker who was very good at delivering in the big games and big moments.

He has delivered in pressure situations before but I feel he struggles to do it consistently and needs to improve on it, hopefully he gets better with time.

 

[Danoz Direct]

I honestly think we are going to struggle to go all the way to the top if Milford doesn't pick up his play in the tight situations. We should've won on Friday but we weren't able to deliver and it came back to bite us. Milford also kicked the ball away in the semi final in Townsville last year and if memory serves me correct, he presented the ball to the Cowboys in the GF in 2015 at the end, though I could be wrong on that one.

Humt was the one that presented the ball to them in the Grandfinal.

 

[Huge]

I think most posters on here (and it's understandable) are comparing everything the Broncos do to the highs of the 90s. The game was different back then, there was no salary cap and the Broncos pretty much had the pick of any decent player in South East Queensland. Then things changed, the salary cap was introduced and Melbourne & North Queensland were introduced and they started a competition for players of not just South East Queensland, but all of Queensland. We were lucky that this success continued until the early and mid-2000s, but by then the other factors came in to play and we were no longer the standout team and we came back to the pack. The talent now is spread across the competition (like it should be) and we are comparing our players to some of the greatest ever players to play the game and future immortals. Every team wants a JT and a Cameron Smith, but they are literaly 1 in 100 year players and we have 2 of them in the same generation. The next Langer, Lockyer or Webke may be another 10 years away and due to the competition for quality players we may not get them. It is completely unfair to compare McCullough to Smith and expect them to be the same player, just like it is unfair to compare Milford & Hunt to JT. We often overlook what these players bring to our team, and want them to be something they are not (again, which is fair enough). What we should be looking at is, are these players filling a role in our team and doing it well enough?

IMO we need a defensive option in McCullough at hooker because we don't have the biggest forward pack and we need someone to hold the middle of the field together. Both Milford and Hunt are running halves, so we don't need McCullough to do that job. We are going to stick with Milford and his obvious strength is his running game. We need to find a halfback to complement him, an organiser, whether that is a big name player or not they need to be someone who can take the pressure of Milford and allow him to use his strengths.

Actually, it isn't that we don't have the players. What's changed is the professionalism of the clubs. Back in the 90s there were several very poor teams, a couple of mediocre teams, a few good teams and a few powerhouses. Nowadays, virtually any team can win on the day, no result would be considered astounding. The teams had to get better or perish, it really is that simple. We have had a few lean years but had WB not been pushed out we likely would have kept our strike rate up. Sure, the intervening years have placed more restraints on us with salary caps and whatnot but I believe it's the opposition who have raised their games rather than the Broncos having it all their way ( by the way, the Broncos NEVER have had it all their way )

 

[Jason Simmons]

So who faults is it? Halves or coaching. Why can't anyone fix it?

The players are the ones who have to execute. The coach can't do it for them from the coaching box...

Perhaps the problem can't likely be fixed with these players, which is why one is heading elsewhere...