NEWS Ikin lifts lid on Broncos’ roster strategy as Brisbane welcome Dolphins rivalry

[theshed]

Not a poorly balanced roster... except 3/4 of the spine are bottom tier.

I think we'll still be battling in the bottom 4, but that's because I'm pessimistic... this team has let me down too often the last few years to get my hopes up at this stage

I don’t entirely disagree but it’s a glass half empty perspective.

Paix has come on a long way and I think he’s far from the worst hooker in the NRL. Titans, bulldogs, dragons all come to mind. Turpin is what he is but he’s not a bad opening 20 minutes tackle bot.

I also think Cobbo is as good a fullback as the other young fullbacks out there eg Walsh, Campbell, Laurie, Sloan, etc.

Plenty of bad spines in the comp, not many have a top 4 halfback like Reynolds.

Staggs is back (hopefully)
Capewell + James
Carrigan is back

As Foordy said, 8th place is a very low bar to reach.

 

[Wolfie]

I'll be amazed if our best side cant make top 8. This is what i'd pick with them all fully fit

1 Cobbo/Niu
2 Farnworth
3 Lee
4 Staggs
5 Oates
6 Gamble/Kelly
7 Reynolds
8 Haas
9 Turpin/Paix
10 Carrigan
11 Capewell
12 Riki
13 Hetherington

14 Turpin/Paix
15 Flegler
16 James
17 Jensen/Robati/Willison

Its not a top 4 side by any stretch of the imagination, but 8th to 6th i think is realistic with some luck on our side.

 

[Lockysillegitimatechild]

I'll be amazed if our best side cant make top 8. This is what i'd pick with them all fully fit

1 Cobbo/Niu
2 Farnworth
3 Lee
4 Staggs
5 Oates
6 Gamble/Kelly
7 Reynolds
8 Haas
9 Turpin/Paix
10 Carrigan
11 Capewell
12 Riki
13 Hetherington

14 Turpin/Paix
15 Flegler
16 James
17 Jensen/Robati/Willison

Its not a top 4 side by any stretch of the imagination, but 8th to 6th i think is realistic with some luck on our side.

It's a much better side then we have had but let's not forget we won the spoon and scraped into 14th the last 2 years with the majority of that squad. Yes the bar is low with the nrl level at the moment, and yes the additions we have made are absolutely what we need and are good quality BUT it's a long mental jump for these players to suddenly become "finalists" no matter how low the bar is set

 

[Wolfie]

It's a much better side then we have had but let's not forget we won the spoon and scraped into 14th the last 2 years with the majority of that squad. Yes the bar is low with the nrl level at the moment, and yes the additions we have made are absolutely what we need and are good quality BUT it's a long mental jump for these players to suddenly become "finalists" no matter how low the bar is set

I think Reynolds and Capwell, plus hopefully a fit Staggs will make a lot of difference. Dont think we are going to be challengers though, but its strong enough to play finals footy.

 

[WASSHHH]

I think Reynolds and Capwell, plus hopefully a fit Staggs will make a lot of difference. Dont think we are going to be challengers though, but its strong enough to play finals footy.

My prediction, well before a ball is to be kicked: we’ll finish the regular season in fifth, with a win in week one of the finals and then a loss week two.

 

[Jedhead]

I'm much in agreement with most of this.

The thing I always hope for is the season that looks like we might have a small chance because of Reynolds, Capwell and Staggs starts to simmer into - the thoughts we could be even better with another big year from Haas. To learn that our young bucks have struck a rich vein of form and their concerted efforts had propelled us seriously into contention for a top four spot. From then on the roller coaster ride for us and the young bucks on the field would be immense. Roll on 2022.

 

[Wolfie]

My prediction, well before a ball is to be kicked: we’ll finish the regular season in fifth, with a win in week one of the finals and then a loss week two.

If say Cobbo and Paix have big years i could see it happening tbh. The fact we only have one top spine player will hold us back a bit.

 

[Sproj]

If say Cobbo and Paix have big years i could see it happening tbh. The fact we only have one top spine player will hold us back a bit.

If Paix transfers his Q Cup form and continues his upward trajectory, I still maintain we might not need another number 9. It is an unknown whether he can take that extra step but man, if he does, we become a big player in season '22. The rake is just that important.

 

[Galah]

If Paix transfers his Q Cup form and continues his upward trajectory, I still maintain we might not need another number 9. It is an unknown whether he can take that extra step but man, if he does, we become a big player in season '22. The rake is just that important.

He just needs to be injury free, I’ve seen enough in his couple of stints to feel he will make a difference for us.

 

[BroncsFan]

I don’t entirely disagree but it’s a glass half empty perspective.

Paix has come on a long way and I think he’s far from the worst hooker in the NRL. Titans, bulldogs, dragons all come to mind. Turpin is what he is but he’s not a bad opening 20 minutes tackle bot.

I also think Cobbo is as good a fullback as the other young fullbacks out there eg Walsh, Campbell, Laurie, Sloan, etc.

Plenty of bad spines in the comp, not many have a top 4 halfback like Reynolds.

Staggs is back (hopefully)
Capewell + James
Carrigan is back

As Foordy said, 8th place is a very low bar to reach.

I just don't think there's enough attack in our spine for us to really trouble teams, which would mean we will be reliant on grinding games out, but our defence would need to improve tenfold for that to be a viable approach for this team.

Cobbo looks a special talent, but to me he currently looks to be a special talent in the outside backs.. not so much that special talent we need at fullback. If we still had Walsh I would be more optimistic as he has the tools to be a good attacking fullback in modern league. Walsh playing off the back of Arey would have us pretty well set in the spine to make the 8.

Cobbo looks a running, support playing fullback at the moment, which doesn't always directly translate to success in modern league (Val Holmes for example). He obviously can still get there and he produced a little bit of ball playing in ISC this year, but I would prefer he ply his trade down in ISC and become an elite game winning fullback down there to then bring into NRL.

Paix was great down in ISC and that is what I would want to see from Cobbo at fullback... but will Paix even be a mainstay in the team next year or do you leave him in ISC to really see if he becomes that gun player for Logan. Turpin will be one hooker and I suspect Billy will be the utility off the bench. He's not the worst, but he's also just a makeshift hooker... that rotation could be the worst hooking pair in the comp

And that leaves Gamble and Niu. I like Gamble and I like his ball playing ability, but if all the attack is left to him and Niu, then we are basically in the same position we were this year, but we'll have an elite kicking game in Arey to give us field position. Which comes back to my original point... not enough points in the spine as yet.


Also the NSWRL will absolutely murder us with the draw and have us playing all of this year's top 6 twice as an absolute minimum.

 

[Allo]

why is everyone overrating this squad? we're still a bottom half side. Theres some decent pieces in there but hooker is a huge problem, pack is young and inexperienced, fullback is still a question and 5/8 nothing special

I was giving @lachyy the benefit of the doubt until now

 

[BroncosFever]

Cobbo will do some good things but he won't do any of those good things with the 1 on his back.

I suspect he will get as close to a full season as possible out in the centres, he came up with some real good plays for us there towards the end of the year and a full season in the NRL will give his mind and his body the time it needs to be ready to step into such a crucial role for us in 2023.

I understand why we as fans want to throw him into fullback but it can't happen too early, regardless of what he has been doing for Wynnum. It's a different beast.

 

[BroncosFever]

why is everyone overrating this squad? we're still a bottom half side. Theres some decent pieces in there but hooker is a huge problem, pack is young and inexperienced, fullback is still a question and 5/8 nothing special

Why do people get so caught up about having genuine match winners in every position?

Gamble was fantastic for us this season just gone, we don't need him to be special or anything like that. Just keep progressing his game, use that big body of his to get in the face of the opposition, he's got a nice short kicking game and he's got a bit of ball playing in him too.

They can't all be Darren Lockyers and if we as fans expect them to be, we'll end up with Anthony Milfords.

 

[theshed]

I just don't think there's enough attack in our spine for us to really trouble teams, which would mean we will be reliant on grinding games out, but our defence would need to improve tenfold for that to be a viable approach for this team.

Cobbo looks a special talent, but to me he currently looks to be a special talent in the outside backs.. not so much that special talent we need at fullback. If we still had Walsh I would be more optimistic as he has the tools to be a good attacking fullback in modern league. Walsh playing off the back of Arey would have us pretty well set in the spine to make the 8.

Cobbo looks a running, support playing fullback at the moment, which doesn't always directly translate to success in modern league (Val Holmes for example). He obviously can still get there and he produced a little bit of ball playing in ISC this year, but I would prefer he ply his trade down in ISC and become an elite game winning fullback down there to then bring into NRL.

Paix was great down in ISC and that is what I would want to see from Cobbo at fullback... but will Paix even be a mainstay in the team next year or do you leave him in ISC to really see if he becomes that gun player for Logan. Turpin will be one hooker and I suspect Billy will be the utility off the bench. He's not the worst, but he's also just a makeshift hooker... that rotation could be the worst hooking pair in the comp

And that leaves Gamble and Niu. I like Gamble and I like his ball playing ability, but if all the attack is left to him and Niu, then we are basically in the same position we were this year, but we'll have an elite kicking game in Arey to give us field position. Which comes back to my original point... not enough points in the spine as yet.


Also the NSWRL will absolutely murder us with the draw and have us playing all of this year's top 6 twice as an absolute minimum.

I agree about Cobbo to an extent and would like him to play more Q Cup at fullback to work on some of his flaws but there’s a very good fullback in that kid imo. Just maybe not next season.

I don’t think Paix needs anymore time in Q Cup at this stage. He looked a level well above the rest of the comp toward the end of the season. He just needs to work on his fitness over the off season and learn on the job in first grade. I think Paix off the bench actually has a lot of potential next season.

 

[Socnorb]

If Paix transfers his Q Cup form and continues his upward trajectory, I still maintain we might not need another number 9. It is an unknown whether he can take that extra step but man, if he does, we become a big player in season '22. The rake is just that important.

Rake, Lol. You must be as old as me.

 

[1910]

I agree about Cobbo to an extent and would like him to play more Q Cup at fullback to work on some of his flaws but there’s a very good fullback in that kid imo. Just maybe not next season.

I don’t think Paix needs anymore time in Q Cup at this stage. He looked a level well above the rest of the comp toward the end of the season. He just needs to work on his fitness over the off season and learn on the job in first grade. I think Paix off the bench actually has a lot of potential next season.

Paix improved dramatically and had an impact. He improved his positioning and decision making. No way was he a level above- Berrell, Chudleigh and Moseley were better.

 

[Gaz]

Have said it before and I'll say it again, I didn't expect this from Ikin and absolutely misjudged the guy. Very impressed. Definitely think his role on 360 has helped prep him for this role.

Yes and helped prep us for him.

 

[theshed]

Paix improved dramatically and had an impact. He improved his positioning and decision making. No way was he a level above- Berrell, Chudleigh and Moseley were better.

Sorry, I didn’t mean he was the best hooker or player in the comp. I may have worded that wrong but like those you named he seemed a step above the average Q Cup player. In the sense he appears to be a genuine NRL caliber player.