James Roberts signs with the Brisbane Broncos

[Harry Sack]

Don't like how Bennett compared Roberts to Steve Renouf. I remember saying this when Bennett compared Milford to Lockyer but I really don't like how players with potential get compared to the greats before they've even played a game for us yet at the time. Roberts could turn out to be a prize signing or he could bomb you never know what might happen, the season is still a good 3 months away yet I'm going to give it time. I still remember how Brett Seymour was cheered on by everybody but turned out to be a bust.

TBF, that had nothing to do with ability. It was his off field troubles that ruined his career.

 

[Harry Sack]

Bennett often says publicly what the players need to hear. Roberts might have needed that inspiration to get him over the line to sign as a Bronco.

Brett Seymour. I've said it a million times - he was perfect for the Broncos, for Lockyer. Such a shame, for us, and for him.

I should read entire threads before posting to ensure what I type hasn't been typed before.....

 

[1910]

Robert's as a young kid was originally a fullback coming through the grades. Like most young talents, they're too good to not be in first grade, but usually their preferred position is already occupied, so they get placed on the wing, and eventually make do playing wing or centre. It happened with a lot of great players. Hodges, Inglis, even Lockyer had to bide his time till he got his preferred position.

Robert's is good under the high ball. His handling issues at the Titans came from trying to do too much. He was rarely put into space, instead he had to create his own space. Since he was the only one who could pull off something special, often the Titans just gave him the ball and hoped for the best. At the Broncos, he won't need to do everything on his own, which will lower his errors significantly. With Milford, Hunt, Boyd out the back, his role is already much simplified.

I think If he wanted to make the transition to fullback down the track, he would be able to so successfully. Coming through the grades, he did remind me a bit of a young Inglis at Melbourne, and I can see a similar transition to fullback if he chooses too. He already has blistering pace, deceptively strong, good footwork, great overall awareness and instincts and a hidden passing ability (albeit it may still need some work). He has all the attributes to make a good fullback.

His NRL debut was fullback for Souths and he played fullback and wing on the right in the NYC- then at Penrith he played right centre and bench in NRL. He ended with 35 tries from 32 games in NYC, two tries in a GF and Gibson medal in 2013 v Warriors at centre.

Then of course had success at centre at the Titans last two years.

 

[Foordy]

THE Broncos may be forced to pay Dale Copley to play against them this season.Copley is searching for a new club after becoming a salary cap victim of the James Roberts signing.
It is understood some clubs who are interested in Copley are considering making him an offer but significantly below the $300,000-plus a year salary he was on at the Broncos.
If Copley accepts a deal beneath the value of what was to be the final year of his Broncos contract, Brisbane will be forced to top it up.
The Broncos had to take similar measures when they released Ben Barba and Martin Kennedy from long-term deals a year ago.
Copley has spoken to several clubs and was spotted in Sydney 10 days ago but is understood to have made no decision on his future.

It is known he was shocked by the Broncos decision to effectively cut him from the club after being initially earmarked to replace the retired Justin Hodges.
Clubs such as the Cowboys have some interest in Copley but do not have the room under their salary cap to offer him what he earns at the Broncos and would need Brisbane to kick in to seal any deal.
Copley has an important decision to make in which more issues than money are at play.

As promising as he is, the rangy utility player has played only 72 games since his first-grade debut at the Broncos in 2009.
If he can have a strong season it could set him up for a major new contract but if he cannot play the majority of games this season and make a major impact, his career record may be too patchy to land the big deal he is capable of securing.
The decision to show Copley the door has been greeted with regret by some Broncos fans given his lengthy history with the club and standing as a model citizen, which contrasts starkly with Roberts’ flaky off-field history.
Few tears were shed over the premature exits of Barba and Kennedy but Copley is a more sensitive scenario.

A Wavell High School product, he has been in the club’s development system since his early teens.
Copley’s pending exit at the Broncos is seen as part of an escalating trend of clubs becoming more aggressive with their salary cap management.
Clubs such as South Sydney and Brisbane, who are close to a premiership, are less reluctant to sit back and accept the consequences of salary cap decisions made a year or two ago and will not shy away from taking tough decisions.
The recruitment of Roberts has seen the Broncos firm to $4.75 favourites to win the title ahead of the Roosters $6.50 and the Cowboys $8.
It is such an open field that 12 clubs are under $20 in the market and only Newcastle ($51), Wests Tigers ($101) and the Gold Coast Titans ($151) appear to have been written off by bookmakers.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...6/news-story/15a37b8b3135ab3822f671cf82b77760

 

[Unbreakable]

Copley was on $300k+? That's news to me.

 

[Foordy]

Copley was on $300k+? That's news to me.

that would be a surprise to me too... but the media are prone to picking figures out of thin air

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

$300+k makes no sense. .

Previous salary cap was $5mil.

No way he was getting that big a slice. . But, who knows!

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

Ironic though. . The opposite is happening with copley and Bennett to what happened with Hodges leaving the club initially ti play at roosters.

Interesting saga. Injuries hurt him

 

[Big Pete]

So much for my theory.

I doubt Copley's on $300K, but if the Broncos struggle to release him or it comes out that we're paying apart of his salary who knows.

I still think he'd be an easier player to sell than Reed.

 

[Super Freak]

300k seems likely.

Have to keep in mind he was re-signed when Griffin was at the club.

But if he really is on 300k, then every single person who thought that was a good idea needs to be sacked.

He was in and out of the side for years and he hasn't played a single game of rep footy.

 

[Porthoz]

I find that figure very hard to believe. As much as I like him, he isn't worth that coin...

 

[broncos4life]

I find that figure very hard to believe. As much as I like him, he isn't worth that coin...

Considering he was re-signed under griffin I don't find it hard to believe at all

 

[talanoa]

his base deal was no where near $300k, the only way ot would have got close was if the triggered bonus paymebts through rep duties.
dobbo or badel probably plucked a figure from thin air like usual.

 

[broncos4life]

his base deal was no where near $300k, the only way ot would have got close was if the triggered bonus paymebts through rep duties.
dobbo or badel probably plucked a figure from thin air like usual.

Where are you plucking your figure from?

 

[Super Freak]

 

[I bleed Maroon]

**** yeahhhhh, get a move on journos, I want plenty of training footage

 

[Marty Deutschmann]

I'm happy for the guy. Happy he gets to continue being a stronger person especially with the roster we have around him

 

[Mitch06]

Adam Blair looks so soft with a clean face.