NEWS Macca is as good as gone

[McHunt]

Not too many people on here seem to have much time for Paix.
I'm quite happy for Macca to move on and give us some cap breathing space and i think he is on on the downward slide whereas Paix will only get better.
Hopefully signing some of our up and comers will be Maccas legacy to the club moving forward.

That's not true at all. I think almost all of us were keen to see him get more game time last year. It's just that we haven't seen anything from him yet to suggest he's anything more than borderline NRL standard. As compared to Dearden who showed massive maturity, but if we're to be brutally honest still put him around bottom of the rung of current NRL halves.

 

[Big Pete]

On the surface, this is a blow for the club. The coaching staff clearly saw McCullough as an important part of the team and he was the favourite to be the captain of the club. For somebody in that position to depart the club at this stage of the season is a blow, even if they're just an honest toiler like McCullough. With McCullough on deck, it was very easy for the club to present this narrative that they were going to do it tough this year but these veteran players like McCullough, Te'o, Copley, Glenn etc. would help guide the future generation and teach them what it means to be a Bronco. I could easily see them having that conversation on the Matty Johns Show and enough people would believe it to make it the narrative.

As it currently stands, they're exposed and will likely have to re-sign Issac Luke to help fill the void which would be a downgrade. I hope they sit on it and see how things shake out in the early stages of the competition. It's a long year, you can survive on a Turpin/Paix combination in the early rounds.

With that said, while the Broncos wanted to present this narrative of getting back on track I thought they were going overboard with McCullough. Like most, I barely even blinked when his name came up as captain but when I thought about it and what that would look like by Round 6 it occurred to me just how awful that decision would be. He would essentially be a 'made man' when there's every possibility that he doesn't belong in the Top 17 at the club. So by forcing the club's hand and come up with another narrative, McCullough may have helped the Broncos avoid a long term headache.

Then there's the Dragons who are determined to sign as many mediocre Broncos players they can on ridiculous contracts.

 

[McHunt]

With that said, while the Broncos wanted to present this narrative of getting back on track I thought they were going overboard with McCullough. Like most, I barely even blinked when his name came up as captain but when I thought about it and what that would look like by Round 6 it occurred to me just how awful that decision would be.

What do you expect us to be saying about Milford come Round 6?

Looks like we're putting all our eggs in his basket, yet again.

 

[theshed]

@theshed captain Macca dream shattered.

Oh Ye of little faith. This is obviously a ploy by the old boy Hook. Grand final day, broncos vs dragons. Macca, Hunt, Normy, Sims, Folau, and Bird rip off their dragons jersey to reveal the 2015 bronco heritage jersey and swap teams. The supergroup combine forces to pull off the ultimate bronco move... a momentum killing 4th tackle slow burrow for the line from dummy half 1m out, usually completely ineffective but tactical genius’ Hook and Kevie have been preparing for the moment for 10 years, perfectly set up by the Machiavellian Seibold, A broncos defensive line so pissweak that Macca leaves Haas completely swinging at air. The siren blares. Final score 4-0 (Milford misses from in front of the posts).

Darius Boyd sheds a single proud tear. David Taylor eats a celebratory loaf of bread.

Scott Minto and Justin Hodges lift Macca onto their shoulders as the crowd slow claps and chants “Captain Macca Captain Macca”.. .

Macca later unfortunately dies when the medical department misdiagnose a decapitation as a grade 1 ankle sprain.

 

[WASSHHH]

What do you expect us to be saying about Milford come Round 6?

Looks like we're putting all our eggs in his basket, yet again.

God help the strength and conditioning team if they are this kind.

 

[BroncsFan]

When did that rule come into effect? I've only seen it rumoured, is it official now? Even so like @Morkel said that would be to a new club so it gives incumbent clubs an upper hand.

Can't see how the NRL can stop players from getting a better deal at their current club.

This is the broncos though, so I expect the NSWRL to find a way

 

[Mustafur]

Im hoping it's just a transition year untill we can get someone like B Smith or Turpin actually has a season worth keeping him long term.

 

[Foordy]

That would require mutual agreement to cancel the current contract, which would need to go through the NRL... and they just stopped players from being able to get an upgrade on their current deals ie. the Matterson rule where they kick stones and then sign somewhere else for double the cash.

the "Matterson rule" (assuming it has actually been brought in) would not apply here. the NRL has nothing against players getting more money from their current club mid contract ... they just want to stop players leaving one club mid contract for more cash at a different club

 

[animal eater]

Macca gone....good for the Saints and better for the Broncos.

 

[theshed]

Macca gone....good for the Saints and better for the Broncos.

No it’s terrible for the Saints. It’s a stupid contract in amount and duration, triggering the loss of a better player in the same position. How bad it ends up being for the broncos is yet to be seen, but we now have the same terrible hooker depth as last season.

 

[lynx000]

No it’s terrible for the Saints. It’s a stupid contract in amount and duration, triggering the loss of a better player in the same position. How bad it ends up being for the broncos is yet to be seen, but we now have the same terrible hooker depth as last season.

If we have signed B Walters, with Paix, isn't that sufficient cover for Hooker?

 

[Alec]

If the Broncos are just replacing him with Levi, its really more of a loss.

 

[theshed]

If we have signed B Walters, with Paix, isn't that sufficient cover for Hooker?

Potentially but I shudder to think of Turpin having another long stint out and having Walters and Paix or Luke being our rotation for any stretch. Macca is average as but he’s more than any of those players by a long shot.

 

[McHunt]

The Voice of QLD reckons the money will go towards signing Billy Walters. But his old man is saying dick:

“It certainly may do (allow us to sign someone), depending how things work out with Andrew. All rosters are moving all the time. They’re changing and ours is no different. I’ll expect there to be more changes during the season. It’s early days in the season which is something we’ve considered."

“There are options available if Andrew does decide to move on. We will look at that if and when we have to. Outside of Andrew, we’ve got three or four hookers here that have been training with us for the last seven or eight weeks. None of them have the experience Andrew has but that will be his decision.”

Gotta catch 'em all

“We want a clear direction with our club and where we’re heading in the next few weeks going into round one. We’ve given Andrew a couple of days off to sort himself out and see where he wants to play in 2021 and beyond."

“Of course we (wanted to keep him). He’s been a great player for the Broncos and is very experienced. That’s not the question. We want him to stay, for sure. We want to see him come back and play the way Andrew McCullough can. I’m sure his future will be bright when he can do that."

“We like to work with our players, we’re not stuck in the sand, we like to be flexible. We have a retention committee here, it’s not just my decision. We have made a decision on where we stand. It’s now up to the rival club to see where they stand. A decision hasn’t been finalised with the rival club so we’ll see what transpires in the next 24 hours.”

McHunt

 

[Culhwch]

The fact that Billy Walters is twenty-six makes me feel real fucking old.

Oh Ye of little faith. This is obviously a ploy by the old boy Hook. Grand final day, broncos vs dragons. Macca, Hunt, Normy, Sims, Folau, and Bird rip off their dragons jersey to reveal the 2015 bronco heritage jersey and swap teams. The supergroup combine forces to pull off the ultimate bronco move... a momentum killing 4th tackle slow burrow for the line from dummy half 1m out, usually completely ineffective but tactical genius’ Hook and Kevie have been preparing for the moment for 10 years, perfectly set up by the Machiavellian Seibold, A broncos defensive line so pissweak that Macca leaves Haas completely swinging at air. The siren blares. Final score 4-0 (Milford misses from in front of the posts).

Darius Boyd sheds a single proud tear. David Taylor eats a celebratory loaf of bread.

Scott Minto and Justin Hodges lift Macca onto their shoulders as the crowd slow claps and chants “Captain Macca Captain Macca”.. .

Macca later unfortunately dies when the medical department misdiagnose a decapitation as a grade 1 ankle sprain.

I'm confused. Which team won?

 

[theshed]

The fact that Billy Walters is twenty-six makes me feel real fucking old.



I'm confused. Which team won?

Pretty easy to follow. The broncos beat the broncos

 

[Culhwch]

Ooooooooooooooooh.

Nah I'm still lost.

 

[lynx000]

Ooooooooooooooooh.

Nah I'm still lost.

Rugba Leeg was the winner.