McCullough re-signs until the end of 2017

[Unbreakable]

EXCLUSIVE: McCullough Inks New Deal - Broncos

THE NRMA Insurance Broncos have today secured the future of their all-important ‘spine’ after Andrew McCullough inked a new two-year contract with the club.

The 25-year-old hooker, who has already racked up 154 NRL matches for the club, will be a Bronco until at least the end of the 2017 season.

The news is a big boost for Broncos’ members and fans, with McCullough a hot property on the open market.

It also comes in the week the Broncos have risen to the outright lead of the NRL ladder under returned coach Wayne Bennett.

McCullough’s signing means the play-making backbone of the Broncos’ team is now secured for the long term, with the hooker joining halfback and great mate Ben Hunt, five-eighth Anthony Milford and fullback Darius Boyd as contracted until the finish of 2017.

Dalby-raised McCullough said today it was great to finalise the arrangement with the club he has been with since his early teens.

It also means he and childhood friend Hunt will play alongside each other for at least another three seasons.

“It’s been going on for the last three or four months so it is exciting,” he said.

“The good thing is I had a lot of people, including the Broncos and my management, making sure negotiations were clean and there were no arguments.

“You look at the calibre of players you are playing beside. It is good to cement that ‘spine’.”

“’Hunty’ and I are from totally different areas from Queensland and we started in under 12s together.

“We have been great mates all along.

“It’s exciting we are still close mates now and to be able to play another two-and-a-half years together is great.”

 

[BroncosFan_Corey]

Hopefully he doesn't switch off again now he has a new deal

 

[jarro65]

I'm sure he won't switch off with Wayne overseeing things.

Good signing, a bit of stability in the spine which is a good thing for the side going forward.

 

[mitch222]

I don't think he will switch off again if he wants to keep his place in the team. Hodges was on the radio yesterday and said one of the major changes at the club was Bennett's perform or perish with regards to players positions. He said Thaiday's demotion to the bench shocked a lot of the players especially the older ones and that now no one is taking their spot in the team for granted like they used to last year.

 

[Foordy]

I'm not sure how i feel about signing him for 2 more years. IMO, for the vast majority of his time at the club he has been mediocre at best (apart from defence) and i think we should be aiming for better

 

[Super Freak]

I would have preferred a 1 year contract with the promise of another 2 if he achieved goals set by the club.

 

[Rally Towel]

I know many are somewhat critical of Macca but I've always rated him. His decline last year was more due to injury than complacency if you ask me.

We're seeing some good signs so far under the new regime. I'd be highly surprised if we don't see him take his game to another level.

 

[Unbreakable]

I assume Wayne looked at the list of free agent Hookers coming off contract in the next couple of seasons and just decided that re-signing Andrew was the lesser of 2 evils, the only Hookers off-contract in the next couple of years who you would consider a class above McCullough are Nathan Peats & James Segeyaro, and they'll both be staying with the clubs they're at one would imagine.

 

[broncos4life]

I'm not sure how i feel about signing him for 2 more years. IMO, for the vast majority of his time at the club he has been mediocre at best (apart from defence) and i think we should be aiming for better

And who is available that is better?

 

[Mister Wright]

Phew! It would be really hard to watch one of your favourite players go around for another team, like it was when Hodges played for the Roosters.

 

[broncos4life]

I assume Wayne looked at the list of free agent Hookers coming off contract in the next couple of seasons and just decided that re-signing Andrew was the lesser of 2 evils, the only Hookers off-contract in the next couple of years who you would consider a class above McCullough are Nathan Peats & James Segeyaro, and they'll both be staying with the clubs they're at one would imagine.

Pests is very debatable

 

[broncos4life]

Very glad to have macca re-signed

 

[Tera]

Pests is very debatable

This. He had one half of a good year before he was injured and is no where near as consistent as Macca.

 

[Kimlo]

Well it is what it is. I'm not excited, but hopefully Bennett and the rest of the coaching staff can actually help him take his game to the next level.

 

[GCBRONCO]

I'm happy to have re-signed him, particularly more so now we have Kodi now off the bench for impact, McCullough can absorb a lot of the early hard grind defensive work and service, then Kodi comes in and provides impact in attack when defence starts to tire.

 

[CaptainHook]

Interesting news. I'm not his biggest fan but I give credit where it's due. He's having a much improved year and his defense has been terrific. It also means we have a settled spine for the next few years as we launch a tilt at the premiership.

I would love to know if any other clubs were genuinely keen on him and tabled an offer or if it was all just media speculation.

Interesting that it's only a 2 year deal. His previous one was three years. What do you all make of that? Is it to stave off any complacency which he has been guilty of. Hopefully with Bennett back, who is a bit more strict and the emergence of Nikorima will see him keep improving.

 

[Broncoman]

Decent signing at least we've got a spine that will be settled for a while although I hope we've got a young hooker coming through that can attack as well as defend. Don't mind Macca as a player, works his his socks off defensively and seems like a good guy but his attack is average at best.

 

[broncos4life]

So I'll ask my question again, out of who is realistically available next year or even the year after, who would you have signed over macca?

It's all good to bitch and whinge that we apparently can do better, well who is that?