Player Movements and Rumours 2012

[Mr Fourex]

So yes, "buying" key players has been part of the Broncos success. But it's also worth noting the Broncos have been selective in the past with who they buy and for what purpose.

That's all I'd like to see most of us admit. It's not the worst thing we could do at the moment. The worst thing we could do is bury our heads in the sand and pretend the problem isn't there

it is

The point remains, who has been out there and available in the key positions of halfback/hooker where the Broncos have most struggled for quality?

I have to admit that point you're pointing out, is the fly in the ointment.

Do we accept that Hunt is the half and go after a 5/8 instead.....? It's again pointing to JT, but listening to some of the comments, in retrospect..... Thurston is getting on. He might not be the answer either.

For 2013 the pickings are slim.....Aiden Sezer, Liam Foran?

2014 and it gets a little better with Ryan Stig, Gareth Widdop, Todd Carney......Adam Reynolds, Johnathan Thurston, Sam Williams

2015: Wade Graham Curtis Sironen, Kyle Stanley ......Shaun Johnson, Josh McCrone

It's outside the box, but hopefully someone behind the scenes at the Broncs recognises that some thing's missing and plans to do something about it.

I don't think Ben Hunt is a 5/8....he's a half. Our run into the semis could yield much better returns if Hunt could be directing play more.

Much rather give Norman another shot at 5/8, but for now if it HAS to be Wallace .....then let it be

but he has to be put on notice....surely !!

Start performing Pete or your outta here......

Andrew McCullough you'll be next.

Actually Peter Wallace would get a lot less grief from me if we had him playing with the 9 on his back........ at least for a while. I've long suspected that he's actually playing out of position which I think is one reason why he looks totally lost out there sometimes.

 

[Ari Gold]

Virtually every single half you just named is just as much a non-solution as Wallace. Widdop? Stig? Kyle Stanley? The only player there I genuinely think could solve our issues is Shaun Johnson.

The market is definitely something we should be open to, but buying just for the sake of it will only be counter-productive as it will suggest to our other juniors that we would be willing to block their path to first grade to purchase mediocre players.

 

[Jeba]

Thurston - as you said, getting on
Sezer - Titans finally found a halves partner for Prince, no way they will let him go
L Foran - please
Stig - please
Widdop - would be no better than what we have now considering the quality of our hooker compared to theirs
Carney - can't believe you even mentioned him
Reynolds - less than 1 good season at this stage, come see me in 2 or 3 years
Williams - please
Graham - please
Sironen - as if a Sironen would ever leave Leichardt
Stanley - please
Johnson - as Ari said, would be awesome, but no chance he will leave the Warriors
McCrone - please

The only way you'd take Thurston is if he'd 100% guarantee us a Premiership while he is here. Otherwise he will be here for 2, maybe 3 years before he retires and then we are back where we started from.

 

[vertigo]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...hnathan-thurston/story-e6frep5x-1226451242970

While acknowledging Thurston's rare ability, Gee said the Broncos had not lost faith in Norman and Wallace, who are signed until the end of 2013 and 2014 respectively.

"We are happy with what we've got," Gee said last night. "Apparently we have a slush fund ready and waiting (to sign Thurston), but can someone tell me where it is?"

"He (Thurston) would command a lot under the salary cap and we are chock-a-block anyway."

"chock-a-block" ?

Oh god.

 

[Kimlo]

He's playing games.

 

[Bucking Beads]

We can't possibly be chock a block in regards to the salary cap.

 

[Browny]

Playing it close to the chest after the planes don't fly in the rain debacle

 

[Mr Fourex]

Thurston - as you said, getting on
Sezer - Titans finally found a halves partner for Prince, no way they will let him go
L Foran - please
Stig - please
Widdop - would be no better than what we have now considering the quality of our hooker compared to theirs
Carney - can't believe you even mentioned him
Reynolds - less than 1 good season at this stage, come see me in 2 or 3 years
Williams - please
Graham - please
Sironen - as if a Sironen would ever leave Leichardt
Stanley - please
Johnson - as Ari said, would be awesome, but no chance he will leave the Warriors
McCrone - please

The only way you'd take Thurston is if he'd 100% guarantee us a Premiership while he is here. Otherwise he will be here for 2, maybe 3 years before he retires and then we are back where we started from.

You don't rate Wade Graham...? He's a bit of a grub, but he's got skills. A lot more creative skills than Peter Wallace

Reynolds well, he doesn't come off contract until next year so he would effectively have had another season under his belt.

We can't just assume that none of the players mentioned won't leave where they are if the money is right and they actually want to be part of a great organisation like the Broncos. Brisbane/QLD alone is a great attraction for some, regarding choice of lifestyles.........

As they say.....you have to be in it, to win it. Never say never.

Andrew Gee can't be serious if he says that Brisbane are content with what they've got.....currently.

 

[Big Pete]

I don't rate Graham as a half. Did you see him there Fourex? Woeful, at lock it's a completely different story but we have enough talented backrows that we almost made a team out of them.

The only half you'd want to throw money at is somebody like a JT, Cronk or Marshall and even then would they really be worth that much coin? The other bet is to poach an NYC half and even that would be a huge risk.

 

[Coxy]

There is no way known the Broncos don't (or won't) have room in the cap for 2013 or especially 2014.
You don't lose Beale, Te'o and Civoniceva and upgrade relatively junior players and suddenly not have any room under a probable $5.5-$6 million salary cap. Just not possible.
He's definitely playing cards close to his chest.

 

[Dexter]

Why not look at the UK for a half then. With the salary cap increase and teams folding over there it's worth a look at least.

 

[broncos4life]

There's some great points in here. I still can not understand all the Macca hate. He has been very consistent and often one of our best player and is still young, you can see in a few years he has the potential to be very smith like. I don't get it and I dont think I ever will

 

[Mr Fourex]

I don't rate Graham as a half. Did you see him there Fourex? Woeful, at lock it's a completely different story but we have enough talented backrows that we almost made a team out of them.

Yeah....sorry. Got my wires crossed. Thought it was the other way around. Lock to 5/8 not 5/8 to lock. He impressed me against the Broncs a few rounds ago.

Marshall is 2015. How old would he be then.......late 30's? He's already on the decline imo.

In 2015 Keiron Foran is off ......James Maloney ......Sironen?

Kinda getting more curious what the Broncs have got up their sleeve if it is as suggested.... Andrew Gee merely throwing up a smoke screen by saying their satisfied with Wallace & Co.

 

[Jeba]

There's some great points in here. I still can not understand all the Macca hate. He has been very consistent and often one of our best player and is still young, you can see in a few years he has the potential to be very smith like. I don't get it and I dont think I ever will

The thing is he's been threatening to be Smith-like for a few years now. Smith himself was established as one of the best hookers in the game only a couple of years into his career. Debuted in Origin after just one season.

Yeh Macca is probably one of our form players at the moment, but honestly that doesn't say a lot right now. I still think we need more from him.

 

[Mr Fourex]

There's some great points in here. I still can not understand all the Macca hate. He has been very consistent and often one of our best player and is still young, you can see in a few years he has the potential to be very smith like. I don't get it and I dont think I ever will

I know what you mean. I've been battling the Peter Wallace love for years and that's what I've always felt. I just don't get it.

Regarding McC......I think the worst thing someone told him was that he could be the next Cam Smith and is very Smith like. He's not. He's not quick enough behind the ears to be "Smith like". I'd rather him be more "Andrew McCullough like" and work on his consistency and his attacking game....organising game. I think lately he has been defending so much that he has lost a bit of that edge with his attack.

He does have one of the better 40/20 kicks from dummy half in the game. That's about where the comparison to Smith should stop.

 

[Coxy]

I'd just like to see Macca develop some more ruck variations with his forwards. Switches of play, decoy flat runner with second runner off the shoulder, that kind of thing. He's fairly one dimensional in that respect, and largely that'd be the game plan. I think we need variation just to ask the defence more questions.

His long kicking game needs to be used more too, especially early in the tackle count (3, 4) if we're getting pinned and the wingers are still up.

Most of all it's within the attacking zone he needs to be more decisive. If he's going to run, as he likes to do, pick the right moment. Otherwise the key is QUICK and QUALITY ball to the first receiver. That's an area he tends to be inconsistent with.

 

[m1c]

It's either juniors or players yet to establish their full worth. Jacob Miller is someone I'd be looking at. Townsend is another whilst the Raiders also have a solid couple of outstanding prospects on their books in the 20s, however I always get their names mixed up. We've got a problem and one solution is to throw numbers at it.

The club also needs to decide what they're going to do with Norman - half, fullback, outside backs, backrow?

That will determine which way we go recruitment wise. IMO highest priority on our list should be a like for like replacement for Gagai. Someone at a similar stage of development - take your pick of the plethora of young outside backs around - with a view toward the right centre position. Closely followed by a Miller/Townsend or like player to add depth to the halves.

 

[Big Pete]

Most hookers take awhile to develop.

IMO Smith is the best modern hooker of all time and it even took him until he was 23 to become the premier hooker in the game. Yeah, he made Origin after just one season but look at his competition, it was Cam Smith or bust really.

Next year will be very interesting for Macca. If all else fails, we can always give Butterfield a chance.