Pre-season

[Foordy]

Does anyone genuinely think we are spoon contenders again next year?

Have no doubt we'll sort things out
'cause next year we've got Kevie

 

[Foordy]

Every season has teams that massively out perform, we can be that team in 2021

Every season, there are also the teams that massively UNDER perform. IMO, that was us in 2020

 

[abashii]

2020 was the perfect storm- a dud coach, fractured team playing as individuals, an inordinate number of injuries, no qcup to pick replacement players from, rule changes partway through the season, some dud calls that by themselves were nothing but ultimately cost us games, and by the end a thoroughly defeated team who had lost all confidence and hope. I think it's unlikely we'll see the same confluence of factors again in 2021 so the spoon seems a remote possibility.

 

[BroncsFan]

I hope i am wrong but i don't see us being too far from bottom 4 so i guess that means i have us in the race for the spoon next season.

I like Kevvie being on board and i think the 30+ floggings will stop but i just can't see where our improvement comes from where we comfortably overtake Dogs, Cows or Manly from last year.

Seibold removed any fear factor we had, teams seem to enjoy playing us, especially at home. Our backline looks timid in attack without Staggs and Milford and Croft would have to lift their game by a large margin and find consistency to be in the top 8 fight.

Our pack is solid but unsettled, Lodge and TPJ can be bang or bust, if they even last the season...

Maybe i have been burnt by season 2020 but my expectation for next season is not so much ladder position but Kevvie rolling out a team that plays with heart and doesn't roll over like the Seibold years with a view to building a roster towards 2022 and beyond.

I think the sharks will probably fall a fair way down the ladder this year. They were also rans in the finals and SJ is out till June... if Moylan gets injured, seems likely, they have no attack.

The dogs spine still looks pretty rubbish... I dont think Burton is getting there till 2022. So it's all the guys they had last year (less Foran) + Flannagan (unless they try Cotric at fullback), and Flannagan did not impress me at all.

Tigers appear to have gone backwards with Harry gone... probably not spoon backwards but still backwards.

We also have the dragons who look a real spoon side at the moment. I dont think Griffin can get BHunt or Norman out of their funk.. and if those two continue to flounder it could be a very long season.

It's getting close to implode point for Parra as well. Moses looked anything but the messiah and the coach should probably start looking at Brown taking over. They're basically flat track bullies so if they start losing I dont think they have the mentality to pick it up.

For the Broncos it all depends on whether the players buy into what Kevvie is selling. The forwards will get us through games (pending injuries to the 2nd row) and the backs are solid enough, but our spine is the worst in the comp going by form. If Milf doesn't improve or we dont have any consistency in the spine, specifically Turps remaining healthy, Dearden improving in attack and someone stepping up to take that fullback spot, then it could be a long season for us.

To me the best contenders for bottom 4 at this stage are dogs, sharks, dragons, broncos & warriors.

If we improve our attitude we will be much better off than last year... unfortunately for us we basically only won 1 game last year (when you consider the new rules, etc.), which means we need a lot of improvement

 

[PNG Broncos fan88]

Every season has teams that massively out perform, we can be that team in 2021

I give us even money chance against the Dogs and Cows, but other than that a win against any of the others would be an upset. IMO we won't beat GC, but if we do, anything higher than 2-10 start than I'd be confident of us passing on the spoon to the Dogs (who are in for a horror start too).

 

[Wolfie]

I guess because he's continued on at the club as a trainer, and many of us suspected he was the cancer. So if the subject is to do with attitude and mentoring, then Boyd is everything we don't want replicated on the field next season. Off the field, I don't know, he's always been presentable as a club ambassador, but his shirking responsibility for his own woeful performances, saying shit like he was "trying too hard" and playing down losses, grated on many of us. On top of those generic complaints, some of us are also somewhat leery about him blaming "mental health" for his infidelity. Where he chooses to stick his dick is not our business, but he's traded on that feeble excuse to package himself as a player mentor on every permutation of psychological trauma. Not all of us are buying in.

So as much as we'd like to relegate him to the past, he's still the present, at least somewhat.

On the topic of past, present and future, I feel much better about Macca hanging around the club. I'm loathe to see him back wearing the number 9, but the bloke is rock solid as a mentor, and if it weren't for him being a slug in lead boots at dummy half, he'd be the standout pick for captain.

I think a lot of these young blokes should take a leaf of out Darius book tbh with the way he looks after himself and how he trains. I've met Darius a couple of times but I dont know him personally. I do get the feeling he presents himself badly because he isnt that comfortable being in front of the cameras. He isnt the greatest communicator and it doesnt help him sometimes. Anyone i've known who has played with him certainly wouldn't class him as a " cancer " on the club ( and i hate that term btw, makes light of a very serious disease imo ). There have been quite a few who i know of who could fit that bill, but i dont think Boyd is one of them from my knowledge. Boyds big issue in the last 2 years has mainly been his body just stopped doing what he needed it to and the coach didnt have the balls to drop him. The other issues like his perceived lack of effort have all come from that imo.

In regards to his mental health, he isnt the same person now that he was before he got help so I would be loathe to judge him now to what he was back then when he was having affairs and being a bit of a shit. Sames goes with lodge for me. His mental state clearly was affecting his life in a very negative way.Darius has helped out quite a few blokes both at the club and in other areas with things that the press never get near.

 

[Petch67]

Does anyone genuinely think we are spoon contenders again next year?

Id hope not but....Yes.....i didnt think it would happen this year....i dont think these guys are mentally tough enough when things are going against them to dig in as a team...next years draw is fucked but will show if these blokes have any ticker....id be happy if we were still in the game every week after 20 minutes

 

[lynx000]

Looking at the draw I think we might surprise a few of you. Undoubtedly I am giving @upthebroncs something to search in a couple of years time, but it would not shock me if we are 4 or 5 from 12 and in the mix. It comes down to whether the coaching team can lift the morale, get them playing for each other, and develop and apply some form of defensive structure that they can stick to. Resilience will follow and build game by game.

 

[Wolfie]

Looking at the draw I think we might surprise a few of you. Undoubtedly I am giving @upthebroncs something to search in a couple of years time, but it would not shock me if we are 4 or 5 from 12 and in the mix. It comes down to whether the coaching team can lift the morale, get them playing for each other, and develop and apply some form of defensive structure that they can stick to. Resilience will follow and build game by game.

I think we will do better than a lot of people think we will as well.

 

[Morepudding]

We just need people who are more competitive. Just about everyone in our team seems to give up soon as it gets tough. Back when we were a good team we had multiple players who would step up when it got tough. I remember players like Justin Hodges just carrying the team in some games in the final 15 minutes just because no one else was doing it. Now, we don't have anyone like that.

 

[BroncosAlways]

Does anyone genuinely think we are spoon contenders again next year?

I honestly don't see us finishing below 12th, or even 10th if I'm being positive.

If we can string some momentum, defensive stability and turn up for eachother week in and week out, I see us playing finals football.

 

[Thelmus]

I think making the 8 is extremely optimistic given the year just gone but I'm all for optimism, so don't expect me to bag anyone for it.
I don't think we'll be anywhere near the spoon though. Theres too much talent, and whilst individually they might not be all that exiting our assistant coaches should give Walters an edge siebold never had: an experienced coach to lean on when things look tough and the wisdom to know a good idea from a potentially stupid one.
I'm not saying we aren't a chance at the eight, stranger things have happened (like finishing bottom despite having access to some of the best young talent going around) but I equally don't want to see Kevie castigated if we don't make it, because it's a HUGE thing to ask of him.
Finishing around 9 to 12 is a pass to me. Anything lower and he better start winning in the early rounds to next season. Anything higher and he should get an extension on his contract.

 

[winslow_wong]

We just need people who are more competitive. Just about everyone in our team seems to give up soon as it gets tough. Back when we were a good team we had multiple players who would step up when it got tough. I remember players like Justin Hodges just carrying the team in some games in the final 15 minutes just because no one else was doing it. Now, we don't have anyone like that.

Also when no one wanted to take a hard run to get out of our own end and Hodges would do some magic from dummy half... what a legend.

 

[Jason Simmons]

Anyone else find it funny that the only examples people seem to be using are those that are notorious cheaters, whether it’s signing two contracts or performance enhancing drugs?

There’s a balance. And Boyd’s comment was about his own mental health and finding that balance himself.

Peptides weren’t illegal when Earl used them. They were retrospectively made illegal and despite the fact he assisted ASADA enquiries against Dank, they found him guilty of ‘trafficking’ because he delivered these Peptides from the club to the club doctor.

Never tested positive to anything before or since. Slightly different spin on his guilt, eh?

 

[Cult]

Peptides weren’t illegal when Earl used them. They were retrospectively made illegal and despite the fact he assisted ASADA enquiries against Dank, they found him guilty of ‘trafficking’ because he delivered these Peptides from the club to the club doctor.

Never tested positive to anything before or since. Slightly different spin on his guilt, eh?

Not even sure what you’re arguing here. He admitted to 8 violations for the use of CJC-1295 as well as trafficking it, which was dropped. It wasn’t specifically stated but the list does say athletes are prohibited from using anything that promotes growth hormone, therefore it was in fact illegal.

I wonder if he was tested when he lived in Phuket where you can buy steroids over the counter?

 

[theshed]

Not even sure what you’re arguing here. He admitted to 8 violations for the use of CJC-1295 as well as trafficking it, which was dropped. It wasn’t specifically stated but the list does say athletes are prohibited from using anything that promotes growth hormone, therefore it was in fact illegal.

I wonder if he was tested when he lived in Phuket where you can buy steroids over the counter?

Wasn’t fellow convicted drug cheat Reni Matua one of the guys that would travel to Phuket with Earl?

 

[Kooly87]

I think the sharks will probably fall a fair way down the ladder this year. They were also rans in the finals and SJ is out till June... if Moylan gets injured, seems likely, they have no attack.

The dogs spine still looks pretty rubbish... I dont think Burton is getting there till 2022. So it's all the guys they had last year (less Foran) + Flannagan (unless they try Cotric at fullback), and Flannagan did not impress me at all.

Tigers appear to have gone backwards with Harry gone... probably not spoon backwards but still backwards.

We also have the dragons who look a real spoon side at the moment. I dont think Griffin can get BHunt or Norman out of their funk.. and if those two continue to flounder it could be a very long season.

It's getting close to implode point for Parra as well. Moses looked anything but the messiah and the coach should probably start looking at Brown taking over. They're basically flat track bullies so if they start losing I dont think they have the mentality to pick it up.

For the Broncos it all depends on whether the players buy into what Kevvie is selling. The forwards will get us through games (pending injuries to the 2nd row) and the backs are solid enough, but our spine is the worst in the comp going by form. If Milf doesn't improve or we dont have any consistency in the spine, specifically Turps remaining healthy, Dearden improving in attack and someone stepping up to take that fullback spot, then it could be a long season for us.

To me the best contenders for bottom 4 at this stage are dogs, sharks, dragons, broncos & warriors.

If we improve our attitude we will be much better off than last year... unfortunately for us we basically only won 1 game last year (when you consider the new rules, etc.), which means we need a lot of improvement

Our spine, which is arguably amongst the weakest in the competition is also pretty much paper thin on depth as well and with an injury or two for any reasonable amount of time in some of those roles we'd be essentially a shoe in to run bottom four again.

I hate being pessimistic but I also don't see the point in not being realistic. We have several major issues from this season that we have done absolutely nothing to resolve for next season. Granted, we've addressed some pretty big ones too like the Coach etc, but I doubt that these alone would be enough to take us from one of the worst performing seasons in modern NRL history to being well clear of the bottom four on their own.

 

[PNG Broncos fan88]

Our spine, which is arguably amongst the weakest in the competition is also pretty much paper thin on depth as well and with an injury or two for any reasonable amount of time in some of those roles we'd be essentially a shoe in to run bottom four again.

Spine wise, there is depth but you are probably right about the quality part.
1. Isaako/Niu/Arthars/Farnworth/Mead?
6. Milford/Croft/Gamble/Kelly
7. Dearden/Croft/Gamble/Paix
9. Macca/Turpin/Paix/Luke?

I guess Kevie has to find the right balance now.