Recruitment/Retention!

[Jeba]

I'm hoping people haven't written off Setu and to a lesser extent Te'o yet.

If we're to get the best out of them, the coaching staff have to back them, help them out in training, etc.

Ning I hate to single you out mate but I find it funny how you're willing to give Setu a go, yet you never give Michaels a chance.

I am not saying that Michaels deserves his place in the team, he doesn't, but neither does Setu.

 

[Hamm.0]

What worries me is in recent years when a new coach has taken over a successful club that was coached by a successful, experienced coach, they enjoyed immediate success.

eg:
Michael Hagan. Took over the Knights after Warren Ryan spent 3 years setting them up - premiership first year in 2001.
Ricky Stuart. took over the Roosters after Phil Gould and then Graham Murray made them real contenders - premiership first year in 2002.

Ivan Henjak has taken over a very successful Broncos, setup for 22 years by Bennett...and made it go backwards. That's a worry IMO.

Whilst there is some truth in that post, remember that Henjak has half the cattle (especially in the pack) that
WB had.

I honestly believe we are seeing the fruits of some very questionable recruitment and retention decisions.

P.S. Did any other CEO's have a personalised Xmas carol on their clubs website?

 

[ningnangnong]

I'm hoping people haven't written off Setu and to a lesser extent Te'o yet.

If we're to get the best out of them, the coaching staff have to back them, help them out in training, etc.

Ning I hate to single you out mate but I find it funny how you're willing to give Setu a go, yet you never give Michaels a chance.

I am not saying that Michaels deserves his place in the team, he doesn't, but neither does Setu.

I agree, i am inconsistent and i guess unfair.

Even when Michaels was playing ok at the start of last season, i didn't really think he had that much to his game other than pace. I just think he is a one dimensional kind of player. He can't pass, his upper body strength is terrible. He can only really run one line as we saw yesterday against the Eels which actually resulted in tries! He is poor under the high ball. As a centre, i don't rate him at all. Maybe he'd be performing better if he was on the wing.

From what I've seen of Setu, he has massive potential and it's important that we harness that and use him correctly. He is not a workhorse or your typical type of forward, he is dynamic and should be running wide onto flat balls from Lockyer and Wallace. I just think Henjak hasn't been using him properly this season.

Basically, i don't rate Michaels but i do rate Setu. Obviously i will stick up for him if i rate him and i am probably more biased when looking at Michaels performances in that i tend to highlight the negatives more so than the positives. Most people do it though for other players and teams.

 

[Bucking Beads]

The Problem is Te'o, Setu. Thaiday, Wapau, Glenn and even Parker are all wide running backrowers.. None of them a workhorses and this is the problem IMO....

 

[broncosil]

The Problem is Te'o, Setu. Thaiday, Wapau, Glenn and even Parker are all wide running backrowers.. None of them a workhorses and this is the problem IMO....

That's a very interesting point, particularly when Sims and Clinton are the only ones that run through the middle. Very big problem with no one to replace them.

 

[lynx000]

Hence my post about needing two more genuine front rowers. If we could pick up Matt Scott and that Cross guy who is playing for Melbourne and is off contract, they would be ideal.

 

[Big Pete]

I thought aside from losing Civoniceiva our recruitment was spot on in 2007.

Tate had achieved all he could in Brisbane and we had a number of bright prospects coming through.
Thorn was past it.
Carlaw was starting to come good, but too little too late.

The only real losses were Civoniceiva and Berrigan who were both victims of the salary cap (and poor management in Civo's case).

I didn't have too big a problem with the signings.

Wallace was the answer to our prayers in 07, finally a decent halfback.
Sims was a player of potential, given guidance he'd be a perfect replacement for both Carlaw and Thorn. Not to mention, his youngest brother is an absolute beast.
Clinton was somebody who needed a change of scenary, anything was possible for him.
Marsh appeared to be the perfect foil for Berrigan and another decent hooker option considering how injury prone Ennis was at the time.

Then in 2008 everything went down hill.

Clinton suffered an injury in Round 1 and was barely able to find consistensy.
Sims played his best three games at the start of the year, instead of playing like Thorn he played like Carlaw.
Marsh went down injured in Round 3 and was never the same.
Wallace got injured mid-way through the year and hasn't been the same since - straight after we significantly upgrade his contract (forcing us to release a number of players).

We start the year by signing Folau, a signing I still maintain was very good as he's a superstar and it's somebody we needed in the backline.
We then sign two very similar players in Te'o and Setu. Now I questioned signing both players as they remind me of Ben Roberts from the Bulldogs - the influenced type of player who play as well as the team around them.
We push Ennis out the door and sign Aaron Gorrell, a signing I still wonder about.
We push Stagg out and sign Michael De Vere - speaks for itself.

We also push Moon, Boyd and essentially Eastwood out the door and expect our juniors to fill their void. Aside from Moon, we haven't been able to effectively fill their spots.

There are only two players I believe we had no chance of keeping - Kemp and Hannant. Kemp was signed to a 200K contract when he hadn't cemented a first grade spot while Hannant was offered 350K a figure we didn't even offer Webcke or Civoniceiva.

Ultimately though, in 09 our main problem has been our depth and the attitude around the club. It's an extremely young side filled with players who haven't been tested under pressure, some of our players lack character and that's why we're in the pickle we're in. This period of the season though could prove to be a benefit depending on how the roster responds. They can either bow out and cement themselves as a pack of losers for the next 2-3 years or they can fight out of it, show some character and get ready for some serious finals football.

 

[mrslong]

Gosh we need to sign Matt Scott up, if we can't get him we're stuffed.

 

[Ari Gold]

The one thing that has always got at me this season is the complete incompetence Bruno showed with Eastwood. To release him to ESL and not to have some sort of clause put in that he can't play for another NRL team is frankly an embarrassing failing. Sadly, it's nothing compared to the decision to re-sign Michaels [icon_thumbs_do

 

[Abe The Cop]

The Problem is Te'o, Setu. Thaiday, Wapau, Glenn and even Parker are all wide running backrowers.. None of them a workhorses and this is the problem IMO....

Agreed there. It seems like they've been trying to turn Thaiday into that type of player, when he clearly isn't.

 

[Mister Wright]

I really think if we can stay in touch with the top 8 over the next few weeks, after the Origin period we'll go guns. We've been hit harder by Origin this year more than most others because (with the salary cap) we just don't have the depth we used to. We were one of the standout teams before the Origin period and and I think we will be again heading towards the final. I really think we need to settle on McCullogh as hooker and get the combinations working. I don't think Setu & T'eo are that bad either and think once we get our full squad back together after the Origin period we can make a push towards the finals. I've heard rumours we're chasing Matt Scott from NQ, reckon that would be a good signing and add a bit more depth in the forwards next season.

 

[uji]

Front-rowers is the problem. Everyone was talking up our backline at the start of the season. Even back then any fool could tell we were skinny in the forwards, it's just a question if the ones we do have this year can step up. All signs point to no, but I haven't lost faith yet!

 

[azza79]

Front-rowers is the problem. Everyone was talking up our backline at the start of the season. Even back then any fool could tell we were skinny in the forwards, it's just a question if the ones we do have this year can step up. All signs point to no, but I haven't lost faith yet!

If we are having trouble recruiting front rowers, then perhaps we should be looking in the north of England for an Adrian Morley styled front rower to add some more mongrel to our pack (without the high suspension rate). James Graham from St Helens would be a good signing, although he's signed there till 2011. Anyone know of any others out there?

 

[joshobro]

The problem is we are over paying some players. Over the years people would take pay cuts to be at the broncos cos it was an honour to wear the jersey. The players we have recruited are really nothing on the players we have lost.

Joel Clinton: He is really starting to hit his straps but at 275k a season, we probably could have kept Hannant on that and I know who I would rather on my team.

Lagi Setu: Showed some great things at st george last year but has been an absolute joke this year. The best thing we could do is cut our losses and just release him. We lost David Stagg cos he was suppose to come in and give us impact. Parker could play 2nd row and Stagg at lock or vice versa and we would be in a much better position.

Ashton Sims: He has size and he could be a great player but he is just a nothing type player for us. We should look at getting rid of him as well. He would be on a decent salary and for a guy that's struggling to make 1st grade why bother having someone like that in the team.

Aaron Gorrell: Where as he has done nothing wrong, he hasn't done much right. He is a solid enough player but after having Ennis who showed heaps of creativity in the ruck to someone like that it's just like going from a ferrari to a toyota camry it's solid and pretty reliable but if you could have the performance of a ferrari why go the camry haha.

Ben Te'o: He has done some good things and some not so good things. He is one player I would stick with cos I think he can definately add something to our team and a bit of creativity in a good wide running back rower.

I think we have a solid foundation there but we definately need a few players to bolster the squad. I think Matt Scott would be a great buy for us. We only really have 2 quality front rowers and it's just not enough. I would make a play to get Shaun Berrigan back from Hull. McCullough is a great up and comer but it is going to be a good couple of years until we see him at his best. Plus berrigan is great cover anywhere for us he is just what we need to spark us around the rucks. We are losing Karmichael and he has set up alot of our tries this year so losing him we really need a bit more creativity. The broncos management really need to have a look at themselves because the players we've lost and what we have gained is pretty shit in comparison. I have no idea how we let Denan Kemp and Darius Boyd go when both wanted to stay. Steve Michaels has some good parts to his game but I would take Darius Boyd any day of the week. Looking around the off contract players I think Danny Williams should be top of our list he has some great qualities and would be an assett to our squad.

So I would basically look at this for next year.

Released: Ashton Sims, Lagi Setu, Aaron Gorell.

Signings forward options: Matt Scott (Pretty obvious), Danny Williams, Leeson Ah Mau (Great up and coming front rower would be great for us), Daniel Conn (Strong defending and good running forward), Evarn Tuimavave (injured his neck this year but could come back to be good for us), Nigel Plum (rated the hardest hitter in the game, we could really use him in defense), Corey Payne (Good back rower could give us a bit more variety there), Todd Payten (I think would be great for us, skillful front rower and strong would be good to sign). David Kidwell (I know he is older and is probably a bit past it but we are desperately lacking a bit of an old head and some leadership).

Other Signings: Shaun Berrigan (we all know what he can do and there was rumours he wasn't happy in england so bring him back home), Heath L'Estrange (he could definately work well with McCullough in tandem to give us the creativity around the ruck we need), Dene Halatau (could be great for us as a utility, has been a great player for new zealand and could be great for us). Also a couple of outside backs, Keith Lulia or get Denan Kemp back.

 

[andirect]

release Michaels too

 

[lyn]

I agree with most of what you said Joshobro.
Although I doubt we could of gotten Hannant with 275k Because It would of taken us 350k or more to get him.
Lagi Setu is off contract at the end of this year so no need to release him. Same with Gorrell.
If we don't manage to get any decent front rowers then I think we might have to keep Sims.
I agree on Te'o. I see good potential in him. He is a good defender, hits hard, and is a good wide runner. He is with us for next year.
It might be easier to get Leeson Ah Mau because Isaak (his brother) is already at the broncos.
I don't think we need any more outside backs. Yow Yeh, Copley, Beale, Hewitt are all decent enough backups. Wouldn't mind getting Kemp back for the right price though :D.
I don't think we need Halatau. We have a younger and potentially better version of him in Alex Glenn who I rate Highly.

 

[jarro65]

Can somebody tell me who the forwards coach is please ?

 

[Alec]

I'd commit suicide if we gotten Corey Payne. Even Setu is 10 times the player Payne is atm.